New-York tribune., 1915-03-22
DEAR OLIVER"
SOUGHT IN VAIN
BY U.S.. SLEUTHS
Detectives Hunt All Day
After Mysterious Tip
by Telephone.
HE WILL COME BACK,
SAYS J. w. OSBORNE
No Such Man Exists, Declares
Attorney for Miss Tanner,
Who Is Away Resting.

Where is "Olver" Osborne2 The
whereabouts OF the mysterious witness
in the Osborne-Ta ca-e was ap-
parently still worrying the federal au-
thoritics last night.
Unless they are able to produce him
Wednesday at the young woman's hear
ing before United States Commissioner
Houghton on the charge of using the
mails to defraud, made by James W.
Osborne, the criminal lawyer, whom
Miss Rae Tanner, the millinery fore
woman, sued for breach Of promise, the
defendants prospects of having the
charge dismissed may look good.
"0liver" Osborne, which is said To
be an assumed name, Is the man who
"vindicsted' Mr.. Osborne in state
ment that he, not the New York law
yer, as she alleged, was the original
Dear Oliver" with whom the little
millner kept company. The question
as to "Oliver's" whereabouts first arose
Saturday when he failed to meet Uo,teL
States District Attorney Marshall a
his Office in the Federal Building.
None of the authorities seemed to
know where TO look for this important
witness.
1t was learned yesterday that an
anonymous telephone call reached the
federal District Attorneys Office thot
"Oliver" Osborne could be found in the
neighborhood of Fifty-ninth Street and
Third Avenue.
Detectives Out on Hunt.
Special agents of the Department of
Justice were known 70 have been dis
patched to that neighborhood to look
for Osborne. They were back there
again yesterday.
The information which reached the
Federal District Attorneys office was
that 0. Osborne lived somewhere in the
block between Lexington Avenue and
Third Avenue on the north side Of
Sixtieth Street. lie was known to GER
tain young women who worked in that
neighborhood, il was said.
Residents along S,Xtieth Street were
visited yesterday afternoon and last
night by three men, supposed to have
been govern Ient agents. and inquiries
were made about "Oliver" Osborne.
The agents apparently left the neigh
borhood without getting on the trail
of their man.
The officials who could be reached
yesterday were non-committal as TO
whether o. Osborne was actually miss
ing or not Mr.. Marshall was out of
the city. James W. Osborne refused
10 answer inquiries about his double"
on the ground that he was govern
ment witness and was not permitted
to talk. lie intimated, however, that
the situation in the case had not
changed and that the witness would
appear at the proper time.
Everything is just as 1T has been
right along" said Mr.. Osborne. we
are not worrying, despite the reports
that Oliver Osborne has disappeared.
That is all can say. | am witnes.
in the hands of the government and
have been instructed not to talk about
the case
Hearing on Friday.
at would be a great deal better Tor
him 10 reserve whatever claims he mas
IN detence OF tne aCIlon DroueiI dea'"o'
him by Miss Tanzer," said Mr.. Siade'
until such time as these claims can
be presented through the sworn lips
of witnesses, if that proves possible.
The application for bill of particcu-
lars in the Tanner breach OF promise
suit, made by Mr. Osborne, Friday, Will
come up for a hearing in Part of the
Supreme Court to-day.
Maxwell Slade, Of Slade & SlaGe,
counsel for Miss Tanner, was very
much inclined TO adopt the current i'm,
preston that in some way "Oliver'
Osborne had been lost track OF by the
authorities.
81 doubt very much that this wit
ness for the government viii appear
on Wednesday, said Mr.. Slste. Il
think it is "A case OF the longer they
look for him the less they will see OF
him. In other words, don't believe
such a man exists"