The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1919-08-22
HAS JNO. BOLICH
KILLED HIMSELF!
Aged Man, Deserted by
Pretty Young Wife,
Mysteriously Dis
appears

One of the most mysterious
cases Of disappearance in the po-
lice annals of Elizabeth City oc-
Cured last Tuesday, when John
Bo1ich, cotton mill employe, left
home at 2.o'clock in the after
noon, to go fishing and has neith-
er been seen nor heard of since.
Bolich's wife left him about two
weeks ago, and since her leaving
he, has been very despondent
having several times threatened
suicide, and the fact. that he was
wearing his every day clothes,
and carried very little money
with him when he went away, is
the basis for "a widely current
belief that he has taken his own
life.
When last seen, Bolich, who lives
across the railroad on Parsonage street,
was going into the country in the direc-
ton of the Weymouth farm. A thorough
search of that neighborhood by the po-
lice Wednesday afternoon failed to re-
veal any trace of the man, and every Ell
fort to locate him has met with utter
failure. Bolich is described as red COM
plexioned man, 40 or 45 years old, about
6 feet tall, clean shaven, and weighing
around 225 pounds, and trifle gray
around the temples. He wore a light
gray shirt, a pair of ight-eolored trou-
sers.- and a. black felt hat at the tiIea
of disappearance
Upon leaving his home Tuesday, Boil
ich told his eldest daughter, an attrae-
tive girl of Is, that lie was going fish
ing and would be back in time for sup
per. When night came and he did not
return, his three daughters became
alarmed, and went over to neighbor's
to spend the night. The police were
notified of his disappearance .Wednes
day morning.
Bolich came to Elizabeth City from
Gastonia, n. G. about five months ago
and obtained employment at the Eliza
beth City Cotton Mill. He is described
as being SOBER honest and industrious
and has never left his family withou
! making necessary arrangements for
| someone to stay with them While d
| was away. His wife, who is "A year
old. is the stepmother of his three youn
daughters, and she was concerned IN tn
recent trial of Police Officer Grandlso
| Phelps, who was charged with her ab
duction. but was acquitted in polio
court Monday, the evidence not ben
strong enough to make a case agalns
him.
Tt is stated that Bolich was muc
:. worried by the trial, in which his wife
character was questioned, and this, ade
ed to his despondency over her leavni
him two weeks ago, further bears OF
the suicide theory. los daughter, Dor
saws that her father had a pistol. whic
he was thinking of selling last week, bt
If is not known whether or not he dIs
posed of it, A thorough search OF tt
premises by the police failed to feVe
the weapon. The girl farther state
that Bolich has threatened three time
to end his life, and, upon occasion 81
y broke a bottle of carbo1ic acid fearil
that he would poison himself with
There is also a suggestion that Boh'
NAV have met with foul play but the
, is nothing to support s1ch a beilef.
, The three children of Bolieh a
Dora, aged 1s, Ivar, aged 15, and Dais
, aged IL. If Bolich does not return sa
and sound, they plan co return to ia
9 tonia and make their home with mel
bers of his family there. For the pr
~ sent they are staying at the home
? L. T. Allen, neighbor who lives nea
by. The local police are making eve
effort to locate Bolch, but thus
they have been unable to find even
: clue as to his whereabouts.