The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-02-08
Man Writing From Far
Western City Asks, for
Description of Him
is QUIT osITIvE
Tx@ALEY is THERE
WI Sler Letter Is Hoax or
&Slcere Opinion Remains
in Doubt

The mystery regarding the disappear
ance of Fred N. Braley, formerly we'll
known Barre man, who was last heard
from in San Francisco in January, 1919,
and many of whose private papers,
jammed into two fruitiars, were found
in an old trench in Macleay park, Port
land, Ore. last summer, was somewhat
heightened by receipt last night by
Mayor Langley of letter from Charles
w. Stewart of North Portland. Ore,
asking for description of Mr.. Braley
and expressing the belief that Mr. Bra
ley is living in Portland, despite the
theory advanced last summer in the
far western city that he had been mur-
dered
The letter from Mr. Stewart is type
written and appears to be a labored ar
ticle or else purposely misspelled, poor
" aligned and otherwise made to APP
pear like the work of novice in the
use of a typewriter. Not a single cap
ital letter is employed in the whole
letter and very little punctuation ap-
pears. Mr. Stewart calls upon some rel
ative for "a full description" of the
missing man. The letter is written on
heavy commercial stationery and is as
follows:
feb. i; i92i
mr. mayor
berle vermont
say mr., mayor
will you ps have some relative of
the
missing banker fred n braley
send NEE a full description of him
with photo
am quite positive mr., braley is
liveing
in portland
to avoid mistakes describe him.
yours truly
charles stewart
46 union ave north
portland oregon
The address on the envelope was2
TO, the mayor
of barre verI -
while the return address, in ink, was
c. W. Stewart, 46 union ave North
Portland, Oregon.
The use OF capital letters in the
on the outside of the en-
velope indicates that the writer of the
letter was somewhat fa-
maliar at least with the use of capital
letters and gives color to the belief
that he was either novice on the
typewriter or that the machine used
was devoid of the capital letter key.
Whether the letter is a hoax or
whether it represents the honest belief
of some person who has been led to
believe that Fred n. Brsley is alive and
living in Portland is, of course, merely
a matter of conjecture. There are many
in Barre who believe that Mr.. Braley
is alive and has merely chosen to re-
main without communication with his
relatives and friends in Barre and vi
cinity.
His Barre relatives and friends heard
from him the last time in a letter
written from the Chancellor hotel in
San Francisco ON Jan. 81. 1919, when
he wrote that he was about to leave :
for Portland He had gone away fr3x(
Barre in December 1918, after re-
ng as vice president of the Peox
.iona bank and after dispo
some Of his interests, here. He
leaving here that he was going
far west
From Jan 2l. 1919, nothn
heard from or about him un
. L. -
v closed and filled with priv
lers, including a will made te
,go. two watches and other
besides numerous papers were d
n a secluded part of Macleay
Portland when a Portland dru
Jerk. Ben Bechtell. stumbled
lole while wandering through the
rhe hole. resembling somewhs
rave, was 500 yards from tTal
,ath and was covered with rot
ark. Bechtell fell into the hole
Iune %. but as il was dark he
lot make an examination, return
ater. his curiosity being aroused,
ind the two glass fruit jars, which h
nd companion took back to Port
and and eventually turned over "a
attorney George Gearhart, 600 Henry
uilding in that city.
Since that time there has been no
urther report from the far western
ity until the mysterious letter came
ast night. divulging the information
hat the writer believed Mr.. Braley To
.e living in that city. So far as rel
tives and friends Of Mr.. Braley in
larre are aware, there was no reason
ghv he should seek to maintain a
nvstery about himself although il i
nown that during the later years of
Is long residence in Barre be had no
onfidants At the time Of the discovery
Z the fruit jars in Macleay park the
acts were published broadcast in that
is and elsewhere throughout the coun-
~.
II Z probable that local parties viii
end 10 Mr. Stewart the description
csircd ~ thcy wish % do their part
ouard clearing up = mystery which
a. pcrpleNed Mr. Braley's friends here
~ long time. some people believe
fsf Alr. Rralpy. displcased az the pub
citv gwen him through the discovery
{ the fruit iar. containing many of
j. uaper-. prefers O. maintain silence
0u
A--s,rf--ent IN Czleaoris County.