St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1921-06-04
R. H. FERGESON
MYSTERIOUSLY
DISAPPEARS
FROM HOME
Leaving Ostensibly With
Purpose of Returning
With New Car.
LAST SEEN IN
NEW ORLEANS
Business In Covington In
Fair Shape. Everybody
Is Puzzled.

Ralph H. Ferseson had an ideally
happy home life, When he met Miss
Annie Schneider, two years ago last
December, it seemed to be a case IT
love at first sight and his ardent
Wooing was rewarded by Miss Schnei-
der's consent to become his wife
stranger in Covington. He had OPEN
ed a garage in partnership with a
Mr.. Allison and the business pros
pered. Subsequently Mr.. Allison left
here and the business was continued
by Mr.. Fergeson who built it UP and
finally acquired the agency for the
Studebaker and Dodge cars. His
quarters being crowded, Mr.. II. H.
Smith erected a concrete building
for him ON Boston street next to the
Covington Bank & Trust COMPANY
and he took in as a partner Mr.. w.
R. Thompson. It was Mr.. Ferge-
sons boast that lie would make Gov
ington a Studebaker- town. He was
quite successful with his sales and
took special pride in planning for
the equipment of his new building,
which he had leased for a term OF
three years.
Mr.. and Mrs Fergeson were fond
of pleasure ein quiet way, were in
terested in church work and the
social doings Of Covington and were
always together at dances, amuse-
ments or society domgs. In fact,
they were so inseparable that Mr.
Fergeson seldom left her for several
hours at a time without notifying her
where he was going and. when he
would be back. A break in this
happiness and ccortentment occurred
last Monday when Mr.. Fergeson left
for Madisonville in new Dodge car
with the declared purpose Of seeing
a patron and disposing Of the car.
He has not been heard from since
he took the boat at that point and
left Mr.. Lyons, Madisonville drug
gist, at Canal and Rampant streets
after his arrival in New Orleans.
When Mr.. Fergeson left his part
ner, Mr.. Thompson, on that Monday
afternoon he took with him hand
bag containing nothing but box OF
cigars. He put the Dodge car in
charge Of Mr.. Koepp and left the
key with Mrs Koepp. Mr.. Goldate
of Madisonville states that man
had tried to call up Covington from
that store but failed to get connected
and hurried to the boat. It is sup
posed that this man was Mr.. Ferge-
son. Mr.. Lyons went over on the
same boat with him and Mr.. Ferge-
son told him that he was going over
to bring back new Studebaker car.
He said he intended to bring back
some extra parts in the handbag.
He talked to Nj. Lyons of his Wife's
wonderful cooking and her aptitude
IN household work and dressmaking.
In fact, he displayed the same fond-
ness for her that was evident in his
home life and that was remarked BY
their friends in Covington. Yet ap
to this time Mr.. Fergeson has sent
his wife nc. information as to his
whereabouts AMI his friends are
equally at loss to account for his an
sence There Is nothing in his bust
ness transactions to Indicate that he
was financially embarrassed. He boz
rowed no money nor made any at
tempt to realize on any of his hold
ings. All he had with him probably
was $3.50 realized in the sale. of g
Studebaker to Mr. Glockner, whi;h
he had taken on account Of new
Studebaker purchased recently by
Judge T. M. Burns.
Citizens of Covingtcn felt sure that
Mr.. Fergeson would turn up next day
with the new Studebaker and no ac-
tion was taken to trace him. There
was no suspicion that he had LETT
without intention Of returning. But
when several days passed without
hearing from him, all sorts of runi-
ors were circulated. Yet he had
many staunch friends who refused to
believe any of them and still hope
that Mr.. Fergeson will return and
explain everything, unless he has
met with foul play.
Mrs. Fergeson has warmly ex-
pressed her confidence in him. She
believes something has happened
that makes it Impossible for him to
communicate with her. That he may
be i'll somewhere; that he may have
met with foul play. She does not
believe he has deserted her. She
says Mr.. Fergeson never had left her
with pout on her lips. That he
would not leave the house unless she
smiled. She has faith in his CON
stancy and his love for her. Early
Tuesday morning she went to Madl-
sonyille to search for him and found
the car and drove it home. She
never lost hope until the evening
train came in from New Orleans
without him. Then she went tt
work to find out what had become
of him after he reached New Orleans
Friends near to the police depart
ment Of New Orleans were put il
possession of the facts and detec
tives ware soon working on the case
/ Detective Mooney visited Covingto'
kand is tracing out all the information
he can gain. It is said he believe
Mr.. Fergeson Las deliberately LET
land that it will be necessary to trac
him up and find out where he ha
j gone. His advice is to swear out
charge OF desertion so that official