St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1922-10-27
|lIIST1RY'S)
MYSTERIES
THE MISSING MESSENGER

TT WAS on June ii, 1904, that Kent
= Loomis, brother Of f. B. Loomis,
the assistant secretary Of state, sailed
from New York on board the Kaiser
Wilhelm II, bearing with him the text
OF treaty between the United States
and Abysslnla-a treaty concerning
which there had been much conjecture
and speculation on the part Of certain
European powers.
Under ordinary circumstances Loom.
In would have taken his wife and child
with him; on this occasion, he con-
sidered II best to leave them behind
In Parkersburg, w. ", both on account
Of the fact that he was on a dlplo-
matte mission and because he intended
to participate In some bIg.game hunt.
Ing after delivering the treaty to King
Menelik.
Nothing unusual occurred on the
trip until the morning Of June 20, the
day on which the steamer was due TO
dock at Plymouth, England. II was
then noted that Loomls' seat at the
captains table was empty and
steward was dispatched to find out II
he were III. A few minutes later the
steward returned with the news that
LOOMS berth had not been occupied
and an immediate search Of the ship
was ordered-but without bringing TO
light the slightest trace Of the repre-
sentative OF the American government.
Several passengers volunteered the
Information that they had seen
Loomis on deck shortly after mid.
night and william Il. Ellis. cabin
mate and travelling companion Of the
missing passenger. declared that his
not alarmed him because .of the fact
that Loomis had come In at n fairly
late hour on several previous evenings.
British officials at Plymouth and the
French officers at Cherbourg repeated
the search OF the steamer. but In vain.
Nothing was missing from the cabin
save the suit which Loomls was wear
Ing at the time and even the fiat dis
patch box which contained the text OF
the treaty was found concealed be-
meath n pile OF clothing In one corner
OF Loomls' trunk. Investigation de-
veloped the fact, however, that the
state department messenger had been
In the hnbit OF carrying this box In
bis pocket and had laid II aside on the
previous evening only because Il made
an unseemly bulge In the dress clothes
which he had donned In honor OF the
captains dinner.
During the next few weeks rumors
OF all kinds filled the press on both
sides OF the Atlantic. Joomis had gone
suddenly mad and had been placed In
o sanatorium. He had slipped OF the
steamer at Plymouth disguised rs n
second class passenger. He was the
victim OF a clique OF international
spies who. baked In their attempt 10
secure possession OF the text OF the
treaty, were holding him for ransom.
He was still confined In the hold OF
the Kaiser wilheim-and 30 on 10 the
limit OF the imlginations OF those who |
like 10 use fact as n basis for fiction. |
But all these reports were set at
rest when. on the morning OF July 10 |
just thirty.two days after Loomis |
had sailed from New York; body |
was washed up at Warren Point.
about hfteen miles from Plymouth |
Believing that the body was that OF a
common sailor. the local police were
about 20 inter Il without further cere-
mony, when. from the watch-pocket
Of the trousers there dropped water.
soaked bit OF pasteboard. upon which
was barely dlscernible the name,
"Kent J. Loomis."
Careful examination OF the body |
developed the fact that. under the
right ear. there was a circular wound
which appeared 20 have been indicted
before death and a post-mortem ex-
animation OF the lungs OF the dead
man showed conclusiyely that death
had been due 10 the blow which had
resulted in this wound. rather than 10
The physicians were dl'
vided In their opinion as 10 whether
the blow had been delivered by an In
strument similar 10 a blackjack or
whether Loomis might have fallen and
struck his head against a projecting
portion OF the ironwork on the steam
or. Examination Of the Kaiser Will
helms log showed. however. that the
sea had been extremely calm on the
night that Loomis came 10 his death
and that there had not been enough
roll TO cause anyone to lose his foot
Ing. Besides. there was the evidence
OF the manner in which the body was
The coat was missing, the
collar had been torn partly away and
there we're other signs Of rough treat
ment before Loomls had struck the
water.
Il was therefore practically certain
hat the messenger had been mur-
SsTed. But who had killed him-and
whyf Had he been struck down on
account OF the money he was carrying
Dr because OF the treaty. Was his
death a forecast Of the World war
which was TO follow twelve years
Iaterf
These and all the ether questions
which surrounded the mystery remain
Is one Of the unsolved riddles OF
intrigue.