The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-12
A[PHONS0 DRAKE
MYSTERY SEEMS
T0GR0WDEEPER
Wife Feels He Is Living, but
Others Certain He Has
Passed Away.

S away ... ..
Aiphonso Grosvenor Drake-living
or dead?
Out of the dusty corners of
memory there came words today
doubling both possible states of the
man whose Washington wife is seek.
ing Information regarding the hus-
band she thought dead.
The puzzling case that has baffled
Mrs. Drake, 935 X street northwest,
ever since she believes she saw her
husband In the Inauguration crowds
OF last year. presented In The Times
yesterday. has brought quick response
from readers who believe they have
seen the man recently In this city,
and from. others who were confident
that Drake Is IN his grave.
Answers Description.
An old friend OF the brakes who
has seen Mrs Drake only once since
boarding house days Of years back,
told The Times today she was con.
fident she has seen Mr.. Drake In the
Woodward building within the past
month. She was formerly employed
there and frequently saw a man who
answered the description OF Mr..
Drake, she said.
II am confident that the man was
Mr.. Drake, for the first time / saw
him 1 attempted to speak. but he
quickly lowered his eyes, appearing as
though he did not wish to be recog-
nized by an old acquaintance.
II recall that Mr.. and Mrs. Drake
were boarding house companions In
an street home several years ago.
Drake was to me q man Of mystery
always eating In silence and hurriedly
departing to the seclusion Of his room
when meals were over. He rarely
spoke and 1t often occurred to me
that Mrs. Drake must have suffered
from apparent inattentions.
Wife Is Overcome.
II met Mrs. Drake one day during
the past year on + street. When l
inquired regarding Mr.. Drake, not
,hen knowing of his death or disap-
pearance. Mrs. Drake broke into tears.
They tell me he's living In New York
with another woman she sobbed. i
can't speak OF it, With that she
turned on her heel and walked away
nurriedly."
Mrs. Drake was planning to visit
.Ier former friend today, In hopes Of
closely verifying the description Of
the mystery man Of the Woodward
building.
George Brown, veteran elevator
starter at the downtown office build.
ing, told The Times this morning he
had frequently seen man answering
the description OF the man whose pic
lure was printed In The Times yester-
day. He said he had seen him getting
on the elevators, but was confident
the man merely did business in the
building and was not a tenant. Other |
employees Of the building declared the |
mans face was more than familiar.
Against this came information from |
B. w. Parker, rental agent Of the |
Woodward properties that no man of !
Or. brakes appearance had in recent |
ears rented offices in the Woodward |
building.
Sure Of His Death.
q. Murphy, steward at the City |
Club, said he remembered Drake as a |
man who has sold him produce when
ne was in the grocery business in the
southeast section. He said he had no
reason to believe Mr.. Drake was not
lead for he had neither seen Mr..
Drake or q possible double in the past
ten years.
8. c. Redman. secretary Of the
Sacks Company, who said he
,ad known Drake through business
everal years ago, likewise said he did
lot doubt that Mr.. Drake was now
deceased. From my observance of
DIR. Drake when I did business with .
i'm, I feel confident he would not
. tempt such a conspiracy which Mrs.
Drake holds may be possible. He was
4 man Of high character, I am GER
ain," said Redman.
But Mrs. Drake insists she herself
ias seen Drake himself seven times
since last March.
Who is the mystery man Of the
building? >,
Who Is this double Of Drake3
Alphonso Grosvenor Drake-living
or dead?
Attempts by Mrs. Drake to obtain
4 warrant for desertion against her
hu sband at the office Of United
states District Attorney Gordon have
failed. Mrs. Drake said.
At the office this morning, how
ever. 1t WAS exp'.ined that evidence
presented to the officials had not
'haken belief in the indications that
MIR. Drake was deceased. No warrant
could be issued, II was said, until
the whereabouts Of Mr.. Drake has
been disclosed.
AnVERTVSFMENT