The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-11-23
Man, GIRL and
MONEY:VANISH.
Camden Man Deserts Sick
Wife at Night; Neighbor's
Girl and $500 Gone

who left his sick wife and two
on the night OF Thurs
day. November IS, and the dis
of Matte Simpson.
24-year-old neighbor of the
Wards present a number OF
angles, and make about
the biggest piece OF scandal
that has occurred in Camden
in many years.
The odd part Of it is. that Ward
and the Simpson girl never having
been seen in each others company,
were not in the least suspected OF
sharing any intimate relations.
Ward left home about night. telling
his wife he was going to a Red
Mems meeting in Elizabeth City.
He took his wife and two children
to the homo of his wife's father.
T.. II. Owens. who lives not far
from the Ward home. where he left
them to stay all night and said he
would return for them soon Friday
morning.
About the same time. Matte
Simpson, the girl who disappeared,
dressed herself as she said to go to
a Il. Y. i. L. meeting at the Shiloh
Baptist Church. She told her
mother. Mrs. Sudie Burgess. that
Tommic Cowell a neighhor, and his
wife would come for her. y few
minutes later Il Ford coupe was
seen to stop ut the gate, and to turn
around. Mrs. Burgess told her
daughter she thought Tommle
Cowell hdd arrived for her. The
girl ran out TO the gate, got i'll the
Ford. and the car went off i'll the
direction of shiloh Baptist church.
The failure Of the girl to arrive
home Thursday night caused her
people considerable worry. 1nvesti-
cation of her personal effects dis
clO.eptl that most Of hi'r clothes
had been removed. Still greater
CONSERVATION prevailed when Mich
olas =. Burgess, her S2-year-old
stepfathcr discovered that more
than $500 representing Il life time
savings were missing.
When on Friday, and finally on
Saturday. no trace of either Ward
the Simpson girl. the Ford coupe.
or the $500 had been found, Camden
County people felt reasonably sure
that the couple had gone for parts
unknown. 1t was the most aStound-
in- thing to the neighbors, because
both the young people were leading
Il. Y. l.. L. workers and were choir
singers in the church. And the
funny part was that the Simpson
Girl. who was considered unattrac-
tive, had never been known to have
n beau i'm her life, or to have shown
any interest in men.
Ward was considered hy his
nri-hhors to he model husband.
He moved to Shiloh from Tyrr"ll
County about ten years ago. His
wife was formerly Sarah Owens.
n daughter of l.. Il. Owens of Shiloh
and n native of Tyrrcll also. The
couple have two children, a boy.
Unhert age seven. and an infant
six months old. Mrs. Ward is {;
highly respected woman, but is Ill
very poor hcalth,-cnou"h SO to hc
considered burden by Il man who
doesn't love his wife.
The Ford coupe driven by Ward
when last seen, was purchased u
few weeks ago from G. W. Stevens
of this city. Mr.. Stevens has the
pote of Ward for $500 and has of
fcred n reward of $50 for his Cap
turc. An additional $50 from Sheriff
W. NJ. Forbes of Camden making
500 is being advertised this week
Ward is described as being about
3j wears old, with black hair,
brown eyes: about five feet, five
inches tall: weighing between l6o
and 10 pounds; broad and slightly
stooped shoulders strongly bull'
his head somewhat drawn; smooth
shaved: thick Tipped; is affected
with asthma. and because of this Is
eypccted to have gone south or
west in search of Il better climate
He formerly worked at the barber
trade.
The Simpson girl is described as
helm" about - years old, with dark
brown hair; freckly, unattractlve
face: big mouth, protruding llpS' d
"ood figure and weighing about ~
noruds. She had a low voice, and
her reputation and disposition were
formerly considered highls com
mcndable.
At first it was thought that Ward
had taken her away to be married
to , mysterious suitor that she had
told some friends of having. flhailE
one of her chums recalled the de'
scription of this mysterious sweet
heart she had told of several months
ago. and it Tailed exactly with tue
appearance of Ward --