Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1892-10-15 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

LIEUTENANT PEARY'S MISSING COMRADE.  The family of John T. Verhoeff, the misqing member of Lieutenant I'eary's G;eenland expedition, still cling (says the Boston Herald) to the belief that he is alive and exploring Greenland independently. Verhoeff was in many ways a singular character, and his eccentric energy, re.aarkable determination and push lend colour to the theory that he did not perish in a crevasse, as Lieutenant Peary supposed, but is actually alive. Many times before, his family and frierds say, he has disappeared mysteriously for weeks, and sometimes months, finally reappearing after accomplishing some difficult and hazardous project. An old college chum is strongly of the opinion that ‘'erlioeff voluntarily deserted Peary's party in order to be loft 1-whi.d, ncl talla a atnry of his renege life at Yale that seems to support the idea that he is seeking fame in Greenland. Jt is a story of base deception and fraud which resulted in Verhoeff's expulsion from college and the clouding of his life. It grew out of a game of cards. "Verhoeff," said his friend, "was a man who never had any time for cards. Ile was a hard student, and was bending all his energies toward attaining high honours at his graduation, then but a few weeks off. He was persuaded to play on one occasion, and the game took place in his rooms. Then was a point in dispute between Verhoeff and one of his opponents, and Verhoeff wagered 100dol. that he was right. The wager was accepted, and it was decided to let Richard K. Fox, the proprietor of the I °rice Gazette, settle the matter. Verhoeff was an unsuspectiing man, and thought everyone as honest as he was himself. He entrusted the writing of the letter to Fox to his opponent. The latter forged a leiter in reply, deciding in his favour. Verhoeff paid the money without complaint, but was not s ttisfied with the decision, and wagered another JOOilol. on the decision, leaving the matter to a well-known sporting authority in New York. Again he hit the matter of writing the letter to his opponent, and again an answer was forged givieg the decision to himself. Verboeff paid his second 100dol. over without saying a word. He afterwards became suspicious, and, on investigation, learned the truth. Stung to the quick by the fraud, he forced a confession from the forger, and a cheque for the 200 dol. he had paid—which, however, was afterwards stolen from his room. This led to a fresh quarrel, which came to the faculty's ears, and VerlioetT was expelled. The forger escaped leecause he was not under the jurisdiction of the faculty. A few days after his expulsion he suddenly disappeared. It was thought that he had committed suicide. When he was heard of several months later it was out in Portland, Ore. Ha was always talking at college to me about exploring the Arctic Regions, and that was his idea in going out to Oregon,to join seine expedition going to the Arctic and outlive the unfortunate ending of his college life. Th • next I heard of him was when he was on his way to Greenland with Peary. lam sure that this explains the mystery of his disappearance and his supposed death. He is no more dead than I am, for I believe that he saw a possibility of penetrating further north than Peary did, and determined to stay there alone, as long as Peary would not give his permission. This belief is borne out by Lieutenant Peary's statement that Verhoeff had asked him if he could stay there alone." Miss Marie Verhoeff, the missing man's sister, denied the report that she received a message from her brother through one of the Kite'* crew, but says she is sure he is alive. She myth however, that one of the Kite's crew shews a piece of paper containing Verhoeff's Louisville (Kentucky) address, written by himself, and says that Verhoeff gave it to him and told him to write there. The man's reticence and refusal to talk further is assumed to mean that he . has Verhoeff's secret, but is bound not to reveal it.  Whil2 playing in a school football match at Barnes, on Saturday, an accident. happened to two lads, named James Geary and Horace George Wilkins. Geary was in the act of kicking the ball when Wilkins collided with him. The former fell heavily to the ground and broke his left leg just above the ankle. whilst Wilkins's shoulder was dislocated and his lee sprained. . _  Major-General Hutchinson, on boliali of the Board of Trade, has made his official inspection of the line where the subsidence occurred on the Fur. ness Railway. Trains are being run slowly across the place on a siding, and passengers are no longer requested to alight. The hole has been filled in, but the ground still settles a little. The main line rails are being put on baulks of timber laid longitudinally and secured together with strong iron plates. Traffic will shortly be resumed as usual.