Year: 1877

A telegram from Ottawa TO the Toronto
papers gives the following as q statement
made by MIR. A. d. Fraser, long a ''miss-
ing hardware merchant of that city. de-
failing his adventures during an enforced
absence OF over year:


AS near as can remember. left here
in May, 1S76-my clerk says the 1st of
June-for Montreal. to transact some bus
mess. had with me about $500 in cash
ana small valise with change of CLOTH
ing. On arriving at montreal was asked
by man at what hotel was going to
stop. l replied, the Montreal House.
and he took my baggage. l subsequently
saw Mr.. Eastwood, who said he was go
ing to the Ottawa Hotel. l parted COM
pany win the last-named gentleman and
walked toward the Montreal House bus.
when saw the man who had taken my
baggage driving away with it. Having
some doubt as to his being connected with
the Montreal House, went after him, and
alter following him through a couple OF
streets, caught up to him and asked him
where he was going. He said: To the
Montreal House. and in another minute
stopped before house. which on enter
ing found to be a hotel. l said: Il sup
pose you think you have played sharp this
lime,' and at once told him TO take my
baggage to the Montreal House. He said
this was the Montreal House. repeated
my observation about playing sharp. and
asked him to have a drink and then take
my valise to the hotel at which wished
to stop. He had drink, and also took
one, which must have been drugged, as
| remember nothing further than that
l sat down on chair, until found my
self laid up in u ward in the hospital at
Cape Town. | then discovered that had
no money, and that my watch and chain
were gone. How l got to Cape Town is
perfect mystery to me. l was told by
those who were taking care of me that the
Captain of the vessel which brought me
as tar as Madeira wished to land me there
but that the authorities would not allow
him to do so, as was wild and had no
means of support. Another Captain then
offered to take charge of me, and brought
me to Cape Town. 1t appears that ar
rived there in December, 1876, but did not
become conscious until Feb. 10, 1877,
when | felt as though had just awakened
out OF long sleep, and asked where /


was. l could not believe them when they
told me was in Cape Town, and they
thought for some time that / had not re-
covered my senses. They told me that |
spoken quite nationally before that, but il
l had had then no recollection of it.
had no idea OF time until | saw paper
dated 1877, and when | asked the people
what 1t meant they again thought l did not
know what l was talking about. OF
course, | had no money, and the people
who took care of me were very kind and
would not hear OF my paying them. As
soon as l was able 10 get about procured
employment as book keeper in The Gov
ernment stolcs, and by this means OBJ
tained funds 70 carry me to London.
Strange to say, on coming to my senses
at Cape Town, found that my valise was
with me, and that my clothes had not been
disturbed, the clothes | wore evidently
having been provided for me by some kind
strangers. l do not know anything about
the vessels which carried me to Cape
Town; the whole journey seems like q
long sleep TO me. 1 had earned sufficient
money to pay my passage to England,
and sailed on the 9th of July last, bid
ding good-by to those who had treated me
so kindly. OF course, there were many
who thought me an imposter, and if had
been left to their tender mercies 1t is
question if should be here now. Tar.
rived In England after voyage of almost
constant illness. on the gath of August,
and receiving funds there which had been
forwarded by my friends to meet me,
sailed again from Liverpool on the 30th
OF August, reaching Quebec on Saturday.
Although, as a matter of course, have
seen much since | left here over year
ago, have not profited by my travels, as
the outward trip was dark blank to me,
and the homeward trip one of almost con-
tinual sickness. do not know vet If any
steps will be taken to discover who
drugged me in Montreal"