A CITY MYSTERY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15, 19 January 1926, Page 5

A CITY MYSTERY.

Mr. E. D. H. McEwen.

ACCOUNTANT DISAPPEARS. WRITES TO HIS Wll'i. "I HAVE DECIDED TO DIE."

Missing since the niorniii2 of January 11, Edgar David Hamilton "McEwen, aged 28, employed as an accountant by a city firm, is being sought by friends and the police. McEwen. ivho resided with his wife and child, in Wellington Street, left home at the usual hour on Monday week last for his office. He was then in his usual spirit's. On arrival at his place of business, McEwen intimated that he was going down town to transact some business on behalf of the firm. Since then he has not been seen and his subsequent movements are shrouded in mystery. That evening McEwen did not return home. His wife received the following telegram from him. sent from Auckland: —"Must go to Pukekohe to-night. Sorry cannot get home. —Jack."

Then on the following morning Mrs. MeEwen received a further communication from her husband—a letter, which ran: —"l am gradually going mad, so I have decided to die. When you get this I will be no more. Love to you and Ken.—Jack."

The same day McEwen also wrote to his firm in this strain: —"I am going mad, so I have decided to get out of the way. When you get this I will be among the dead men." On Thursday last the missing man's father, mother and brother arrived in Auckland from Foxton, and ever since they have been searching for him. Although McEwen was in the habit of handing , his money to his wife, and left home on January 11 with very little money, he enclosed in the letter to his wife, three £5 notes. McEwen is sft 4in in height, of slight build, dark brown hair, sallow comples.ion, grey blue eyes and with a noticeably dark coloured tooth in the front of his mouth. When he left home he was ' wearing a grey suit, minus the vest, and wore a signet ring with the initials ; 'G.B."