MISSING ELDERLY MAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21859, 23 July 1934, Page 15

MISSING ELDERLY MAN

LAST SEEN IN MARCH DISAPPEARS FROM VESSEL CONFLICTING REPORTS Sydney detectives have been investigating the disappearance of Mr. Edward Bay so Cotton, aged 76, a wealthy retired bank intinagcr and station owner, of Pukawidge, Bukulla, near inverell, who was last seen on the steamer Hunter on her voyage from Newcastle to Sydney on March 15. Mr. Cotton, who was a first-class passenger on the vessel, was missed when the Hunter berthed at Sydney, and it seemed that ho had been drowned at sea. Since his disappearance, two people reported to the police that they thought they had seen him. Both knew him personally. A man said that he was almost sure he had seen Mr. Cotton at Darlinghurst, and later in Sydney. A woman said she was convinced that she saw Mr. Cotton at Sydney. A few days later she saw the samp man, but closer inspection showed tlnn; ho was not Mr. Cotton, but a man closely resembling him. Detective-Sergeant Latrobe and Detective Hazelton, who arc inquiring into the matter, say they are almost certain that Mr. Cotton is dead. Com'plying with the wishes of his relatives, that every avenue of possible information should lie explored, either to prove that he is dead, or, if he is alive, to find him, the detectives arc confronted with a doubt which has to be cleared "P- , Investigations by the detectives show that Mr. Cotton was a victim of insomnia and was in poor health. In March he left his son's homo in the Inverell district, saving that ho in-

tended to travel by train to Newcastle, thence by boat to Sydney. He did not give any reason for his proposed visit. Ho travelled by train to Newcastle, and at 10.45 p.m. on March 15 he boarded the Hunter for Sydney. He informed a steward that he would have coffee and toast on the vessel's' arrival at Sydney. At 12.15 a.m., when the Hunter was about five miles at sea, the steward saw Mr. Cotton. •* Next morning his 1 cabin-mate found that Mr. Cotton's bed had been "disturbed, but had not been slept in. At 5.30 a.m., when tho Hunter was berthed at Sydney, Mr. Cotton was missing. The Hunter had berthed ten minutes before his disappearance was noticed, and there is a slight possibility that he left the boat during the short period. He wiTS not seen to leave either the boat or the wharf.

Before boarding the vessel at Newcastle on March 15, Mr. Cotton posted a letter to the manager of the. Perpetual Trustee Company. Tho letter was dated December "20, 1933,' and it gave information about his property and its administration, appointing his son as a joint trustee in the event of his death. He made no mention that he was likely to die. Two days after Mr. Cotton's disappearance, his son.received a letter from him. This letter had been posted in Newcastle on March 15, and had been dated March 15. He gave his son details of his property. The letter continued: —"My only regret is the sorrow 1 shall cause, but J. owe some consideration to myself. I also regret depriving you of the little assistance I was in a small way. Hood-bye." Mr. Cotton's life was heavily insured, and, in addition to being the owner of a station property, 'ho had a substantial banking account...