A CLERGYMAN DIS-APPEARS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2722, 16 May 1906, Page 25

A CLERGYMAN DISAPPEARS.

PERTH, May 11. A sensation has been caused by the disappearance of the R«v. T. A. James, minister of the Albany Methodist Church, and an ox-president of conference. He left on April 1 for a month's holiday, and after visiting friends in Victoiia Trent to Sydney. From there he wrote to his wife on April 16, and mentioned that he had formed a friendship with a man named Hunter*, at whose lodgings he was staying.

On Ma}- 2 Mrs James received a wire from Sydney, signed by Hunter, and stating that Mr James had been accidentally drowned and that his body had not been recovered. Seven days later a letter arrived from Hunter, dated April 26, and purporting to be writlen at sea. The writer stated that he and the Rev. Mr James were sailing in Sydney Harbour on April 18, when Mr James fell overboard and was drowned. The letter gave lengthy details, and the writer expressed regret that he had not reported the matter earlier, adding that he was afraid to report it to the police. Besides, he had excellent reasons for not being brought into prominence just now, and could not be delayed on a journey which he was about to make. Meantime, inquiries put afoot in Sydney showed that the telegram _and letter were posted in Suva on April 23, with a letter to the postmaster at Sydney, asking him to forward them to Albany. The letter was written in a cramped or disguised hand. The Sydney police have no information relating to a case of drowning which corresponds with the date given, and all the bodies recovered from the harbour have been identified. The whole affair is shrouded in mystery. It is stated that prior to his departure the Rev. Mr James raised a considerable sum of money on his property, and that he had further money wired to him at Melbourne. SYDNEY, May 11. So far no trace has been discovered e£ the Rev. Mr James's niovementf \a Sydney. May 14. A photograph of James, the missing clergyman, was identified by a lodginghouse keeper as that of a man named Lee, who was staying at her house with his

supposed wife for a few .days at Easter. The passenger list of the Maheno contains the names of Mr and Mrs Lee. The detectives expect to have the matter fully cleared up shortly.

From a photo a shipping clerk has identified the Rev. Mr James as being identical with Lee, who booked passages by the Maheno for himeelf and wife to Winnipeg.