CLERGYMAN'S DISAPPEARANCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10659, 12 May 1906, Page 2

CLERGYMAN'S DISAPPEARANCE.

(Press Assn.—By Telegraph.—Copyright.) PERTH, May 11. A sensation has been caused by the disappearance of the Rev. T. A. James. minister of the Albany Methodist Church, and air ex-President of the Con ference. He left on April Ist for n mouth's holiday. After visiting friends m Victoria he went to Sydney. From there he wrote to his wife on April 16th. He mentioned that he had formed a friendship with a man named Hunter, at whose lodgings lie was staying. On* May 2nd Mrs James received a wire from Sydney signed "Hunter," 6totingr that Mr James had. heen accidentally drowned, but that tile body had not been recovered. Seven days later a letter arrived from Hunter, dated April 26th, purporting to be writ-' Am at &ea....The >vwl*r---6_3_Bd_jy.ui.t^JieL_ and James were sailing m Sydney liarbor on April 18th, and that James fell overboard and Mas drowned. The writer gives lengthy details, and expresser regrot that he had not reported the matter earlier. He adds that he was afraid to report to the police; besides, he had excellent reasons for not being brought into prominence just now, and could not be .

delayed m the journey he was about to make. In the meantime inquiries put afoot m Sydney showed that the telegram and letter were posted from Suva on April 23rd, with a letter to the postmaster m Sydney, asking him to forward them to Albany. The letters were written m a cramped or disguised hand. The Sydney police have no information of a case of drowning which would correspond with the date given. All 'the bodies recovered m the harbor biave been identi-

lied. The whole affair is enshrouded m mystery. It is slated that prior to his departure James raised a considerable sum on his

property, and had further money wired to Melbourne.

SYDNEY, May 11. No trace has so far been discovered of James-m ovements m Sydney. (Received May 12, 9.24 a.m.) SYDNEY, May 12. Mr James, though well known to several minsters m Sydney, did not visit any of them. The only definite trace of him is that he called at a seedsman's and ordered seed potatoes to be sent to his son m West Australia. He was clothed m civilian dress and without the beard he usually wore. The date of the Suva letter coincides with the arrival of the s.s. Maheno there. The names of Hunter or James were not on the passenger list.