"MISSING."

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15112, 22 December 1921, Page 6

"MISSING."

UNSOLVED MYSTERIES. STRANGE DISAPPEARANCES. Much astonishment has been exexpressed in more more than one newspaper at the recent statement by the French police authorities that 211 young women and girls are missing from -their homes in Paris and its neighbourhood. Well, as a matter of fact, accord-, ing to our own police records, between 20 and 30 people of all ages and sections of the community are reported "missing" every day in this country. It is estimated that every week's total of "mystery" persons numbers over 150, which means that each month more than 600 disappear—and in many cases are never found.

These figures appal and amaze - one, but, •of course, there are disappearances and "disappearances." Probably the majority of these alleged "missing people" were only too glad, for various reasons, quietly to disappear, "burning their boats behind them," as it were, and starting afresh in "pastures new." An analysis of the official description of these people—who, wrenching themselves away from all home ties and relations, have "slipped into oblivion" reveals that a large number are girls of the' "flapper" age. But while youth is largely, represented, there are not infrequent cases of adults, even octogenarians, of bothe sxes, who have suddenly departed. A reasonable explanation that may account for the disappearance of young girls in many cases in sex attraction. A taste for the shilling "shocker," the dramatic achievements of the cinema stars, contrasted with the humdrum life of office and home,, will probably be found to account for a number of girls of impressionable age seeking adventure.

More than one medical man " has suggested dual personality as the solution of the problem of why so many and women—embracing doctors, undergraduates, business men, managers,, and many others —vanish from comfortable home and leave good positions Without any apparent cause. A curious illustration of this, that Is vouched for by an authority on the question, is the case, of a clergyman, who, losing memory, wandered to a town many miles away, and opened a tobacconist's shop. Here he remained for som einontha before he regained'his normal mentality. FOR HIS FAMILY'S SAKE. A strangely pathetic disappearance gave Mr James Payn, the famouse novelist, a plot for one of his short stories. The "missing" man was one of Edinburgh's merchant princes, and his abrupt disappearance caused something of a sensation in the Scottish capital at the time. His clothes were found at a certain spot on the shores of the Firth of Forth, and it was concluded that he was drowned. He was very popular, and his family, who were much attached to him, were greatly sympathised with; and the more so since they were left far worse provided for than-had been supposed. He had, however, insured his life for a very large amount, which secured them a comfortable competence. By help of this money and his own exertions the.eldest son in course of time amassed a large for-, tune. . Many years afterwards two gentlemen were walking across the North'Bridge in Edinburgh, when they were accosted by a beggar. One of them gave him something, and excused himself to the other for such injudicious charity on ■ the ground "that the old fellow was so like poor F." "My dear friend," said the other gravely. "I never forget a face. That was F. himself." "My dear friend," said the other gravely. "I never forget a face. That was F. himself." And so it turned out. F. had pretended to commit suicide in order to o save his family from ruin; and after years of voluntary exile, during which he suffered great privations, he had been unable to resist the temptation of once more beholding his family before he died. MEN WHO VANISHED. No motive can, however, be assigned for the mysterious and inexplicable disappearance from public and private life of quite a number of well-known people-who, within comparatively recent years, have vanished as-completely as if the earth had opened up and swallowed them. What, for instance, was the fate of Mr. H. Wilfred Jagger, who disappearance a few years ago caused so much talk at the time? This gentlemen belonged to a well-known Birmingham family, was highly-respect-ed, successful in business, and a level-headed man of the world. There was absolutely no apparent reason of one kind or another why he should irrevocably cut himself off from his kith and kin and his successful business life. And yet—he left his rooms., near Regent's Park one Sunday morning, and from then nothing has been seen or heard of him.

Another unsolved London disappearance was that of one Winstanley, an intimate friend of the late Hon. George Brodrick, Warden of Merton, and Viscount Midleton's uncle. They lodged together in St. James's, and Winstanley used every evening to dress at their rooms and walk to his club for dinner. One night he went out as usual and was not heard of again. His money accumulated, but he never claimed it. About a dozen years or so ago the name of Lord Leitrim's brother, Mr F. P. Clements, was added to the list of "missing men." The last avaailable data concerning .him is that in 1917 he worked his passage from Southampton to New York as a stoker, and since has give no sign of life. Everything possible was done to discover his whereabouts, dead or alive, and for some years advertisements appeared in American papers headed "Disappeared in the United States"—'but all to no purpose. From time to time various rumours were afloat concerning him, but up to the present no definite information has come to hand to clear up the mystery. „rmA; ■■-.--■■■,-..-y;y■■■•a '■

The same uncertainty enshrouds the fate of Sir Arthur Curtis, a Hampshire baronet. Visions of Klondike nuggets and the spirit of adventure drew him away with a goldmining party to Alaska In 1898. After some slight dispute anent the cooking, the baronet, however, disappeared from the camp, and was never heard tell of again. Minus food, weapons, or extra raiment, he left the camp at a spot fifty miles from the nearest habitation. Search parties scoured the country for miles around, but not a trace of him could be seen, and Lady Curtis latterly obtained leave to presume that he was dead. On that point, however, no .one is positively certain, and any any hour Sir Arthur Curtis may walk into his own house in the same nonchalant maner as he strolled from the gold miners' camp that day on which he disappeared from human ken. "Vanished into space" might fittingly be summed up as the termini to the chequered career of Archduke Johann of Austria. Despite the fact that he was nephew to the reigning monarch of Austria, he married an opera singer in London, and set sail from Liverpool to South America on a vessel which he bought and christened after his young bride. At Monte Video the vessel was "spoken," but from that hour to this nothing further has been seen or heard of the Archduke. Every endeavour was made by the Emperor and the Austrian Government to discover him, but the quest was hopeless. Nevertheless, there are many people who still share the opinion expressed by the Archduke's mother on her her son was still in the land of the "living. London, Paris, New York —all big cities, in fact —have their unsolved mysteries of men and women who are "missing." Paris at the moment is perplexed over its Seine mystery, in which first two arms, and a few days later the headless trunk and legs of a young woman were found in the river. The problem of fixing a name to these remains is a complex one, for, as previously stated, over two hundred young women and girls are at present .missing from their homes v in Paris and its environs.

AN AMERICAN MYSTERY. From the United States, too, comes an extraordinary story of the discovery of a millionaire theatrical magnate named, Ambrose Small, who went amissing nearly two years ago. Mr. Small disappeared from Toronto on December 2, 1919, the day on which he had received and deposited a cheque for £200,000 in connection with the sale of his theatre interests, for which he was to receive £350,000. He left his office for home, but never reached there. The last person known to have seen him was his favourite newsboy from whom he purchased an evening newspaper. Mystery was added to mystery by the disappearance three weeks later of his private secretary, John Doughty, who, it was discovered later, had "helped himself" to Victory Bonds valued at £20,000 belonging to his vanished employer. Nearly a year afterwards the secretary was arrested,, found guilty of stealing the bonds, and sentenced to six years' imprisonment, but he denied knowing anything about the missing millionaire. Even rewards totalling-over £lO,000 failed to elicit any- information concerning him. Many at first believed it to be a case of murder, but the theory favoured later was that he had been kipnapped and was being held in ransom. How far this is correct remains to be seen. Not long ago, a legless man was discovered at Des Moines, lowa/ bearing a striking resemblance to the missing theatrical millionaire of Toronto. This man's legs had to be amputated on account of gunshot wounds. He strenuously denied being the missing man, however, but gave the impression that he was afraid of somthing and showed that if identity were ever established it would, be. in spite of himself. The whole story is an amazing illustration of the trials and tribulations of "missing" men—especially when they have the misfortune ;to be millionaires.! -