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*ettIT HAS BAFFLED THE;GI-PENSION DEPARTMENTrI*Officials Trying to Solve a ‘'Mys-'C •.f !terious Disappearance Casein Nebraska,IIi!ntiliinnIW. T. EATON MISSING SEVEN YEARSWife Applies for it Pension, find thoVeuHhn Bureau Seeks Proof of Death—- Wus an Iowa Bold-icr in Civil War.r:1*fiIThe “mysferious disappearance” department of the L'nitcd States*pension service is ai work upon the ease of a man once well known in Nebraskajrailroad and business circles who has apparently dropped out of existencewithout leaving1 a record of 2iis death, says the Omaha JSee.in ls'js Mrs* Alice Eaton, of Platts-inouth, Neb., applied for a position as widow of William T. Eaton, who was a member of (.'urnpuny it, Sixteenth Iowa light artillery. Instead of furnishing proofs of death -Mrs. Eaton submitted an affidavit setting forth thnl her husband hud been absent from his home and friends for a space of more than seven years, which under federal regulations establishes a presumption of death. As usual in these presumptive death” cases the department put the ease in the hands of pension agents and so’fai* they have been unable to find proof of the death or p n ‘sent life of the missing huband, Thede” Eaton eame to Nebraska shorlly after the war, n beardless boy, and it will surprise some, of his intimate friends to know that he over saw army service. Jfo married at Platts-t -mouth in the early '70s and until his mysterious disappearance was accounted one of tin? reliable young men of (In* crjiiiniiiiiilv, Some time in the VOs Eaton was appointed as the purchasing agent for the Burlington and ;j Missouri railroad and in the work of JIMhis department was away from home a large portion of the time. Ilis work kept him in southern Missouri most of the time and he made Poplar Dili Ills his headquarters.In October, J8KU, lie wrote a letter I from St. Louis to his wife stating that [ |lie would be at home at Christmas and■would bring presents homo to their children. The Jet ter was of an aff'ee-tiouatc tone. TJiis is the last that is known of “Thede” Eaton. When tjie pension officers started on the case they began at Poplar Bluffs, lie was traced to 8f, Louis and lost. Then they started to work on tho Nebraska end. Inquiry at the Burlington and Missouri headquarters showed that he had severed liIs connection with tho road some months before his disappearance anti that his accounts were in perfect shape. Different Omaha acquaintances were examined and every theory for disappearance investigated with no result.Eaton was a member of the Masonic lodge at Plattsmouth and the incur hers oil that lodge interested them-selves. A. W. White, secretary of the lodge, sent inquiries among the lodges of the west. No definite word was received from Eaton, but from California came a a lory through Masonic sources that: man supposed to be him had been seen in that state. 'The name of the town where he* was seen illvii1vU■ mnaawas not given.d:A Plattsrnuuth woman, who was visiting Denver, Colo., later told the govern merit officials that she had seen Eaton in that city; and he attempted to avoid her and pulled his hat over his ryes, but that, she was certain that it was her Platt smooth acquaintance. rnvestigation at Denver failed to locate him. Still later reports ioeatct him at St. Louis, but Eaton cannot be found there.During ail the years from 1SS9 Mrs. Eaton has resided at Plattsniouth and lias educated her family in a manner commended by all of her acquaintances. The government is anxious to find proof of Eaton’s death, as all of the officers connected with the ease believe that Mrs. Eaton should receive i*fi;t\lrM:h:i:fiUm:ltb1 \ * .hInwsi.StK
Newspaper Details
Spencer Clay County News
Spencer, Iowa, US
Thu, Jun 07, 1900
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Emeline S.
DC, USA 05 Oct 2022
Other Publications Near Spencer, Iowa
Spencer Daily Reporter
Spencer Reporter
Spencer News
Spencer Clay County News
Atlas of Clay County Iowa
