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I The “mysterious disappearance department of the I.'nit.od States*pensior■ a*erviee is al work upon the ease of i\• man once welt known in .Nebraskajr• railroad and business eireies who ha*•j apparently dropped out of existence. without leaving1 a record of his death, says the Omaha Dee.in Js'.ts Mrs. Alice Eaton, of Plntts-mouth, Neb., applied for a position as wiflow of William T. Eaton, wlio was a member of Company it, Sixteenth town light artillery, instead of furnishing proofs of fleatli .Mrs. Eaton submitted an affidavit setting forth that her husband had been absent from his home and friends for a space of mure than seven years, which under federal regulations establishes a pre-| sumption of death. As usual in these presumptive death” cases the department put. the ease in the hands of pension agents and so’far they have been unable to find proof of the death or present ]jfe of the missing huband.Thedo” Eaton came to Nebraska shortly after tin* Avar, a beardless boy,and it will surprise some, of his intimate friends to know that lie ever saw army service. He married at EJatts-mouth in the early ’70s and until his mysterious disappearance was accounted one of the reliable young men of the community. Some time in theVOs Eaton was appointed as the purchasing agent for the MuiTmglon and Missouri railroad and in the work of his department; was away from home a large portion of the time. 11 is work kept him in southern Missouri most of 1 lie time and lie made Poplar Dluilis his headquarters.In October, IHh’T lie wrote* a letter from St. Louis to 11is wife staling that he would be at home at Christmas and would bring presents home to their children. The letter was of an affectionate tone. This Is tlie last that is known of “Thede” Eaton. When the pension officers started on the case they began at Poplar PI tiffs. He was traced to St. Louis anti lost. Then they started to work on the Nebraska end. inquiry at the Darlington and Missouri headquarters showed that he had severed his connection with tlio road some months before his disappearance ami that his accounts were in perfect shape. Different Omaha, acquaintances were examined and everytheory for disappearance investigatedwith no result.Eaton was a member of the Masonic lodge at Plnttsmouth and the incur hers oti that lodge interested themselves. 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 story through Masonicsources that man supposed to be him had been seen in that state. The name of the town where he’* was seen was not given.A Plnttsmouth woman, who was visiting Denver, Colo., later told the government officials that she had seen Eaton in that city; and lie attempted to avoid her and pulled Ids hat over his eyes, but that she was certain that it was her Plnttsmouth acquaintance. rnvestigatiou at Denver failed to locate him. Still later reports ioeatec him at St. Louis, but Eaton cannot be found there.During all the years from 3SS9 Mrs. Eaton has resided at Plattsmouth and lias educated her family in a manner commended by all of her acquaint- . unees. The government is anxious to i find proof of Eaton’s death, as all of 1 rhe officers connected with the case be- i lieve that -Mrs. Eaton should receive a. ! pension.
Newspaper Details
Spencer Clay County News
Spencer, Iowa, US
Thu, Jun 07, 1900
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 05 Oct 2022
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