MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10582, 13 March 1912, Page 5

MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE

AND A. FRUITLESS SEARCH. The Eketahuna Express of yesterday says;— The whereabouts of Mr 11. J. McLean, County Clerk, who was reported missing, on Friday afternoon are still although a diligent search .has ibeen made. From particulars that can be gained it appears that Mr McLean was greatly depi-es^:bwing?tb trouble hanging over his head. His actions lend colour to the theory that- vllfe rha-s committed.' suicide. After transacting public and private business on Friday morning he entered a room at Cripp s Commercial House, in which he shut himself up for fully an hou'r. After vacating the room he left a parcel at the W.F.C.A., Avith instructions that it should be delivered to Mr T. M. Pago after 3 p.m. Just about midday he left some eorresipondence at the County Office, and his subsequent movements until 12.45 are unknown. He then engaged Mr Firth to drive him to the swing bridge on the Masterton road. After paying for the cab, he handed Mr Firth a piackage to bo delivered to Mi - Page later in the afternoon. On receipt of this package which contained the information -thafthe missing man intended to take poison at the swing bridge reserve the police were communicated with and a thorough search was made of the bush 'on the reserve, but no trace could be found. Later in the evening the party were augmented, and on further search found the missing man's overcoat, although it was not seen in the first instance in a spot where it could scarcely have been overlooked. Protruding from the pocket of the coat was a linen bag on which was marked an arrow pointing to the river, about 30ft distant, and printed in blue pencil words to the effect that he was going [ to take to the water.. Upon this dis- | covery a thorough search was conducti ed late into the night, but with no result. The search was renewed early on Saturday and the river dragged. The.same course was adopted on Sunday and still no further discovery has been made.

On Saturday morning a pipe, believed to have (belonged to the missing man, was found just, above the deep* hole in tho river. On Sunday morning, however,, some torn paper in a water-table on the; Masterton road, near the swing bridge, was detected, upon which appeared in the missing man's handwriting 011 the fragments beiiig put together: "Important —Mr T. M. Page—Find me bush swing bridge- near river—Mac/' In tho packages.received by Mr Pagewere letters addressed to Mrs McLean, and others in the town and elsewhere. To Mrs McLean the missing man imparted the information .that he was in trouble at .tho office and intended doing away with himself: The poison supposed to have, been taken was purchased in Ekotahuna ostensibly for external application for earache. The quantity purchased vvas insufficient. t,o. cause death. The linen bag found in the overcoat contained the keys of the County office safe and do«rs and other articles. Yesterday two deep holes in the vicinity of the supposed tragedy were dynamited, but without any trace being ftnmd. A.u expert diver has been engaged from Wellington, and lie will this afternoon commence a thorough search I of the river. It is understood an investigation of I the County books shows defalcations in the funds;