The Banker Who Vanished
Cashier J.W. Bixby returns to Seattle after a three-week unexplained disappearance, citing exhaustion and the weight of failing business interests.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
J.W. Bixby, cashier of the North End bank, whose disappearance three weeks ago caused his relatives and friends great anxiety, has returned to the city. In conversation last evening, at his residence on West street, with a Post-Intelligencer reporter, he said: 'I hear there has been considerable of a romance woven around my absence, and public interest was increased by my connection with the bank. I had no intention of leaving Seattle for any length of time, although my departure was abrupt. It was simply a case of being worn out and requiring a change. My business enterprises were in an unsatisfactory condition, and caused me to worry until I could stand it no longer. I did not mention my intention to my wife because she would not have let me leave town, and to stay here meant a continuance of the mental strain.' Bixby traveled through Winnipeg, St. Paul, and Texas before his funds ran low. He assured the public that his assets would cover all liabilities and that he intends to remain with the bank.
“It was simply a case of being worn out and requiring a change.”
Banker burnout and sudden flight from professional obligations echo the high-pressure, precarious nature of Seattle’s modern business culture. Bixby’s desire for a quiet escape from the 'mental strain' of financial management remains a timeless human response to the stress of rapid urban development.
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