The Bride, the Baby and the Missing Gold: An 82-Year-Old's Vashon Island Mystery
Leroy Lander hobbles into a Seattle prosecutor's office after his young wife, their infant and a satchel of $20 gold coins vanish with her sister — possibly bound for Alaska.
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.
SEATTLE, Feb. 11. — Leroy Lander, 82 years of age, is today lamenting the loss of his child wife, his eighteen-months-old baby and incidentally $3,260 in new $20 gold coins.
Supported on crutches, in default of one leg, the old man yesterday hobbled into the prosecuting attorney's office and enlisted the aid of the law to help him locate his missing wife and child. He asked the prosecutor to issue a warrant for the arrest of Bertha Franklin, his wife's sister, to whom he attributes his troubles.
Lander lived on Vashon Island with his young wife and, according to his own story, on Monday last he left her with her sister in the cottage to guard a satchel containing $3,260, while he attended to business matters which necessitated his absence.
On his return he said his wife and baby, his sister-in-law and, incidentally, the money, were gone.
Lander believes that his wife and her sister have sailed for Alaska.
“On his return he said his wife and baby, his sister-in-law and, incidentally, the money, were gone.”
A century before Amber Alerts and instant bank transfers, a family disappearance meant shoe-leather detective work and a satchel of gold. The case also raises familiar questions about elder vulnerability, caretaking and financial exploitation inside families.
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