A Disappearance on East P Street
Friends fear foul play after a local shopkeeper vanishes on his way to England.
There is a great deal of anxiety felt concerning the whereabouts of F. H. Baker, who left this city about February 17 for San Francisco. Since then not a word from him has been received by his friends. Rev. John Reid, a very intimate friend of Mr. Baker, is afraid that he has been the victim of foul play. Mr. Baker was formerly proprietor of a store on East P street. This he sold some time ago, together with other property. His wife had left for England in December, and he remained here until the middle of February, when he took his departure for the old country by the way of San Francisco. Mail from Mrs. Baker has been accumulating in this city for her husband the past five weeks. Mr. Baker, before he left Tacoma, had promised to write to Rev. Mr. Reid in a day or two, but not a line concerning his whereabouts has been received, which fact strengthens the belief that he has been foully dealt with. The matter was laid before the police for an investigation this afternoon.
“Rev. John Reid... is afraid that he has been the victim of foul play.”
In an era before instantaneous global communication, a missing person case often hinged on letters failing to arrive. This case reflects the vulnerability of individuals moving between the Pacific Northwest and Europe at the turn of the century.
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