A Populist Feud Ended in Disappearance—and Charles Gloystein Was Never Found

The disappearance of Charles F. Gloystein from his home is, so far as the present investigation goes, a very complicated mystery. We are not prepared to call it a murder, and much less are we prepared to accuse any person or combination of persons of that terrible crime. It seems incredible that in the little farming community of Mica there live a number of persons who would murder a man because of his political opinions.

Mr. Gloystein was a very mild-mannered, inoffensive, gentlemanly appearing man, never violent in his expressions, always serious, but persistent and firm in his convictions, a devoted church member and in every respect a respected citizen. The little political breeze between himself and Mr. Rubeck was engendered and fostered by political differences; and while Mr. Rubeck's letter published in the Enterprise of the 14th was very bitter and very personal, Mr. Rubeck told our editor he had never had any private trouble of any kind with Mr. Gloystein. The two letters referred to had nothing to do with the disappearance of Gloystein. If he has been murdered the crime is the result of a deep and well-laid plot. It was not conceived in a day and night; and enough were in it to insure the perfect execution of their plans.

If he has disappeared for private reasons some motive must be shown before the public will exonerate the community from the shadow of a great crime. If, in the future, it should be discovered that Gloystein had been murdered by his political enemies, then the punishment to these people must be sure and terrible. They and their sympathizers must be stamped out by the relentless heel of the law, and their organization uprooted from our society. If, on the other hand, Mr. Gloystein has been induced to disappear for the sake of possible political advantage to any person or persons, then the sooner this state of affairs is probed and exposed the better.

The reason of the disappearance of Charles F. Gloystein is as yet an unsolved mystery, but it must rest upon one of three causes: First, he disappeared voluntarily to cover up some unknown shame; or, second, he was kidnaped or murdered by some persons with whom he had had business troubles; or, third, he was kidnaped or murdered by political enemies. In regard to the first cause, it is entirely inconsistent with his character, for he has always borne the reputation of an upright, Christian man, who has always spoken kindly of his fellows and never did an intentional wrong. He was not such a brute as to leave a wife and five small children, and no one has even suspected him of carrying a secret shame. In regard to the second cause, his few enemies charge him with nothing more serious than such troubles as usually befall any man, and which would not provoke so much as a fist fight, to say nothing of murder. There is only left the third cause, that he was kidnaped or murdered on account of his political convictions.

It may seem incredible that in this enlightened age there could be a community in the state of Washington so lawless and so intolerant of the rights of American citizenship that an honorable and respected man could be murdered and made a martyr to his convictions. But is it really incredible? Not sixty days ago this same man was hung in effigy, and was warned by letter and by placard to leave his community because he offended the political sentiment of his neighbors. This is a fact about which there is no possible dispute.