The Man Who Vanished Into the Fog: A Barber’s Final Journey

Coroner Cross and Mr. George M. Jones, of Cross & Co., brought the remains of the man found near Salmon Bay by an Indian, Wednesday, to this city yesterday afternoon. The body was in an advanced state of decomposition and death had evidently taken place a number of months since. Dr. Root did not hold an inquest, as an emptied bottle of morphine found by the body showed the cause of death.

Upon the deceased person was found a silver watch and chain, a match box, a ten cent piece, an indelible pencil, a collar button and a baggage check marked Commercial Hotel No. 18. Nothing that would lead to his identity, except the baggage check was found. The remains were buried in the potter's field at 5 o'clock last evening.

Upon inquiry by a reporter at the Commercial hotel last evening, a valise with a check attached, similar to that found on the body, was found after considerable search. Upon the arrival of Deputy Coroner Cross, who had been telephoned for, the valise was opened and found to contain a set of barber's tools, consisting of thirteen razors and three pairs of scissors, three combs and brushes, four shirts, several collars, a memorandum book, and poll-tax receipt for $2, in favor of John W. Wise, dated May 11, 1881, at San Rafael, Marin county, California.

The proprietor of the hotel states that he remembers a boarder answering that name, who was with him almost two months last summer. He thinks the man was 35 or 38 years of age, and wore a small black mustache, and was a barber by profession. An effort will be made by the coroner to-day to unravel the man's identity and his relatives, if any, communicated with.