And Bress Is Missing

AND BRESS IS MISSING

Advertised With Matrimon-Bureaus

Wrote Love Letters

Dissolved Partnership by Taking the Pick of the Firms Goods.

   The meteoric career of "Prof." William Bresss, of Ann Arbor, seems to be ended, and his partner, William M. Sturgeon, mourns his loss. He left last Wednesday, as his partner believes, for Angier, Ohio, to try and marry a young lady. For a time Bress has been corresponding with a number of young ladies throughout the land. He secured these correspondents by the following advertisement:

  I am a manufacturing chemist and scholar, 33, good appearance, 5 feet 10, weight 155, dark brown hair and eyes, a perfect gentleman, attend churches, Theosophist. Desire prompt marriage if suited. Not particular about riches, several hundred dollars cash preferred. Address 208 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor, Michigan.

   Monday evening. August 28, Mr. Sturgeon was in Ypsilanti trying to collect an account. He brought back with him some packages, and his little girl was with him, so that, both being tired, they stopped at home, and Mr. Sturgeon didn't come down town. When he did get down town in the morning he found that Bress during the night had removed all of the most valuable extracts and apparatus, over $300 worth, leaving behind what Mr. Sturgeon considers practically of little value. An inventory of what was taken was lying on the table, with the following notice:

 "Ann Arbor, Aug. 29,

  "The foregoing list of goods I took as my portion of the partnership property, leaving in your possession an equal amount and as much so that you can pay partnership debts. I hope this may be satisfactory, and if so let us consider our former relationship dissolved.

   "Yours, etc, ,

   "William Bress."

   Mr. Sturgeon demanded to know where the goods were, but the "professor" would not give him any satisfactory answer. Mr. Sturgeon believes the partnership goods are still in the city, being secreted by either friends or private creditors. On Thursday Bress left the city. Sturgeon claims that Bress had himself and his trunk taken to Pittsfield Junction by dray.

   For some time before Bress left he demanded that Sturgeon should raise him $75, as he wanted to go to Buffalo, saying "you know what for." He assured Sturgeon that in four or five weeks he would have plenty of money and pay it back. Sturgeon refused to get the money, but suggested they dissolve partnership, Bress giving him security that all debts would be paid. Sturgeon was willing to give up everything if the creditors of the firm were taken care of. Bress became more importunate and pressed Sturgeon for the money, until he discovered that the latter would do nothing, when he said, "I am a doomed man; you have doomed me.:' This he repeated a number of times.      Mr. Sturgeon estimates the debts of the firm to be about $300 and Bress' private debts about the same. He says the young lady in Angier, Ohio, has been fully informed of the situation. Much sympathy is felt for the position in which Mr. Sturgeon has been placed. He has sunk over $600 of his own money in the business, besides his time. Only two days after Bress left the note about taking the goods and dissolving partnership, he succeeded in getting hold of a check for $7.60 from Pontiac which he cashed.

   "Professor"' Bress had the habit of making copies of his love letters which he would drop on the floor. A number of these are in Mr. Sturgeon's possession, one among the number being to an Ann Arbor girl. These letters were addressed to young women in Iowa, New York, Ohio and other states. The Buffalo girl seamed for a time to be the most desirable.