The disappearance of Charles Gazzam Hurd.

[petermattson]

23 minutes ago, Regi said:

Where did it disappear from sight? And why am I even having to ask that question?

 

I don't have that info. It appears to be from an eye witness quoted in a contemporary Time article (behind a paywall).

[Regi]

22 hours ago, petermattson said:

I've found very little on his older brother Arthur Hurd but he does show up in the 1940 census with a family and 2 servants in NYC.

There was no mention of a brother in that engagement announcement.

 

[Regi]

11 minutes ago, petermattson said:

I don't have that info. It appears to be from an eye witness quoted in a contemporary Time article (behind a paywall).

I'm not convinced that it was an eye-witness account.

[petermattson]

9 minutes ago, Regi said:

There was no mention of a brother in that engagement announcement.

 

That's certainly an interesting observation!

[Regi]

Here's info re: Whitfield that I haven't yet come across elsewhere, that is, info from his brother that he'd left his home after a quarrel with his wife, but unfortunate for me, since I don't have a subscription to the NYT, I can only read what's available at this link: https://www.nytimes.com/1938/04/21/archives/whitfield-dispute-with-wife-is-bared-left-home-thursday-night-and.html

Edited October 12, 2018 by Regi

[Regi]

^ That article reports that he left the airport on a Friday, but April 17 wasn't a Friday, it was a Sunday...

One other comment, to characterize the search as "hunted by the police in eight states" comes across as though he's some sort of a fugitive.

[Vincennes]

 

^  I actually joined the NYT and pulled a lot of these old articles.  I don't know whether or not they can still be opened but the one you're referring to is back in the old thread.   LOL  Now there's a challenge and if one should go back and find it, NYT has probably timed it out and it won't open anyway !

[Regi]

On 10/13/2018 at 10:09 AM, Vincennes said:

^  I actually joined the NYT and pulled a lot of these old articles. 

Well, (I don't know why this has just now occurred to me, but...) next time I'm at my public library, I'll go online and access the newspaperarchive site. 

Edited October 16, 2018 by Regi

[petermattson]

On 10/12/2018 at 11:46 AM, petermattson said:

That's certainly an interesting observation!

RE: Arthur not being in the wedding announcement ... I have info from Charles's granddaughter that Marie dated Arthur before marrying Charles. Unlikely this is related to his disappearance but it does fit into the narrative that there was a rift in the family.

[2001Odyssey]

I find the separation and possible pending divorce interesting.  Divorce was still pretty taboo and I think the fact that he was separated from his wife might be part of the reason there wasn't much publicity.  

Does anyone have any idea whether his wife ever married again after his disappearance?  If she did, it would mean she either divorced him after he vanished, or had him declared dead. There would be a record somewhere of a divorce or declaration of death. 

I also wonder if anyone knows why they were separated.  It seems to me like one would have to have a very good reason back then, since it was frowned upon. 

[petermattson]

On 6/1/2019 at 10:42 AM, 2001Odyssey said:

I find the separation and possible pending divorce interesting.  Divorce was still pretty taboo and I think the fact that he was separated from his wife might be part of the reason there wasn't much publicity.  

Does anyone have any idea whether his wife ever married again after his disappearance?  If she did, it would mean she either divorced him after he vanished, or had him declared dead. There would be a record somewhere of a divorce or declaration of death. 

I also wonder if anyone knows why they were separated.  It seems to me like one would have to have a very good reason back then, since it was frowned upon. 

Yes, within the family many suspected the new beau, John Adam, who became Marie's husband. He had all the pictures of Charles removed from the house (although that might be pretty typical when one gets remarried). IIRC Charles was declared legally dead so that the new marriage would be legal.

[petermattson]

Anyone and everyone interested in this mystery can listen to my podcast on the topic at anchor dot fm slash siftpod or search for S.I.F.T. pod (or my name) in iTunes, Spotify, or anywhere you find your podcasts.

 

Thanks!