Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Lost Special
McPhersonwaspositiveastothewriting,andthefactthatitcontainedaremittanceofahundreddollarsinfive-dollarnoteswasenoughinitselftodiscounttheideaofahoax.Noaddresswasgivenintheletter,whichraninthisway:
MYDEARWIFE,—
"Ihavebeenthinkingagreatdeal,andIfinditveryhardtogiveyouup.ThesamewithLizzie.Itrytofightagainstit,butitwillalwayscomebacktome.IsendyousomemoneywhichwillchangeintotwentyEnglishpounds.ThisshouldbeenoughtobringbothLizzieandyouacrosstheAtlantic,andyouwillfindtheHamburgboatswhichstopatSouthamptonverygoodboats,andcheaperthanLiverpool.IfyoucouldcomehereandstopattheJohnstonHouseIwouldtryandsendyouwordhowtomeet,butthingsareverydifficultwithmeatpresent,andIamnotveryhappy,findingithardtogiveyoubothup.Sonomoreatpresent,fromyourlovinghusband,
"JamesMcPherson."
Foratimeitwasconfidentlyanticipatedthatthisletterwouldleadtotheclearingupofthewholematter,themoresoasitwasascertainedthatapassengerwhoboreacloseresemblancetothemissingguardhadtravelledfromSouthamptonunderthenameofSummersintheHamburgandNewYorklinerVistula,whichstarteduponthe7thofJune.Mrs.McPhersonandhersisterLizzieDoltonwentacrosstoNewYorkasdirectedandstayedforthreeweeksattheJohnstonHouse,withouthearinganythingfromthemissingman.ItisprobablethatsomeinjudiciouscommentsinthePressmayhavewarnedhimthatthepolicewereusingthemasabait.
