PA PA - Bedford, 'Mr. Bones' WhtMale 30-35, 585UMPA, 30-06 rifle, gold dental wk, camping equip, Oct'58

[Richard]

It would take a page-by-page examination of the books to determine if there is any pertinent information available. I have doubts as to whether this ever took place.Any idea how expensive (relative to the time) these books would be?

I have just obtained a 1954 (5th printing) paperback copy of Science and the Modern World by Alfred North Whitehead. It was published by Mentor, and is small and lightweight. The price marked on the cover is 35 cents.

It is a collection of lectures on philosopy which were written and presented in 1925 by the author. It is certainly a book which could only be read and appreciated by someone of a high intellect. I doubt that this book would have been used in the same class as the poetry books.

Got it just in time for the opening day of deer season. Can't wait to read it out there in the woods!

 

[shadowangel]

I have just obtained a 1954 (5th printing) paperback copy of Science and the Modern World by Alfred North Whitehead. It was published by Mentor, and is small and lightweight. The price marked on the cover is 35 cents.


Got it just in time for the opening day of deer season. Can't wait to read it out there in the woods!

Do us a favor-
Don't take any other books,
Don't take any brass keys,
Don't wear a leather jacket,
Keep your ID with you,
AND DON'T SHOOT YOURSELF!

 

[Marilynilpa]

Do us a favor-
Don't take any other books,
Don't take any brass keys,
Don't wear a leather jacket,
Keep your ID with you,
AND DON'T SHOOT YOURSELF!

And for heavens sake, don't carry such a large canteen, and leave your motorcycle where it can be found!!

 

[Yaya]

I have found a possible match... it looks good to me. He is ex military, the son of a prominent family could explain his dental and contacts, college educated, worked for an Anthean (Phonetic) Museum which could explain the books.
Many clues would be explained by this man.
See what you think.

David B. MacDonald missing from Hartford, Conn.

The 25 year old son of a Hartford couple has been missing since April 10, 1956. He is David B. MacDonald, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman A. MacDonald, Gilcreast Road, Londonderry. David Left Hartford, Conn. April 10th at 9 A.M. to keep an appointment in Cambridge, Mass. He was carrying about $265.00 with him. No one has seen nor heard from him since. Married and his wife expecting a child, the missing man had resided in Hartford the past three years. There are no clues to his whereabouts and there was no previous indication of unusual conduct in his daily life.

David attended Mt. Herman School in Wakefield Mass. and the University of Connecticut. He served in the Korean War and had been employed by the Wardsworth Anthean Museum in Hartford.

He frequently visited his family in the family home in Londonderry. His father is the former Mayor of Beverly, Mass. and was first secretary to Governor Cox and Fuller. He was also at one time Commissioner of Public Works in Massachusetts and chairman of the tax board. His mother's family, the Youngs, settled in Londonderry, in 1745 in their 105 acre farm.

The last person to see David before his disappearance was the teller in the bank at Hartford where he cashed his check. Police of several states have been working on the case, but have had no luck finding him nor any leads that the of which family is aware. All of his family has since moved away from the area. His sisters have also been married compounding the difficulties David would have should he be trying to locate them.

http://www.doenetwork.us/cases/703dmct.html

 

[docwho3]

I have found a possible match...

Sounds interesting.

 

[shadowangel]

Intriguing...If he had chosen to leave his family, he may have gone to NYC to stay (thus explaining the key...)

I'll see if there is anything on this young man in newspaperarchives.

 

[Richard]

Intriguing...If he had chosen to leave his family, he may have gone to NYC to stay (thus explaining the key...)
I'll see if there is anything on this young man in newspaperarchives.

There might be something about him in the local papers - both about his disappearance, and about his service in the Korean War. Most likely this would have to be researched on microfilm.

The Veteran's Affairs Office might have something on him if he had applied for any VA benefits. Also, the state Adjutant General's Office might have some sort of record or file on him regarding his military service. Draft Board records are another possibility.

Odd that there is no physical description in the Doenetwork file.

 

[Yaya]

I have found a newspaper clipping detailing this mans disappearance. The date on the newspaper is May 16 1957 not 1956. The rest of the details are identical.

http://www.carolmac.com/images/FARE/David_B._MacDonald_copy_small.jpg

 

[Richard]

I have found a newspaper clipping detailing this mans disappearance. The date on the newspaper is May 16 1957 not 1956. The rest of the details are identical.
http://www.carolmac.com/images/FARE/David_B._MacDonald_copy_small.jpg

The 1957 date does bring David's disappearance closer to the Bedford man's estimated death date (spring 1958, or slightly earlier).

I would keep a few questions in mind when researching this lead:

- What was David's height?
- What clothes or personal belongings did he take with him?
- Did his bank account show other funds being taken prior to his last sighting and cashing of his check?
- How was he traveling? Did he have a car or motorcycle - and was it ever found?
- Was he taking any college courses at the time, or before his disappearance?
- What branch of service was he in and what was his rank and specialty?

 

[Yaya]

This post is to correct information for David B. MacDonald:

He worked at the The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art not the Wardsworth Anthean Museum

It is a fine arts gallery dedicated to the preservation and presentation of history, literature, and art, and was named "Atheneum" in honor of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom.

Richard, will you please check your copy of "Reading Poems" for any works by George MacDonald? I think there may be a family connection. I'm just curious why he would have been carrying the poetry books with him.

 

[shadowangel]

This post is to correct information for David B. MacDonald:

He worked at the The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art not the Wardsworth Anthean Museum

It is a fine arts gallery dedicated to the preservation and presentation of history, literature, and art, and was named "Atheneum" in honor of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom.

Richard, will you please check your copy of "Reading Poems" for any works by George MacDonald? I think there may be a family connection. I'm just curious why he would have been carrying the poetry books with him.

Actually, if literature were one of the subjects featured in this museum, it makes complete sense to have these books---He would want as much knowledge of the subject as possible, and for the most part these books are comparative studies of poetry.
I sent out some PMs to other WSers from the area, they may be able to come up with some local info on Macdonald's case.

 

[Yaya]

Actually, if literature were one of the subjects featured in this museum, it makes complete sense to have these books---He would want as much knowledge of the subject as possible, and for the most part these books are comparative studies of poetry.
I sent out some PMs to other WSers from the area, they may be able to come up with some local info on Macdonald's case.

Yes, I already thought it made sense for him to have them with him since he worked for the museum. :slap:

I was just wondering if he had them for a sentimental reason. Like a family connection to an author published in the book.

 

[Richard]

....
Richard, will you please check your copy of "Reading Poems" for any works by George MacDonald? I think there may be a family connection. I'm just curious why he would have been carrying the poetry books with him.

"Reading Poems..." does not contain any poems of George MacDonald, and there are no references that I could find to the Athenian Museum. Most of the places mentioned in the introduction are in New York. The authors do, however, acknowledge and thank the Widener Library of Harvard University for permission to print a manuscript of the poem "On the Eve of St. Agnes."

The book is arranged in a format that helps a student learn various techniques and ways of reading poetry by watching for various types of structure. The poems are included in the text by title, but authors are only mentioned in a special index in the back so that they can be cross referenced.

 

[Paradise]

Ok I know this is a long shot but what does anyone think about this being the boy in the box's father? I think they have a few facial similarities, I dunno I'm just throwing stuff out here since they happened so close to eachother timewise and locationwise.

http://americasunknownchild.net/

 

[Richard]

Ok I know this is a long shot but what does anyone think about this being the boy in the box's father? I think they have a few facial similarities, I dunno I'm just throwing stuff out here since they happened so close to eachother timewise and locationwise.
http://americasunknownchild.net/

While it is in the range of possibility due to timeframe and geographic area, I do not see any connection at this point that the two cases are related. From the story of the boy in the box, it would seem that that little boy had been abused and neglected for a long period before his death. The Bedford man seems to have been a transient, probably traveling alone.

It is intriguing, however, and since DNA exists for both cases, they could be compared to see if the two are related.

 

[shadowangel]

I keep coming back to the same questions when considering this man operating a motorcycle. Why were no gloves listed among his belongings? Gloves would have been a necessity if riding a bike in the spring in the northest. Also a head covring of some type-if not a helmet, which may have been left with the bike, but at least some type of hat ( a leather cap, which had flaps covering the ears, was a popular biker accessory at the time).

Goggles? No glasses were found with the man, but contacts were, suggesting he may have needed to wear them to drive. If operating a bike, I would expect some type of goggles to protect his eyes.

The only explanation would be that these items were taken by the same person who took the bike. Would a key be needed for the operation of a bike made prior to '58? To my knowledge, all bikes made prior to this time were kick-start, but I do not know if a key was needed to start the bike.

 

[Marilynilpa]

I keep coming back to the same questions when considering this man operating a motorcycle. Why were no gloves listed among his belongings? Gloves would have been a necessity if riding a bike in the spring in the northest. Also a head covring of some type-if not a helmet, which may have been left with the bike, but at least some type of hat ( a leather cap, which had flaps covering the ears, was a popular biker accessory at the time).

Goggles? No glasses were found with the man, but contacts were, suggesting he may have needed to wear them to drive. If operating a bike, I would expect some type of goggles to protect his eyes.

The only explanation would be that these items were taken by the same person who took the bike. Would a key be needed for the operation of a bike made prior to '58? To my knowledge, all bikes made prior to this time were kick-start, but I do not know if a key was needed to start the bike.

I know that Harley-Davidson motorcycles were kick-start until 1963.

 

[Richard]

I keep coming back to the same questions when considering this man operating a motorcycle. Why were no gloves listed among his belongings? Gloves would have been a necessity if riding a bike in the spring in the northest. Also a head covring of some type-if not a helmet, which may have been left with the bike, but at least some type of hat ( a leather cap, which had flaps covering the ears, was a popular biker accessory at the time).

Goggles? No glasses were found with the man, but contacts were, suggesting he may have needed to wear them to drive. If operating a bike, I would expect some type of goggles to protect his eyes.

The only explanation would be that these items were taken by the same person who took the bike. Would a key be needed for the operation of a bike made prior to '58? To my knowledge, all bikes made prior to this time were kick-start, but I do not know if a key was needed to start the bike.

You make good points, however, I don't think that you can draw conclusions from items NOT listed in the previous posts. I was aparent to me, when speaking with the Police investigator, that items listed on the Doenetwork were far from being all inclusive. He has the actual inventory, and was quoting things to me which were not listed on-line, such as the Engineer boots and their measurements.

I will ask him about whether any of the listed items were included on their inventory sheets.

Regarding keys for motorcycles, I do not know about pre-1958 bikes. I had a 1975 Kawasaki 400 which required a key to complete the ignition circuit, but you had to kick start it after the key was turned to the on position. Most Mortorcycles in 1958 and earlier in the US were probably Harley Davidsons, or at least American made bikes. The Japanese imports did not begin to arive in the US in great numbers until around 1965.

 

[Marilynilpa]

You make good points, however, I don't think that you can draw conclusions from items NOT listed in the previous posts. I was aparent to me, when speaking with the Police investigator, that items listed on the Doenetwork were far from being all inclusive. He has the actual inventory, and was quoting things to me which were not listed on-line, such as the Engineer boots and their measurements.

I will ask him about whether any of the listed items were included on their inventory sheets.

Regarding keys for motorcycles, I do not know about pre-1958 bikes. I had a 1975 Kawasaki 400 which required a key to complete the ignition circuit, but you had to kick start it after the key was turned to the on position. Most Mortorcycles in 1958 and earlier in the US were probably Harley Davidsons, or at least American made bikes. The Japanese imports did not begin to arive in the US in great numbers until around 1965.

British bikes, especially Triumphs and Nortons, were also popular bikes. I believe they were kick-start back in the '50s.

 

[Richard]

Well, I have done some deer hunting, here in Maryland. In fact, I got a seven point buck this morning with a muzzle loader.

The poetry books are nothing but dead weight to carry around and with all the excitement in the woods, I just haven't found much time to read them. I tried reading them one day, but it was a bit windy and the rustling pages spooked any deer that might have been around. I was afraid that they might draw fire from some other hunter, so I stowed them in my coat.

I gave up on carrying the 4 quart canteen too. I would probably freeze to death before I could drink that much water.

Now if I can just find where I left that damn motorcycle...