Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 89, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1915 — MYSTERY SURROUNDS MAN'S DISAPPEARANCE [ARTICLE]

MYSTERY SURROUNDS MAN'S DISAPPEARANCE

Foul Play Suspected and Neighbors Seem Inclined to Relieve That Farmer was Murdered. Some two weeks ago a man named Cecil Van Meter disappeared from his home not far from Monon, and only a short distance across the White county line from Jasper county. After Van Meter disappeared a man by the name of Frank Hoover took up his residence at the Van Meter home and has gone ahead with tthe work. It is said that Mrs. Van Meter seems entirely indifferent about the disappearance of her husband and this has led the neighbors to suspect that Van Meter may have met an untimely end. It is said, however, that on one or two other occasions he has left home without letting any person know he was going and would remain away several days. This time he has been gone more than two weeks and a farmer who lives near there informed The Republican that neighbors have been digging up some “soft” spots on the farm with the belief that his body is buried some place thereabouts. Van Meter left a considerable amount of personal property, such as stock and corn. This leads to the theory that foul play may have figured in the man’s disappearance. If he had voluntarily decided to leave his wife and three children it seems probable that he would have disposed of his personal property and taken the proceeds' along. There have been no developments, however, to substantiate a crime except the circumstances here mentioned.