Henry Brauntz
Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 May 1903, page 12
DISAPPEARANCE
A most mysterious case of a man disappearing was reported to the
Second District police late yesterday. The man who is missing is Henry Brauntz,
a wealthy farmer of Grants Lick Ky. back of Covington. He seemingly abandoned
his horses and wagon and his son Henry, aged 9 years.
From the few details that the police could gather from his badly scared son, father and son left their home about 1 o'clock yesterday morning. It was his first visit to Cincinnati this season. The bed of his wagon was covered with a quantity of peas, which he intended to dispose of among commission merchants.
He is well known among the Front street merchants. The trip from Grants Lick is about 20 miles and on the way to this city the boy says his father stopped at several grocery stores but did not stay long. He reached this side of the river (Cincinnati) after daybreak and stopped in front of a saloon on lower Broadway, where he took one glass of whiskey. He came out soon and walking to the wagon he told his son to wait until he returned, as he was going further up Broadway to see a person about a future sale.
Henry, his son, waited for several hours for his father to return and at last he became hungry and his cries caused passersby to take an interest in him. The police were notified and took the boy to the Second District Police Station while Lieutenant Fisher hunted up a commission merchant who agreed to take the peas an sell them at the market price. The horses and wagon were put in a livery stable on Hammond street.
The police of the district have not been able to ascertain at which saloon Brauntz entered to take the glass of whisky. During the time of his disappearance and the taking of liquor no trace of him has been found. the statement of the boy that his father does not drink to any extent causes the police to believe that something serious has happened to him.
He has a brother, Fred Brauntz, who lives in Newport Ky. He was communicated with last evening but stated that he knew nothing of the disappearance of his brother.