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Show Former Resident j Figures In News Donald Matheson, 51, a native of Beaver and a resident of Milford Mil-ford many years ago, has been the subject of country-wide publicity publi-city the past week as a result of his identifying himself to the sheriff at Trinidad, Colorado, following fol-lowing 24 years of wandering in the deserts of western states. A son of Robert Matheson, who operated a small tailor shop aibout where the Why-Not Service station sta-tion now is located, the family is remembered by only a few local residents, since Milford is noted for its unusually high rate of population changes. The modern "Rip Van Winkle," who had disappeared completely after arriving in New York from overseas service in the first World War, was found, with a long beard and untrimmed hair, living near Trinidad in a broken-down, win-dowless win-dowless calbin by officers who feared for his health from cold and hunger. Donald and a brother Jim, it seems, both served in World War I, Donald entering the service in California, where he was employed employ-ed at the time for an electrical construction concern. Jim was killed in action, and the mother, known affectionately as "Aunt Carrie", had staked a great deal on the safe return of her other son Donald. This seemed assured in the spring of 1919, with the arrival ar-rival of a postcard message, "It sure seems good to get my feet on United States soil again. I'll be seeing you soon." But that was the last and only word that they had and, though members of the family journeyed from New York to California and searching facilities faci-lities of government and other agencies were made full use of, no trace of him was found. In 1924 the mother died of a broken heart and in 1926 the mother's will was prolbated with Attorney (now Senator) Abe Murdock acting act-ing in the capacity of attorney. |