In the vast and remote wilderness of Northern Ontario, the autumn of 1959 brought with it a mystery that has endured for decades. On October 29, 1959, 50-year-old Meryl Newcombe, a married trainman for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), and his friend, 63-year-old George Weeden, an unmarried yard engineer for the same railway, were reported missing to the White River Ontario Provincial Police. The two men, both residents of Chapleau, had ventured into the bush for a moose hunting trip, a common pastime in the rugged landscape they called home. Their adventure began on October 22, 1959, when they boarded a westbound train to Amyot. From there, they made their way to a lodge operated by Newcombe's family, located at Mile 107 of the CPR line, west of Chapleau.
They were last seen between mile markers 106 and 107 of the CPR line, a detail corroborated by the train's crew and two Indigenous trappers who briefly spoke with them.
The alarm was raised when the men failed to report for work on their expected return dates of October 27th and 29th. This prompted an extensive search operation in the dense and unforgiving terrain surrounding the lodge. Over 100 people scoured the bush and the railroad for any sign of the missing hunters. The search efforts were comprehensive, with searchers dragging Summit Lake and placing nets across the river in the hopes of recovering the men's bodies if they had met with a water-related accident. A key detail that influenced the search was George Weeden's physical condition; he had suffered a broken back and severe injuries to his right leg in a train wreck in 1941, which made walking difficult for him. This led many, including those who knew him, to believe he would have stayed close to the railway tracks. Despite the exhaustive efforts, the search was eventually called off on November 6th after a storm blanketed the area with 30 centimeters of snow.
The following spring, in 1960, the search for Meryl Newcombe and George Weeden resumed, but again, no trace of the two men was found. In the cabin they had used, remnants of their last breakfast—toast, bacon, and eggs—were discovered still in the frying pan, a haunting testament to their sudden disappearance. The complete absence of any evidence, including clothing, signs of a struggle, or spent shells, has fueled speculation over the years. While some theories suggest the men may have fallen into a lake and drowned, others, including the investigating officer at the time, believe they may have been murdered. The case has become a somber piece of local history in the Chapleau area, a perplexing mystery that continues to captivate the community. To this day, the disappearance of Meryl Newcombe and George Weeden remains unsolved, their fate unknown, leaving their families and the community with unanswered questions.Last Seen: Oct 29, 1959
