Investigators found that his suitcases and other personal belongings were still in his Washington hotel room, making it unlikely that he had sailed to New Orleans. Despite this discovery, his mother and sister later searched for him in New Orleans, most major U.S. cities, and locations as far away as Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America, but found no trace. Contemporary news accounts from late 1872 indicated that Creely's debts totaled more than $20,000 ($469,000 in 2021). At least one family member, friend, or creditor attempted unsuccessfully to contact Creely in Louisiana, as shown by his name appearing in a February 1873 newspaper list of letters awaiting pickup at the New Orleans post office.
