The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-18
MISSING MISS EDWARDS.

HER PARENTS REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT SHE
MEN ARE CONVINCED TO THE CONTRARY.
[BY CABLE TO THE HERALD
LONDON, Oct. IL, 1879.
The relatives of Miss Edwards, the young
lady missing from Liverpool, say they do not
believe the statement of the Courier that she
had been in Birmingham ms late us the
10th inst, but the police of Birmingham affirm
the correctness of the statement.
MORE THEORIES OF THE ENGLISH PRESS
HOPES THAT THE CASE WILL THROW LIGHT
ON THE NIGHT SIDE OF THE LIVERPOOL
sLuMs.
There are. of course. moro less mysterious dis
appearances recorded almost every day. But in tho
instance of Miss Edwards her family knew all about
her life. her character her tendencies. her acquaint
ances-al. at least. that any family can know Of
any girl; and she under the eyes OF some
member of the household up to the very moment
when she left her home. apparently full OF good
spirits and affection. and forthwith lost to
sight. OF course says the London Daily Ne,cs
ready explanation was at once suggested. Miss Ed
wards may have gone away ont of caprice. be-
cause she had formed secret attachment Of
which her family could not approve. because she
really desired to escape from the marriage which
she always pretended to look forward to with hope
and love. No doubt such explanation is plausible.
Anything would at first sight more credible
than the possibility of girls being conveyed away
in broad day out of crowded street. and either
murdered or kept in confinement without any clew
to her fate being obtained. BUT tho parents OF
Miss Edwards very naturally insist the extreme
improbability Of the plausible explanation. 1t
in1v mt ika1v nj
woman. who wassdear to her people for her affec-
ton and her goodness, who was engaged TO man
whom she protested to love, who had always lived
with her father and mother, whose whole life, as
they believed. was before them; who had not, as
far as they can guess. single acquaintance who
not their acquaintance also-t is not likely that
such girl would wantonly become fugitive from
her home, and infict unspeakable misery on her
father and mother and her lover. Even in the
traordnary history Of human caprice this would be
somewhat novel chapter. Nor indeed. would it still
be easy to explain how girl. even though possessed
with such spirit of plot. could conrive to convey
herself suddenly out Of the sight of all observa-
ton in place like Liverpool. The whole town
would not be in connivance with her. some one
must have her: some would be able to give
hint that would lead to her discovery to the sad
conviction that it would be Of avail to seek for
her. On tho other hand, there has been good deal
OF superiuous argument employed show that
girl could not be orciby upon in the open streets
OF Liverpool. and in broad daylight, by agang of
peradoes. and carried off like captured in
raid OF classic days. The father and mother of Miss
Edwards have believe. theory about desper-
ADDE'S and violent capture.
L'1NrERNo.
The only conjecture they form which seems to
have any ground Of probability to support is of
different kind. In the neighborhood Of the spot
where she last several small streets
chiefly made up of houses which filed with
women and girls Of immoral class. These
houses are not dens of squalid and pow
erty stricken vice; they rather of the
fashy and brazen character. Many of them it
is believed, stocked with girls decoyed
into Liverpool from Belgium and Germany. some Z
tho girls brought to this country under the i'm
preston that they about to get decent employ
ment here. but who; when once safely entrapped
into one of these houses, were not able to make
their way out Of them into honorable life
| again. wholesale trade Of this kind is be-
| lieved to 60 in some parts of Liverpool. and
in that particular region on the outer fringe
OF which Miss Edwards found herself that
day. Miss Edwards was liable to fainting fits
These were not OF q dangerous nature. but when
they came. as they sometimes did. with little warn.
ing. the poor girl might be an hour all but nsensi-
Bile. Is it not possible that getting out of tho
omnibus she may have felt or feared that one Of
these Ats coming on her; that she may have
turned down Of the smaller streets to es-
cape public attention; that of the women
who act custodians of the houses we have
spoken of may have her. taken her by tho
arm, told her she had better in and sit down,
and succeeded in getting her within the doors of the
place? The girl once there and insensible
would be in the power OF the wretches who carry on
the abominable trade 1t would be easy to keep her
there by force; it would not, perhaps. be difficult
mako her feel as if she was not any longer
1T to see the light of the sun or to look on the
faces of her people. Or she may have died. and
the terror of punishment may have induced her
captors to conceal her DEATH Either explanation
possible. 1t will be asked Why is not thorough
search made in all the quarter to which suspicion
attaches? The answer appears to be that
thorough search cannot legally be made. 1t does
not satisfactory that the principle of
the law with regard to the Englishman's
house and his castle should avail to shelter an
odious quarter carrying infamous bust
ness; but In this instance least it has prevented
the only kind of Investigation which could bv any
possibility dispose way the other of the theory
Mr.. Edwards has formed with regard to his daugh-
ter's fate. No explanation of tho mystery come
If any does como, which bring the story
into the everyday events of life-which will mot
leave it in way other extraordinary. 1t is
much to be regretted that the theory chung to by
those the lost girl has chance of being
fairly put to the test.
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