Arkansas weekly mansion., 1883-11-10
MARY CHURCHILL.

rh. ,1,.sinr st. Louis Girl, Mary Church
m. D,scovered at. Last-An Enterprisinl
Newspapers Reporter Finds Her EN-
ploved at Indianapolis Insane Asylum
Mary Returns to her Homo In Comp"n!
with her Father.
- Is ST. LOUIS. Mo-, Nov. s.
After nearly three months of anxiety
during which time nearly the entire de1ec
tive force of the city, aided by the repor
torial fraternity, have followed clew a1teI
clew, only to find themselves on 1aise
scent in their search for the missing mary
Chuchill, the girl has at last been found
and the credit of her discovery and return
to her homo belongs to Mr.. Thomas j. Gal
lagher, ST. Louis newspaper reporter.
On Saturday last, from information re-
ceived in the course of following up other
clews, the reporter in question became con-
vinced that Mary Churchill was an inmate
in some capacity of the Insane Asy"
Ium at Indianapolis, and, in company
with Captain Campbell, of the indianapolis
police, drove out to that institution, carry
ing with him a likeness of the truant girl
Upon meeting DR.. Fletcher, the Superin-
tendent of the Asylum, and producing the
LIKENESS, the Doctor declared it to be that
OF a young lady employed in the laundry
and known as Jennie Lockwood, who had
been there since the Sd or 4th of September.
The Matron, Mrs. Frances A. Talbot, was
of the same opinion, and Jennie was sent
for. Here a new dilemma arose-she had
gone down to the city and was expected to
remain over night. With a hot clue, how
ever, the reporter was not to be thwarted,
and accordingly proceeded at once to as
certain the whereabouts of the girl; and,
accompanied by Mrs. Talbot, proceeded to
~, Of in q H.
ern part of the city, with whom "Jennie"
had gone to spend the night, and there
found her. Upon meeting the reporter
Miss Churchill-for such it was-was
considerably taken by surprise, but finding
she was discovered made no attempt to
deny her identity and at once engaged in
conversation with regard to her parents
and the other members of the family. The
party at once returned to the Asylum
and Miss Churchill was placed in
charge of DR.. Fletcher, who kindly
assured her that it she did not de-
sire to return home she could remain with
him and he would do all in his power to
make her happy.
Upon receipt of the intelligence in this
city Colonel Churchill was at once commu-
nicated with, and he made immediate
preparations to go and bring his daughter
home, arriving in indianapolis Sunday. The
meeting between father and daughter took
place at the Spencer House and was strictly
private, though from their manner as de-
scribed when seen a few minutes later, it
must have been one of satisfaction to BOTH
Colonel Churchill, accompanied by his
daughter and her cousin, DR.. Robert Van
Valzak, of Terre Haute, and A. j. Kelley,
also of Terre Haute, left Indianapolis Sun
day night at eleven O'Clock for ST. Louis,
and arrived here this morning.
Miss Churchill tells how she left home
follows
81 knew that father and mother would
be back from their drive about 1880, and
knew that in order to get away l would
have to leave home by that time or a little
before. When the hired girl came in with
the baby, l went over to Lucas avenue to
look at the chimes to see what the right
time was. The clocks in the house were not
running correctly and was afraid to trust
them. knew l was noticed, and the only
thing that has made me mad was the story
that got out that l went over there to meet
that nasty Mr.. Caldwell. Oh! 1 despised
him when went to his school. 1 never
looked at paper, and 1 was afraid to, but
that story got to my ears, and it made me
SO mad that determined to write home,
and that was the reason l wrote. But, to
continue my story, 1 went back to
the house, put on my. extra dress
out the back way There was nobody in
the alley when got out at the gate, and
turned east toward Beaumont street. When
about half way down the alley a colored
our gate, met me, and my heart came up
into my mouth. l was just sure he would
greatly relieved when l got away from
him. When 1 got to Beaumont street 1
crossed and went straight down the alley
to jefferson avenue There I turned over
south side of it, for number of blocks, L
can't remember how many; from Morgan
street went south on Washington avenue
and walked east along it to Four
teenth street. Then 1 turned south
again and walked on the west side
of that park in front of the First Presby
terian Church, and kept along that way to
the next park, on what streets l can't say.
l was really too much excited to remember
the streets | was on: l know that on
Twelfth street passed the north end of the
Four Courts and finally reached the depot
at the north end. Then turned east to the
central entrance of the Union Depot and
remained until they called out some train
i didn't know exactly what-and 1 went
out and got on board: guess it was about
ductor suspected me. know he did. He
said he would like to see me in daylight so
that he might be able to tell if was the
the girl represented myself to be-"
DIR. Fletcher, in the course of a conversa-
tiOn with regard to Miss Churchill said:
g She came here about the Sd or 4th of
September. She came to me and applied
and she answered that she could do any
thing. l was struck by her appearance,
and concluded at once that she was getting
beneath her station and training in apply
ing for the work we could give her here. 1
took up her hands and looked at them.
They showed no signs of work, and said
to her, My little lady, you have never
done any work, you can't do our work.
Oh, yes, cam she answered. She acted so
much like lady and pleaded so hard for a
place that finally said: Il have no place
for you, but l will make one,' so 1 placed
her under Mrs. Frances A. Talbot, matron
of the iron-room in the department for wo-
men. l am glad that did so, for she has
proved an exemplary girl, and l think al
most as much of her as if she were one OF
my own family. When she came she had
the life af Marie Antoinette under her arm,
and since she has been here she has read
works on history and Grecian mythology.
Oh, l tell you, she was a rare character
among asylum girls. She asked permission
to practice on the piano and gave it to
her and she delighted every one with her
-