Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-11-06
The Girl Who SO Mysteriously Disap-
peared from Her Home in st. Louis,
Two Months Ago,
Discovered Working as Servant in the
Laundry Department OF the In
sane Asylum Near
indianapolis, and Taken Home by Her
Faiher-statemen OF the Doc.
Tor In Charge and
Matron of the Asyium-What the Girl
Herself Says AboHt Her Unae-
c0untable Freak.

INDIANAPOLIS, November 5.-The mys-
terry surrounding the disappearance of |
Mary Churchill, daughter of the ST. Louis
merchant, has been solved by the COM
plete Identification of the missing girl in |
this city. After fruitless search of near
ly two months by detectives all over the |
land, DR.. Fletcher, OF the IAsane Hospital, |
was struck with description of the miss |
ing girl to the remarkable closeness with |
which it answered the appearance of |
domestic in the laundry department, and |
at once notified the authorities, who, in
company with Thomas j. Gallagher, of |
the st. Louis Globe Democrat, called at the |
asylum and identified the girl. She gives
no reason for her sudden disappearance.
She left the city last night in company
with her father to pay brief visit to her
mother, but declares she can make her
own living, and informed DIR. Fletcher
that she would report for duty "Wednesday.
THE GIRL UNDOUBTEDLY sTAGE-sTRUCK.
Ldter.-Miss Churchill left with her
friends on the late train last night for st.
Louis. She declined to take any of her
effects, saying she would be back next
Wednesday, and requested Dr. Fletcher to
keep her place for her. Prof. McElvey,
TtpOIlS tlldI MISS OluTCIlll.
as Miss Lockwood, came to him last Au-
gust for instructions in elocution, and rep
resented that her parents were dead; that
she was graduate of the st. Louis schools,
and that she had determined to 60 on the
stage. Prof. McElvey discouraged her
plans, pointing out the difficulties
in the way. She went away, but returned
/ again in September and arranged date to
commence course in elocution. McElvey
] learning, subsequently, that DIR. Fletcher
| had withheld his consent, declined to ac-
| cept her as student. In his judgment,
she is undoubtedly stage-struck He does
not appear 10 have very high apprecia-
| ton of her talent in that direction. She
sings well, but her voice is not suited for
| dramatic work.
WHAT DIR. FLETCHER AND MRS. TALBOT SAY
ABOUT MARY.
''She came here" said Dr. Fletcher, %
| the Indiana Asylum,Fto GIobe-D Democrat
reporter, "about the Sd or 4th OF Septem-
| Der. She came to me and applied for
| work. / asked her what she could do, and
she answered that she could do anything
| was struck by her appearance, and con-
cluded at once that she was getting be-
meath her station and training in applying
for the work we could give her here. took
up her hands and looked at them. They
showed no signs OF work, and l said to
her, My little lady. you have never done
any work, you can't to do our work oh,
yes, can,' she answered. She acted so
much like a lady and pleaded so hard for
a place that finally said: 4 have no place
for you, but | will make one' so | placed
her under Mrs. Francis A. Talbot, matron
OF the iron-room in the department for
women. | am glad that l did so, for she
has proved an exemplary girl, and think
| almost as much of her as if she was one of
my own family. When she came she had
the life of Marie Antoinette under her arm.
and since she has been here she has read
works on history and Grecian mythology
Oh, tell you she was a rare character
among asylum girls. She asked permis-
sion to practice on the piano, and gave it
to her and she delighted everybody by her
performances. But here's Mrs. Talbot.
Mrs. Talbot, do you recognize that pic
ture| Indeed | do. That's Jennie Lock
wood SO she's really Mary Churchill.
Well, she's a jewel anyhow, and / always
thought it strange that so intelligent, SO
ladylike and so good girl should be work
ing at an ironing-board.'
MARY's OWN STORY.
Upon being assured that she would not
be disturbed if she did not desire to &C
home, and was free to act upon her own
inclinations, Mary repeated her question
, to the reporter, GLOW did YOU find me p
Il traced you here from Decatur"
, "And who told You that l had been tC
1 Decatur"
{ ''The conductor of the train on whicl
e you left st. Louis, and gentleman whc
e rode part OF the way in the same ear will
: yop;;p
d . "Did papa get my letter."
"When did he get it?''
''On Monday morning, and he hurrie,
home to show it to your mother. Your pa
rents were rejoiced to hear from you anC
the only thing your father feared was tina
you would expose yourself to hardship
rather thad reveal your Whereabouts.
You need anything It is his desire that yo
obtain it without delay at his expense"
This information struck a tender chord
and Mary cried bitterly for few minute,
and eonvulsively exclaimed: "Oh can
must not think of it"
Her next question was care they a
well 90
Being answered. in the. affirmative, sh
followed with, "and baby, too27
"Yes, the baby, too" was the reply.
ooh, am so glad. The dear little crea
ture; how did hate to leave him.
J. 'But tell me" said the reporter, "ho,
e much money did you have when you al
K rived here ?"
4 "Abont 81 70.'
(, '.Did you eat anything between st, Loui
4 and here?"
IS *Npt thing
/ 'What did you do after you arrived 9'
n 81 stopped that night at Hunts Hotel
:, and the next rning-Tuesday- wen
It to WORK in the Brunswick as chamber
@ maid"
e How did you yet the position at til
l. Brunswick ?"
a 81 went to an intelligence office an,
e they got it for me-"
"How did you get away from St. Louis :?
ooh, l had been planning it for som
time.T
''You had a dark dress on when yo
y left, and everybody supposed that tn,
>. dress you wore was pinhead polka dot
y where did you get that dress ~
;, 'That dress and the hat | wore wer
- - packed away in a box in the cellar for
. week before | left. The dress was plai
: out any regard for style. NY object wa
= to look as countrified as possible"
y :, "Now, tell me how did you get iron
: home to the depot ?n
n ''Do you want to publish il ?"
/" = Certainly; everybody is interested il
y the matter, and there will be no harm i
= publishing it."
Y "Well, don't make sensation of it an
: I'll tell you. l knew that father an
% mother would be back from their driv
!, about so O'Clock, anu / knew thai i
y II order TO get away | would have to leav
> home by that time or a little before
l. WheIi the hired girl came in with tn
e baby. | went over - I.ncas avenue to loo
n n at the chimes to see what the right tim
II was. The clocks in the house were nc
- Running correctly ana 1 was aItaid 1
% trust them. / knew | was noticed an
is the only thing that has made m
!" mad was the story that got out that
went over there TO meet that nasty Nj
Caldwell. Oh! / despised him when
4 went to his school | never looked at
! paper, and was afraid to, but that stor
got to my ears, and Ii MADE ME SO ma
that ! determined TO write home, and tbs
was the reason / wrote. But, to continu
my story. ! went back to the house. pr
B. ON my extra dress and put veil over m
1t face and went out the back way Ther
re was nobody in the alley When got out {
the gate, and | turned east toward Beat
mont street. When about half way dow
N the alley a colored boy, who lived in.
= across the alley fromsour gate, met me, an
" nv heart came up into my mouth. / wa
: Just sure be would recognize me, but h
!. didn't, and i felt greatly relieved when
'e got away from him. When ] got TO Beat
le mont street crossed and went straigl
: down the alley to Jefferson avenue. Thel
T. / turned over to Morgan street and wen
~ ~ down on the south side OF it for numbt
y OF blocks; / can't remember how man,
~ From Morgan street / went south
Washington avenue, and walked east alon
il to Fourteenth street. Then / turne
re south again and walked on the west sid
IS of that park in front OF the First Presb,
to terrain church, and kept along that way
ne the next park, on what streets can't sa,
* / was really too much excited to remen