Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1883-10-04
VANISHED.
A PARALLEL FOR THE CHARLIE ROSS
CASE.
Mysterious Disappearance of Mary Chur
chill, of st. Louis.
IN. 7. Herald.)

IN. 7. Hera1d.)
The Churchill mystery is still un-
solved, and will probably remain so
until the grave gives up its dead, or
until the girl herself, if alive, comes
out of her hiding place and explains
away the hideous mystery. This case
in ss5osne of its features ranks with the
/ Charlie Ross affair; it has bafFied the
skill of the detectives, and the lynx
eyed reporters have taken up 50 many
clews one after another, and followed
them only to find themselves on the
wrong track, that they are for the
time bewildered and mystifed. The
tracks of the runaway, if such she be,
or the traces and whereabouts of the
kidnappers have been completely coy-
cred up from the very start.
THE DIsAPPEARANCE.
The facts in the case are simply
these: Sunday afternoon, August 10,
Col. James O. Churchill, vice -presi-
I dent of the Anthracite Coal Compa-
ny, of St. Louis, started out with his
wife for an afternoon drive. AS they
drove away their daughter Mary stood
just inside the gate, and watched them
until the carriage turned the corner at
the end of the square. A young drug
clerk, named Besle, passed the gate
probably twenty minutes after the
hour at which Colonel and Mrs.
Churchill started for their, drive, and
saw the young lady standing there.
That is the last seen of her-absolute-
ly the last definite trace. Her parents
returned little before seven o'clock
in the evening and found their daugh-
ter gone. Inquiry was made of the
servants but none Of them remember
ed seeing her that afternoon or even
ing. The supposition was that she had
gone out for call, but as the evening
wore on and she did not return her
mother grew nervous and her father
instituted a search. first in person call
ing at the houses of several neighbors
where if was thought she might have
been visiting; then he asked the as
sistance of few confidential friends
desiring, if possible, to avoid notorie
). ty. After searching all Sunday nigh
and all day Monday without result
Colonel Churchill called at Polio,
Headquarters and stated the case t,
Chief Campbell. Detectives were i'm
mediately put on the case, but it seem
ed absolutely impossible to gets start
ing point.
DESCRIPTION.
A description of the girl as last see1
by her father and as her friends knev
her was the only thing there was t.
give the detectives. She was just six
teen years and eight months old; fv,
feet three inches tall; well developed
for her years of erect carriage; quit
light brown hair, which she wore il
the prevailing fashion of bangs, al
most concealing her forehead, reaching
!. almost to the eyebrows; grayish blu
eyes; an oval face, rather too full 70
beauty, though she was considered
very pretty girl; regular feature:
, with small nose. She was an accom-
plished musician, her proficiency as
, performer on the pianoforte being es
J pecially notable. She had been KEEP
in school almost constantly, and, Will
not a marvel of learning, had cor
f siderably better education than tn
average sixteen-year-old girl. Whe
+ her mother last saw her she had on
white lawn dress, with very small "pi
head' black dots in it; plain full skir
> tight sleeves; a small plain white col
lar and a white tie about her necl
! She wore plain gold ring, ring, wit
E gold dollar bangle.
SEARCH.
t By Monday evening, the Goth ult
e when the police were given the case
e anxiety had completely Frustrated th
D mother, and she has never fully reco1
cred. That the matter might appea
e to her in the best possible light, til
theory of elopement was advanced an
impressed upon her mind, couple
with the hope that the girl and he
husband would return in few day
: But there was nothing, absolutely n
circumstances, to sustain that ide
: The girl had not really made her d
but in society yet, though she had a
; tended probably couple of balls i
her mothers company. She had n
= taste for society; in fact, was a chill
: yet; had no bcaus nor lovers-onl
: two young men had ever called Q
! her, and these she did not receiy
alone She did not like, but, on th
contrary, seemed to have almost a
aversion to companionship of the O
/, posite sex. She was an enthusiast col
y cerning music, and the only thin
:. aside from that and her books tn;
- found an abiding place in her though
was admiration for the drama, an
: even that did not go to such an extei
: that she could be called stage struc
} She had never been to the theatre sa,
: with her parents and was not know
. to talk of the stage. But since h
disappearance some letters have bee
: found from some of her schoolmat
to her, in which her admiration f
Mary Anderson and her ambition
become a great actress are spoken {
The theory of runaway and sta;
., career was advanced, and in pursuan
as of that idea theatrical agencies al
le people in this and other cities we
IS communicated with, but no sign w
it, discovered.
~ THEORIES.
ii Hundreds of people came forwar
: each with theory :--One man HI
seen hack driven along dark sire