The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-09-14
ST. Jul SENSATION,

, Fine Her-General Gossip About Matters
and Things I'm tho Missouri Metropolis.
ST. LOUIS, SPECIAL Correspondence, Aug %
city was given a sensation last Sunday
which 10 vibrating as strongly now as when the
news was first made public, II is in the shape
of the mysterious disappearance of q young
lady named Mary Churchill, the seventeen
y~oar-old daughter of Col, Churchill, a well-to-
do and well-known citizen, who resides at
2737 Morgan street Up to the present
writing the case has worn a cloak of mystcrv
which not even the most astute detectives have
been able TO tear aside. Col. and. MrA.
Churchill left their house for a driro Sunday
afternoon, and returned about s o'clock in the
evening. Shortly after their return they missed
Mary, and made inquiries for her. The rest
of the family, two young children, could tell
nothing of her whereabouts, and surprising
the girl had gone to visit some friend, they felt
no further unneasiness until 10 o'clock, when,
Mary not returning, they grew alarmed, and
visiting first one neighhor and another, did all
they could to find her. Tho search was
t%rultless, and at q late hour, hoping
she had gone to stay all night with a
friend, they retired in the hope of seeing her
in the morning. When morning came and the
hours advanced, with no appearance of Mary,
Col. and Mrs. Churchill became greatly
alarmed and drove about to SEQ every friend
with whom it would be likely Mary would stay.
After the last possible place had been visited
and ne news had been heard. the awful fear of
foul play entered the parents heads, aud a
most careful cross-examination of people VINO
were in the vicinity Sunday evening was
prosecuted. 1t was thus learned that
about z o'clock, at dusk, Mary left
the house by way of the alley
at the rear, walked up the half square to
Twenty-eighth street, aud south on Twenty
eighth street to lucas avenue. She WAS seen
by several people on the way, who also saw
her return to the alley aud then go into the
house. Afterwnrd she again walked over to
Lucas avenue, since which time none of her
friends have seen her. She was bareheaded,
wore an excited look, aud was attired in a lawn
dress with pin-hesd dots. Such arc the facts
in the case, as given to the public, These nat
uralIy lead to the conclusion that the girl was
run away with; that her disappearance is the
result OF an ill-advised love match.
But what gives an air of mystery to the case
Is the fact that the young lady was not a gay or
lively girl; that she WIS not fond of beaux,
and was of a quiet and very modest appear
ance. Her photograph, as well as her personal
description, shows that she was an exceedingly
pretty girl. She is described as being five feet
three inches in height, ll5 pounds in weight,
a blonde, and of plump, round, graceful form.
She is an accomplished pianist, but as she
could not sing aud was not an elocutionist, the
theory that she ran away to go on the stage has
only a few advocates. The case was given into
the hands of the police Monday night by the
girls parents, and they have been working at
it with no result ever since. All the friends OF
the family are at work in the hope of hiding
the lost girl, and the whloe city is interested in
tho matter. The minu.est inquiry has failed
to bring out the slightest suspicion against the
character OF Miss Churchill, as every one who
knows her comedies that in department and
in conversation she was all that a pure, inno-
cent girl would DO. Her company was al |
ways chosen for her by her mother, |
who has been unusually Jealous about
the training. Of the girl. The only plausible
that she mmitt suicide, as she had a fine |
and was always healthy-is that she has
eloped with some unknown man, who was
probably dosirous of winning the girl bnt who
had no social standing. The fact that Mrs.
Churchill always pronounced against early
marriages is favorable to this theory. num-
Der of ciews have been given those engaged in
tho search, but one by one they have failed to
bring about any information as to tho where
abouts of the girl.
SIMILAR ST. LOUIS CASES.
Tho interest III the Casa is great, probably
because it belongs TO a class of mysterious dis
appearances which has been most prolific Of
sensation. About two years ago a similar case
WAS reported to the police in the disappearance
of q young girl from Colorado who was visiting
relatives here. The girls name was Zou Vac
kins. After a futile search of ten days, one Of
the ashcrs for human bodies. who earn a liv-
ing, on the M~ississippirlver dragged the body OF
a girl from the stream, and on investigation 1t
was found that it was all that remained Of Mis-
souri, Watkins. A coroner's inquest revealed
the fact that the body had no marks Of vio-
lence upon it, that the clothes had been undis-
turbed, and that she did not come to
her death by poison. How she did
come to her death, no one ever found out, as
the theory Of suicide was negatived by tic
fact that she had no means to take her own
life. aud that she was sound of mind. The
Disappearance OF Miss Z,relda Garrison-an
eighteen year-old daughter of one Of the first
families in the c~ouutry-caused a great sensa-
ton in st. Louis last January. After two
days search she was found No satisfactory
reason was given the public as to why she re-
NAMED i'll 3 room IN a bad locality for
ten days. Her statement, that she was
kept a prisoner there, was not taken
for the truth, as she had been seen several
times upon the street in company with men of
a low character. Fanny Kirchhofer, a German
girl, disappeared last spring, and nothing was
heard of her till July, when q detective found
her at the l:anan os a. colored coachman, where
she had been all the time. These cases give q
bad color to the one now before our public,
but Miss Churchills splendid reputation causes
all suspicious 10 fall 10 the ground. 1t is the
general hope that she will be restored to her
parents within the next few days,
@ GENERAL GOSSIP.
The Churchill case is about the only topic of
interest in the city. The municipal middle,
consequent upon an attempt by seven mems
bers of the council to dictate the mayors ap-
pointments, has been Strengthened out by the
departure for California with the Knights
Templar party of two of the seven. Appoint
meats are now gong to the council slowly, and
are as slowly being confirmed. The Downing
high license law, which provides for the
closing of saloons On Sundays, has been
keepers Ont of a total of 1,7o0 saloons,
about 600 arc kept open every Sunday. They
have all been reported by the police, and now
all the city has to complain of in that direction
and it is the general opinion that the saloon
men will lose, There is a steady eflux to St.
Paul every week. The Gem City appears 10
be the favorite boat. and her register
bears the names of fifty or moro St.
Louisans every time she leaves the
levee for the North. Returning, her
decks are frequently blocked with tourists
who have spent their vacation in Minnesota.
The lady or gentleman here who has not spent
a summer at 81. Paul or Minnetonka is gener-
ally regarded as a person who needs the great
est amount Of pity. About the only society
event which has occurred during the month
that is worth mentioning is the Marvin camp
meeting. Every year the members Gf tho
SOullHTu mctuOuist uuiCuc III a. LOUIS. OF
rather the wealthy members, go INTO
camp at o grove namel in respect 10
the memory of tho late Bishop Marvin,
which is situated about ten miles from the city
on the st. Charlea Rock road. The camp is APP
proacilable to St. Louisans Only by vehicle, and
as a consequence only those people who have
carriages at command attend. The meeting is
simply a grand summer picnic w til a religious
tone. 1t gives people an opportunity to spend
q week in the woods, to retire early and arise
when they please, to live a quiet, brief rustic
life, and 10 form com~panionships they
would not be likely to make other