Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-25
STRANDED IN A SLEEPER.
4 NEW ENGLAND GIRLS ODD
ADVENTURE.

adv IN u liz.
How Martha Howes Won the Title OF
the Lost WomaE-Exciting Search Tor
Young Lady who was Carried or in
the Wrong sleeper.
Among the passengers on the steamship
CITY Of Augusta, now on her way TO New
York. is a young lady whose singular sd-
venture in travelling from Jacksonville to
Savannah last week won for her the title
Of the lost woman. On Wednesday night
Miss Martha H0Ues. accompanied by her
sister. left Jacksonville, occupying a sec
ton in the Savannah sleeper. They were
destined for Boston. and expected to sail
by the steamer Gate City on Thursday
afternoon.
Some time after leaving Jacksonville
Miss HOwes asked a porter TO escort her TO
the Cincinnati sleeper. in which were sew
eral friends destined for Cincinnati by the
way Of Savannah. as they supposed.
Leaving her hsud-baggage. bonnet, purse
aud tickets with her sister. she stepped
into the car where her friends were. and
sat down. Alter pleasant chat she
called the porter. this time OF the car in
which she was riding. and asked him to
lead her back TO the Savannah sleeper.
The Savannah sleeper. ma'amg Why,
there's no Savannah car on this
trainw 4 look OF surprise came over
the young lady as she realized her situa-
ton, and her friends We're equally as sur
prised. as they supposed they were bound
for Savannah also. The porter explained
that the Savannah sleeper had been left
at Waycr0ss 10 be taken by the night
train. and that they were being whirled
on towards Albany. What to do the
young lady did not know. The train was
then some distance beyond WaycrOss. and
too far 10 ride back BY carriage in the
night. She was without money or tick
cts. and knowing that her sister was
unaware Of her Whereabouts. and would
be concerned for her safety. she explained
the circumstances to the conductor. and
at the first stop a telegram was sent
back to NaycrOss saying that she would
return there by the first train. The tele-
gram was not received by her sister, who
came on to Savannah and related the cir
cumstances so far as she knew them TO
Messrs Barnard & Richardson. agents of
the Boston line Of steamers. Mr.. Bar
nard at once became interested and ser
out to find the young lady. A telegram
was sent IN her name to WaycTOss and
to insure its delivery an other was sent
70 the operator stating the circumstances,
and asking that tue message be
placed in Miss HOwes' hands as
quickly as possible. An hour
later reply was received that there
was no such person in town. This
aroused Mr.. Barnard's interest still fur
Their, and he determined 10 find the Young
lady without fail. Being wholly unaware
Of her movements after she left her sister
below Waycross. he surmised that she
mad been carried past on the Cincinnati
sleeper and would reach Savannah BY the
way Of Macon and the Central Railroad.
The ship by which she expected to sail
was to leave at O'Clock, and in the hope
OF her arrival by the % train from Ma
con, Mr.. Barnard made preparations to
meet her upon her arrival at the Central
depot with carriage, so that she might
reach the ship without delay. He told
the story to Major Whitehead, OF the
Central, who, with a significant shake Of
MS head, looked at Mr. Barnard as if to
see whether he was in earnest.
shes skipped! There's young man
in the case,'' replied the Major.
Mr.. Barnard assured him that this
could not be, and a telegram was sent to
the conductor of the Macon train at Mil
len to lind out if Miss HOwes was on
board. The reply came back, ''Not on
train"
Bafiied in this move, Agent Knapp, at
Macon, was telegraphed a full descrip-
ton OF the young lady, and asked to keep
LOOKOUT Tor her. Mr.. Knapp searched
the city, and replied that there was no
person answering TO Miss HOwes' descrip-
ton 10 be found.
The ship was by this time ready
to sail, and the young lady's sister was
anXIously awaiting intelligence that
might lead to her recovery. Upon the re-
eeIpt OF Mr.. knapp's reply that he had
been unable to gain any information of
her whereabouts in Macon or along the
road. the case began to look mysterious.
Mr.. Barnard assured the sister that every
effort would be made to reach Miss HOWes,
and that she would be sent BY the next
steamer. With this assurance the sister
left for Boston. Mr. Barnard at once con-
tlnued his efforts to find the young
lady, and by repeated telegrams
succeeded in Overhauling the Cincinnati
sleeper at Chattanooga, where it was
learned from the conductor that Miss
HOwes had been sent back TO WavcrOss
that morning. In the meantime the inter-
Get Of those engaged in the search for the
Young lady had heightened and various
theories We advanced. 1t was thought
BY some that she had fallen or iumDed /
from the train and was killed. and bv 1
others that the matter had been pre-ar- I
ranged and that she had Voluntarily left (
her sister and elOped. The telegram from /
the conductor at Chattanooga was not /
wholly satisfactory TO those who believed
nay aI, sulccH ras the case, and it was not
lLl! more definite information had ,Seen !
'-.lned that they were convinced OF the
young lady's discovery.
Col. Haines. of the Savannah, Florida
and Western Railway, who had been ac-
quainted with the case, telegraphed the
operator at WaycrOss and learned that
Miss HOwes had been there, but had gone !
on to Brunswick, where she had friends.
Later a telegram was received from
Brunswick announcing her arrival there,
and that she would reach Savannah on .
Friday morning. The Friday morning 4
train brought her to the city in company /
with a gallant young German, who, upon /
learning Of her adventure, assumed the /
role of protector until he had placed her (
in Mr.. BarnaTd's care. She had been I
provided with money by her friends, and 1
further than being wearied by a long /
days travel was as uncODcerned about I
her safety as though she had been in her /
home. The anxiety Of her friends had /
been greater than her own. While track /
ing her the short distance she had travel /
ed, the telegraph had clicked her name |
over thousands of miles of wire, [
and at the offices where inquiry /
had been made, and on board the |
trains where the pOrters in /
quired, ''Miss H0wes on bOardy' she be- !
came known as ssthe lost woman" There /
are probably few incidents in travel which /
better illustrate the possibilities of an er- /
ror, and which show more clearly the won |
derful progress of invention than the one
iusi told. The long night ride OF Miss I
Howes from WaTcross tG -A.!.h9.a,ny and T.
return. her trip &c Jasup and Brunswick
and on to Savannah was made without
the slightest embarrassment, and she was
given the most courteous attention by
the train officials by whom she was passed
to her destination. Upon arriving here
she was driven TO the Pulaski House,
and in the afternoon was placed on board
the CITY of Augusta en- route to her home
in the Old Bay State.
sAvANNAH's YOUNG ACTORS.