The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-21
MRS. KEYsER DROWNED.
Her Meloncholia Buried IN Su'c'"e
Grave-The Body Recovered on "s'
Thursday Evening.
HER FLIGHT.


,y0nn IlttlutIS, tIN opup ihohNi' ''N'P
peared from her fathers house, the
front portion of which is used as q
store, at nine o'clock Tuesday morn
ing. She told her Step-mOther that
she was going down town to make q
few purchases and would call at Mrs
SandersOn's, next door, on her way
home. Up to the time of going tt
press last night she had not returned
Henders waited until after supper on
Tuesday night and then notified the
police.
After leaving the house she first met
Miss Maude Sanderson, at the latter's
gate, and walked with her as far as
the foundry. She seemed depressed
and melancholy and kissed the girl
yOOd-bye in an atlectionate manner.
She appeared preoccupied IN mind and
did not seem to recognize the Column
bus school building, although she had
attended school there for several years.
At few minutes before noon she
was seen at Ottawa Avenue Cemetery,
apparently searching for the grave of
her brother, Harry Henders, who was
drowned in the Illinois river about
three years ago.
At half past nine o'clock on Tues
day evening, Jacob Chrlstman, return
ing from the A. o. u. w. ball at Turn
Hall, saw young woman whom he de-
clares to have been Mrs. Keyser, walk
ing rapidly westward on Jefferson
street, seeing her at the corner of canal
and Jefferson.
Again, a travelling man named Ladd,
stopping at Whites Hotel, says that
he saw young woman answering her
description-under five feet in height,
very slender, dark-haired, sallow COM
plexioned and wearing a green dress
and black Jersey cOat-standing at
the counter of the Office at the Plumb
House, in Streator, yesterday morning.
So much for the wanderings of
Louella Keyser What were the causes
leading to her disappearance?
Henders says that his daughter is
employed at the Aurora Corset Factory
in the capacity of a forewoman in one
of the departments, and has worked
in the factory for about two years.
During this time she has generally
spent her holidays at home. She came
home on Thursday last to remain until
after New Years. She was much re-
duced in flesh and complained Of
severe pain in her head. He got her
some medicine and the pain disap-
peared. She had never acted queerly
nor displayed any evidences Of insanity
in her life. He thought that this pain
in her head may have returned and
caused temporary insanity and.iwhile
in this condition she had wandered
away.
A gentleman who pretends to know,
however, takes different view of the
case. He says that about five years
ago a man named Douglas Keyser
worked for David Sanderson as a sort
of hostler and general man Of all work
about the ice houses and meat market.
He was good man to work. but when
that had been said there was nothing
more to add. In fact, he was man
the counterpart of whom this gentle
man had never seen before nor since.
He and John Henders became fast
friends, so says the gentleman, who
adds Henders borrowed money Of him
from time to time until he had bor-
TOwed quite large sum. Then came
the announcement Of the marriage of
Keyser to LENDERS daughter.
The gentleman goes on TO say that
the girl was forced into the match,
because Henders was unable to meet
his obligation. He is certain that the
girl was very unhappy. She was then
about nineteen-a slender, delicate
little thing, scarcely weighing ninety
five pounds. They lived together two
years, and then the girl lert him. An
other gentleman, claiming to be
equally well Informed, tells about the
same story.
At about the time the girl left
Keyser, her brother Harry fine
young lad Of fifteen, her inseparable
companion and the sole one left, be-
sides herself of her own mothers chill
dren--the present Mrs. Henders being
her step-mOther-wa drowned in the
Illinois river. He had gone down to
the river to swim and did not return
She loved him dearly--worshiped
him, so it is said, and his death had a
most depressing effect upon her.
After her brothers death she went
to Aurora and secured employment in
the corset Factory. Her friends say
that her husband has written her let
ters from time to time and that she
stood in great fear of him. 1t IS also
alleged that Henders managed to Sc
cure the bulk of her earnings at Au-
rOra.
This chain of circumstances, If it can
be credited, certainly shows a motive
for flight. Long brooding over her
unhappy marriage and fear of her hus-
band; sorrow and constant lamenta-
tion at the death Of her brother; loss
OF ambition and the drain upon her
purse,-these things would tend to
produce melancholia. She was sad
and melancholy when she kissed
Maude Sanderson goodbye.
Did she appear at the Plumb house
at Streator Yesterday morning? The
police have telephoned the authorities
at Streator, but have not had any
word OF her. She could perhaps have
boarded freight even after Mr..
Christman saw her. There is talk |
OF possible suicide and all that sort of |
OF thing. but she may have gone away |
TO make for herself place outside the
reach OF her husband and those who
know her.
THE SEQUEL.
From Fridays Daily
The search for Mrs. Louella Keyser
has ended, and this morning her cold
mi lfaast H.