Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-31
MISSING FOR FOUR WEEKS.
And Still There is no Clue to the Where.
abOuts Of Belle Brown.

"where is Belle Brown2' is the question that
was asked exactly four weeks ago, but it has
not yet been answered. The missing girls
parents have about given up all hope Of ever
seeing their daughter alive again. Mr.. Brown
has all along placed much reliance on the Nor
folk clue, but last evening he received q letter
from Chief Pettis of the police force Of that
city that almost causes him to abandon what
hope he had of Belle Brooks" being his
daughter. Last night Mrs. Brown was quite i'll
and it was feared that she would lose her mind,
but this morning she was better.
THE OPINION OF sPIRITUALIsT.
Having no substantial clue to work upon Mr..
Brown willingly accepts the suggestions Of his
friends. One Of these, who is a believer in
spiritualism, said that through a medium he
found a missing niece in the far west His
solicitations were 80 earnestly made that Mr..
Brown went to q medium. The latter, however,
had been reading the newspaper accounts OF
the case snd he declined to do more than vol
unteer his opinion that the girl ID not dead
WAS SHE DROWNED?
While it is the general impression that Belle
is not dead, Mr.. Brown fears that she il. 1t is
argued by some that her body would have
come to the surface before now II she had
drowned herself, or If not, her hat at least
would have washed ashore. Notwithstanding
this argument Mr.. Brown thinks that the heavy
cloak his daughter wore would assist in keep
ing the body at the bottom of the river, and as
for her hat, that was pinned to her hair.
THE ABDUCTION THEORY
has also bothered Mr.. Brown considerably
lately, but why the daughter Of a citizen not
blessed with wealth should be abducted he CAD
not understand. 1t is possible, he thinks, that
10 Aan far WI a ahdnctad thrOuOh
the daughter of some wealthy citizen. If she
was so abducted Mr.. Brown thinks that she
was compelled to write the letter, and
that her abductors finding they had
made q mistake, carried out the Intentions ex-
pressed in the letter and either drowned or
murdered the girl. Such, however. is not
thought possible or probable by any one else;
but MIR. and Mrs. Brown naturally think the
worst
THE VIRGINIA CLUES.
While the bereaved parents are undergoing
such q terrible strain, Norfolk, Quantico and
Occoquan are still in their minds and they
continue to hope to hear something that will
soon give them reason TO believe that the girl
10 at least still alive.
Hon. David Windsor Of Alexandria, a friend
of the Brown family, was recently near Deco
guam, where he was told by young lady that
she could tell what house Belle Brown was in,
but she would not tell. No explanation was
that she would not tell for fear she was mis-
taken.
A letter has been received by Mr.. Brown,
suggesting that the missing girl had probably
gone on the stage. The writer was evidently a
female and started to sign the letters Mrs. f.,
but this was erased and the name Kate Syl-
vester, East Washington P. o." was signed
FORTUNES TOLD BY BIRDS.
Mr.. Brown recalls a singular incident that
occurred some weeks before the girl disap-
peared. Mrs. Brown, while down town shop
ping one day, noticed a man with Q cage of
birds telling fortunes. Through curl
osIty she paid five cents and had
one of the birds pick her fortune from the box.
She took it home, but paid no particular atten-
same thing. Both predictions were kept, and
now Mr.. Brown. though not superstitious,
thinks they foreshadowed the present trouble.
Concerning the Norfolk clue the police and
detectives in that city have been unable to To-
cate the girl after she left the boarding house
goes she has disappeared as completely as
though she had never existed.
Gen. Miles on Pacific Coast Dcfenses.
In Gen. Miles, annual report to the Secretary
of War, the important recommendations OF
which were contained in yesterdays STAR,
there is an earnest appeal for means to
strengthen the defenses of the Pacific coast.
He calls attention to the fact that there is
not a single gun in position to protect tn.
cities of Puget Sound and the great CONNER
cial interests Of the northwest He says there
should be 573 modern guns and mortars, with
their proper carriages aud ammunition. Their
estimated cost would be 80, ,067, $50. To this
end the general recommends one appropria-
ton of $50 900 to secure the titles to strategic
points necessary to be occupied for defense,
another of u, 900 900 to establish plant for
the construction OF modern guns and ammu-
milton. and Q third of $25, ,000, 900, or as much
as can be expended in four years, for providing
guns and material required on the coast
Report Of the Commissioners Of Customs.
The Secretary of the Treasury has received
the annual report of samuel v. Holiday, COM
missioner Of customs, which shows the settle
ment of accounts during the past fiscal year.
amounting to s225,4l2.O00. The Commissioners
calls attention TO the necessity for legis-
lation fixing beyond doubt the statufs
Of per diem customs employees in
the matter Of leaves of absence, and recon-
mends that permanent: specific appropriation
be made for the expenses Of collecting the GUS
toms revenue, amounting 20 t7,500.000 annu-
ally, fixing the salaries tor customs officials.
At Kansas City the Pan-Americaus received
the customary courtesies yesterday. and saw
the city's chief sttrsctious Al midnight the
special train left for Springfield, III