Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-09-30
A CURIOUS CASE.
A YOUNG GIRL MISSING FROM AN EAST
WHEELING RESIDENCE,
And Found Lying Unconscious on q Hillside,
Back Of Martins Fsrry-Shs Is Unable to
falk-fhs Details Of the Matter,
So Far as Known.

A very sad and mysterious case, pos
sibly involving the life Of young girl,
was reported to the police on both sides
of the river yesterday morning, and has
since been the subject Of good deal OF
investigation and conjecture.
The victim is Miss Alice Wilmouth,
whose arrival in the city last Saturday.
and rescue, by the police, from the
hands OF woman named Annie Brown,
through whom she was brought to
Wheeling from Buffalo, New York, Tor
supposed improper purposes, was de-
tailed in the REGISTER of Sunday last.
After being kept at the City Hall for
a day or so, the girl was given posi-
ton as domestic in the family OF Mr.. L.
b. Dobbins, Cashier OF the Dollar Saw
ing Bank, and was there treated in the
kindest possible manner, the sunenvla-
BILE situation OF the young girl-she be-
ing but about seventeen years OF age.
being thoroughly appreciated.
Monday night the girl retired TO her
room rather early, and about eleven
o'clock neighbors saw the gas jet in her
room turned on and off again, and about
one o'clock yesterday morning a light
was again seen in the room. This is
the last seen or heard of her that night.
Yesterday morning Mrs. Dobbins came
down stairs early, and not seeing the
girl, thought, for an instant, that she
had oversight herself. A moment later,
however, she found the dining room
door unlocked, and then hasty visit to
the girls room showed that she
was missing, although all her
clothing, Of which Mrs. Dob,
bins had furnished her with
quite a supply, was in the room. Mr..
Dobbins at once reported the matter to
the police, and during the day officers
made q thorough search Of the city.
The Brown woman, through whom the
girl was induced to come here. was
known to have been an inmate of an
East Wheeling house of Ill fame, and
thinking that, perhaps, the girl had been
secretly visited and induced to enter
upon a life of shame, all the houses in
town were searched, but to no avail, as
not a trace of the girl could be found.
1t was ascertained, however, that there
had been trouble of some sort, near Mr..
Dobbin's residence, during the night,
there being some sort Of scuffle on the
side walk, and cry Of murder" which
aroused some Of the people in the vicin-
ity, and they made partial investigation
but it came to nothing.
20
ing, when the police were informed that
a girl, answering in every way the
description Of the missing one, had
been found lying in an I'M
conscious state, on the hillside back
of Martins Ferry, on the road leading
to Snyder's wine cellar. About nine
o'clock, while boy was driving COWS
down the road, he found the girl, and
at once went back and notified Mr..
Snyder and his family. They went to
the spot, and the girl was picked up
and taken to Mr.. Snyder's house, where
she was made as comfortable as possible,
the assistance Of Drs. Hervey and
Blackford being called in. The girl
lay as if dead for hours and could not
tell anything about herself and nothing
was found about her that would throw
any light upon her identity. She had
on a red or wine colored dress and
low crown brown sailor hat; hair
brown and had a small bruiSe on her
chin. She carried a faded umbrella
with several holes in 1T. Her clothing
was all clean and in good condition.
Last night she was still lying at the
home of Mr.. Snyder in the care Of the
Township Trustees, one Of whom, Mr..
Leatherwood, is giving the case his i'm
mediate supervision.
The circumstance Of finding the girl
was at once reported to Mr.. Dobbins,
who was very much of the opinion that
the girl is the one missing from his
house, as the description, clothing, ETC.,
correspond exactly with her. How she
got over the river, and why she left the
house at all, are matters for conjecture
at present. The girl must have left the
house after one o'clock in the morning,
as a light was seen at that hour. After
going down stairs, the girl ate lunch
con Of bread and butter, milk, etc., and
probably left the house before the
heavy rain, which set in about four
o'clock, began.
Mr.. Dobbins was seen last evening,
and said:-
cit is probable that the girl was out
Of her mind. She was quite vivacious
during the morning, as she had been the
previous day, but during the afternoon
she seemed to be studying deeply over
something, as she did not speak. We
remarked her changed demeanor, but
supposed she was getting homesick, or
was rejecting upon the narrow escape
she had had from falling into the
clutches of the woman who sent her
money to come from Buffalo. I am con-
fident the girl is innocent. She lives
two miles out OF Buffalo, and seemed to
be very intelligent"
Enquiring of the toll takers on the
bridges, last night, revealed the fact
that a girl answering the description OF
Annie Wilmontt, went over the Union
railroad bridge to Martins Ferry, about
three o'clock yesterday morning. She
was accompanied by young man, who
is at present unknown.
The police on both sides Of the river
will attempt to unravel the mystery to-
day.