The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-06
THE LAKES SECRET.
No Things or Trace of Missing
Nellie Holgate.
BoATMeN DRAG THE WATER.
Sensational Stories without Basis-The
Young Lsdy's Life Insured for $1,000
Theories OF the Accident

day night at q point about midway between
Madrona park and Madison street, ara nearly
in front OF Howard Lewis cottage. The search
vas tsken up early yesterday morning by her
friends, and not only wss the lakes bottom
dragged for a Distance OF about ten RODS on
either side OF the cottage and eight rods into the
lake. bit the shore and logging road coming
down over the hill 10 the pofnt where the boat
was found received careful attention. At7:3o
o'clock the frat 6ost arrived on the
scene. aud in short time four more
with anxious friends OF the lost one. were at
the scene La one boat were Mr. ana Mrs. A. Z.
Hummer, OF kenton, brosher-in-iaw and sister
of Miss Holgate. and who bod come to the city
Immediately after receiving news OF the sup
posed drowning. Carroll X. Zilly, l. &. Bran
son, Thad Branson, Vince H. Fabsn, l. p. Tay-
Tor, Mr. Cragin. Of the MAcDougall 4 Southwick
Company: \. Fl. Huggins. Arthur ]. Fonda. Mrs.
Frances Baker, ]. o. v. seeley and Wallace
Barnes were also numbered among the searching
party.
Chief Jackson and Capt willard came out
about $50 O'Clock and went over the ground
carefully. but made no comments. The ground
was looked over, and the snag msntioned in the
PosT-INTELLfGEScER yesterday morning was
found TO he in position that would give good
ground for the belief that in rowing along the
shore Miss Holga,e might have run into the pro-
jecting aud water-covered branches and, losing
her balance, been cast into the lake. On one
branch could be seen an abrasion apparently
newly made. but an examination of the boats
bottom failed TO confirm positively that there
had been a collision OF any kind. Acting on the
rsupposition that she had gone into the water at
the end OF the tree, hooks were dropped and the
bottom dragged northerly and toward the shore.
The result was unsatisfactory, and no
tug at the line conveyed the intelligence
that a human body had been struck The
water in the lake at the present time is Eve feet
0r me higher hap no leva Aac.
Cording to calculations of men who have kept
track OF the rise the highest that IL has been in
sixteen years This accounts for the big snag
being so much in the water. The depth from
Its end TO the shore varied from ten feet TO few
inches close in but owing to the shifting clouds
the bottom could be only at times TIE
wind at the time the accident is supposed
70 have occurred was blowing from the
south, and a. the shore for a dis
lance OF three-Quafters OF mile
curves in. forming u long shallow bay, it is
sonaule TO suppose that the body, provided il
was shifted from the bottom by the action Of
the wind and waves. would have gone in and
lodged not farther north from the point of the
tree than where the bonnet was picked up. The
latter object was found In frou. OF a cump OF
bushes now submerged by water about five rods
away. The water within these limits. and even
north as far as tho logging road. about fifteen
rods north from the point taken before as the
the eye and by the graphing irons, but not the
slightest clue was found.
One OF the vexatious questions that could not
be solved at the lake was concerning the bundle
that Mas Ho.gate had with her when she started
from the boa. house. 1t was supposed to con-
tain u saek. which abe was to take to Mrs Luix,
the milliaer. and II IL was in the rear of the
boat. rs Is ths suggestion. why did It not float
IA about the same path as the bonnet? Not the
slightest trace of that bundle has been found,
and 80 fax as known there 10 one who
state positively what WAS in IL
One explanation has len offered. and it
NAV solve the problem rs to how the boat came
10 ee lodged right-side up AZ the logging road,
fully fifteen rods north o. where the bonnet was
found. A: the north side of the grounds which
epelose the Lewis cottage there is high board
fence, which extends down into the water Tor
several feet. person can enter the grounds
frota the south through door in the
fence. but on tho north there il no
apparent outlet, and even il there was the
brush 10 thick and the ground hard to
get over. II 10 an open secret on the lake that
some of tie shore inhabitants would take any
thing they saw In eight, provided IL had a mar
ket value. Reasoning that Miss Holga;e ran
into the snag, was pitched out aud the boat
righted Itself, there would be ground to be-
ieye that the boat would have gone ashore
south OF the fence that extends into the water.
person coming along the shore from the south
aud finding an unoccupied boat floating alongtne
hsnk, might have stolen the articles il contained
The easiest way TO got beyond the fence and
continue the wsv along tho shore or up over the
hal was TO take the boat aud paddle along to the
place where tho logging road comes down. The
person would have had no use for the old sack
found on the shore but the buttons would have
perhaps gone well on the new garment, and,
consequently. he would have taken them OF
thrown away the old garment aud gone along
about his business chuckliug over his find.
This ia bu, one of the many explanations Of
tered for things being as they were and whv
they were not otherwise
Rumors Of ali kinds and natures were nf,os,
yesterday. tie principal one being that Miss
Holgs.e was still III the land of the living /,
was ascer,alned positively that she had her life
insured for 5000 In the Mutual Lille of New
York by the general agent +. /. stinson, about
year ago. IL was made payable to herself.
which means. III case of death. her heirs
or assigns. In case Miss Hogats made
will she might have assigned the
money To any ono she iL Her
room at tho Nsndome, however, was examined
yesterday by Mrs. Baker and her sister, Mrs.
Hummer. OF Reuton, hut no pa pers of interest
Otherwise than the insurance policy. were dis
covered. MIR. stlnson. when asked IL he thought
IL might be ano other Rsdloff case shook mis- head
and gave cFedence TO the common version of &C
cidentai drowning. Miss Hogate's was sn en-
uowmsnt policy. and she often used TO saw
that ",hat s3.0to would come In handy when
she was a. years DID,"
The most sensational story Of the tay was
that A. d. Warner saw Miss Holgate about $50
O'Clock In tie afternoon Thursday In the door
way Of Mrs J. J. wittwers hair store. at sls
FRONT street Mr.. Warner was acquainted with
Miss Holgste, and says he believes he saw her
putting up al umbrella she stepped into the
street he didn't SPEAK 20 her. and admits that
he might have possibly been istssen. INQUIRY
at the store brought the positive assertion from
Mrs. "ittwer that Miss HoigaEe. who was well
known in the store, had not been there on the
afternoon mentioned. aud NC one saw her In the
doorway.
}. L MscDougal. Of the MseDougsll & South.
wick Company, whore Miss HolSate was en-
plcyed. said yesterday afternoon that there
were no new Developments In the case II hap
rened that a, tho very time he wss taking
Detective Cu5 hes was in the store 10 SEQ aim
Nj Ascpousall was in consultation with Chief
OF folice Jackson at O'Clock last night All
che closc friends OF the missing woman believe
she 10 prowned. though they would gladly
grasp at any hope that she were not.