Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-12-08


searching the fields and forests for her
dead body. Lizzie was the only dsugh-
ter Of farmer living ON the Wisconsin
river. Wisconsin. between the towns of
Rhinelander and Merrill. She was q
handsome. intelligent girl and the belle
Of the neighborhood. and her family
were wen liked by all. One September
morning. ia the year 1865. TN peddler
named Joseph Sweet drove up TO the
HOUSE,. Mrs. Williams made few pur-
chases. and "a hs was going south the girl
Lizzie decided 10 ride with him as far as
the house Of friend named Carpenter
The distance was only a mile. with
farm between.
THIS farm was owned by man named
Endicott. and the redaier stopped at the
house. lie left Lizzie on the wagon,
while he went around to the Kitchen
door. He found that Mrs. Endicott had
jus, burned her hand on the stove. and
when she brought cloth he dressed tho
burn and was in the house for perhapSa
quarter Of an hour. She went ont Ia the
wagon with him. being tod that Lizzie
Williams was there. but the girl had dis
appeared Afew rods away there were "a
bend in the road ard oi. of woods. and
u was concluded that she had got Tired
Of waiting and started OFT On foot. In "a
hitie while the peddler followed her and
stopped at Carpenters to learn that shs
mad rot arrived. II then occurred to
hlni that she must have forgotten some
thing aGd returned home. but 1t was a
triaing circumstance and made no inn
pressiorf ca his mind.
Three DAYS later the alarm was sent
out that Lizzie Williams was mysterious
ly missing. She had not returned homo,
nor could IL be- found that she had called
at any farmhouse for distance Of FIVE
miles either way. After days search
without trace % her the peddler was
oyerhauled and placed under arrest. His
story was a truthful one and easily veri-
fed. The pair we're seen byno less than
four different people as they drove mp I'd
Endicott's, but no one saw Lizzie VIII
Hams after that. As she was gone when
the peddler came out with Mrs. Endicott.
there could be 10 case against him. no
matter what her fate. Day after day the
search went on. until every foot Of ground
for miles around had been inspected.
Then IL extended to the towns. The river
was dragged sad the case given to tho de-
t,sctives
Something ought 10 have been discov-
cred. but the case stands today rs 1t did
then. A dozen or more suspects" were
arrested and discharged. and seven or
eight different officials secured 'clews.'
which promised much. but amounted to
nothing. Not q glove. ribbon OF other
relic was picked up. No living person
could be found who saw her after enc
left the pediler's wagon at Endicott'A
No pedestrian CO team passed her as she
sat there. Lizzie loved her home and
could not therefore have planned TO run
away. She bad no money with her and
wa not dressed IN her best The search
was - thorough and extended - far that
had she been living she must have been
found. There have been many theories
advanced ~ 20 what became of her. Int
none ~ them has covered all the points
A Chicago detective who worked on
The case for three months gave IL n his
opinion that she left the peddler's wagon
a. make the o.her half mile on foot. The
rlver was 10 hsr left and only few rods
away. Her attention may have been at
traeted by something queer. and she
walked through Tue strip Of woods 10
the bank and accidentally fell In. The
officer found Q spot where the hank had
cav.d in. and this fact strengthened his
Theory. II was weeks after her disap-
pearance. and there was no use TO look
for she body zen
II "A nov about is years since the
conductor niyssery- occurred. and the
solution Il ~ Tar away a. ever. A rsil-
rad conductor NAMED George Hopkins
lived ~ Bo~l1ng Green. KY. Al the
axe ~ p he wEs married % a girl -
gesod fsrllly saI established hons.
Hapkiss VS. = sober. steady man and
vel liked By AL who Knew him. 70 far
A. any Que oouh Judge his home life
Wa 40 That conld b. hcP"i for whils
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