The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-07
HER WILL Is FOUND.
Miss Holgate Had Disposed Of
Her Insurance in 1t.
THE PEARL BUTTONS RETURNED.
They Were Cut on by Two Men Whe
Found the Sack A Mysterious
Note and . Messenger Boy.

Inc Lake W asnlOEtOu mystery, a. tuS
disappearance of Miss Nellie Holgate Is
generally termed, continues to engross
public attention and in the estimation OF
many will never be satisfactorily ex-
planned, while others cling tenaciously to
the belief that the body Of the young
woman lies in .he lake. The investigation
yesterday brought to light a will, the seal
Of which has not been broken, but still
more interesting was the recovery OF the
ten large pearl buttons which were missing
from the sack she wore on her way to the
lake and the establishing Of the fact that
it vas originally found in the water.
Harry Owens and George F. Johnson.
two young Englishmen, arrived in the
city from Everett yesterday afternoon and
left at the police station in charge OF
Lieut.. Hanna the buttons which they had
taken from the garment Thursday after
noon while walking along the shore. They
came 70 the city from Port Townsend last
Wednesday morning in search of work,
and took rooms at the Everett house on
Fourth street, near Yesler avenue. Thurs
day afternoon about 2 O'Clock, acting on
the advice of friend, they took the Madi-
son street car line to the lake,
with the purpose Of visiting the
shore. After watching the monkeys in
the cage play with little puppy for about
three-quarters Of an hour, they walked
along the shore south toward Madrona
park. When they reached the opening at
the old skid road, Johnson noticed a gar
ment of some kind on the bottom a few
feet from shore, in about three feet of
water. A plank. one edge Of which was
-r.a ia sv~e~
the lake. Johnson walked out, and as
he grabbed the object his feet slipped and
in he went. Owens laughed. and Johnson
threw the water-soaked, sand-covered sack
at him. and while he was examining it re-
marked:
II wonder If any one has been drowned
around here7"
II guess no." said Owens. "There
don't seem to be any signs and the sack is
old. / guess some girl lost it,"
"The buttons are good" said Johnson,
land If we knew any girls in this town We
could make them present"
we'll take the buttons anyway" said
Owens. and then he took them Oft
In the pocket he found a small handker-
chief, which he threw on the ground, and
then. having done with the sack, flung it
on a bush.
As they started along the shore through
the brush boat coming from Madison
street park came in sight. In it were two
persons, one young man with gray uni
form and cap, on which were the initials,
~. G." and the other girl. Johnson
and Owens kept in the brush and watched
the young couple. 1t was raining and the
young damsel had an umbrella over her
head so that her features could not be dis
tinguished. Suddenly the young man,
when about fifteen yards from the
shore, and opposite Johnson and Owens,
stopped rowing and looked down into the
water. He spoke to his companion. and
then commenced poking something in the
water. In q few moments, however, the
young men rowed back toward Madison
street. Johnson and Owens pushed their
way through the brush to the fence at the
Howard Lewis cottage, jumped over, went
TO Yesler avenue and back to the city over
the cable road. On Friday they took the
Greyhound for Everett without learning
of the disappearance of Miss Holgate.
They did not get work at Everett, and
came back to the city on the Grey hound
yesterday afternoon.
Johnson read in q newspaper of the
Lake Washington mystery, and said to
Owens: IL guess We got the buttons from
the sack there is SO much talk about and
had better give them TO the police"
Owens agreed with him, but did not like
going to the police station. Finally they
went together and handed over the but
tons, giving their names. When seen at
their room in the Everett house by Posi-
lNrEiLIaEScER reporter they told the
whole story. and explained their where
abouts for the last seven or eight months.
Yesterday morning Chief Jackson ex-
amined the room occupied by Miss Hol-
gate at the Vendome. and from his renOrt
everything was in order If the occupant
had any jewelry she had il with her. In
the bureau things looked slightly shaken
up. The Fendome office safe was opened
in the presence of Mrs. A. L. Hummer
the missing girls sister and long enyel-
ope containing the insurance policies and
awill were found. Mrs. Hummer took
the documents TO Lewis. Stratton & Gil
mans offices, and placed the matter in
their hands. James Hamilton Lewis
gave his opinion that the seal on
the will should not be broken
until 1t WAS established beyond
doubt that Miss HoIgate was dead. He
also held that as the parents were on their
way to Seattle from Leeds. s. D.. and their
interests We're unquesticnabIy of as much
Importance AS those Of the sister present.
the reading should be postponed until
their arrival or the matter was placed in
the hands of the court
The finding of the will and the knowl-
edge of the $500 life insurance caused
considerable speculation as to the date of
the sealed Will and its contents. By good
fortune 1t was learned that Col. I. d. Nc
.Cutcheon drew the document over one
year ago, and just after Mss Holgate took
out the lie insurance. The colonel
was boarding at the Tendome
and Miss Holgste was then cashier
in the restaurant. She told him one dav
that she had taken out s, 700 life insur-
anee IN the Mutual Lie Of New York. be-
cause she wanted 10 have some money
when she was 30 years old The policies
were on the twenty-year endowment plan
and made payable - herself She asked
him what he thought Of her investment
and the company she was in. He replied
that the company was good and her pa
excellent.
Well" said she, 1.-The policy is made
payable 10 myself. and what would be-
come Of the money ii died before il ma
turcd :"
The best way TO FIX that" replied the
colonel. is TO make will. Leave that 10
me- and viii attend 10 it,"
few days after she told him what Vas
Ia 40 into the document he wrote II
h NJ self on LEGAL ran saa1e} IL nni :,