The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-05
ALAKESIDE MYSTERY
Miss Nellie Holgate Goes Row.
ing and Fails to Return.
BELIEVED TO BE DROWNED.
Her Boat, Hat and Sack sFound % the
shore, But There II NO Other Trace
Of the Young Woman.


Miss Nellie Holgate. clerk in the cloak
department at the MacDougall d South
wick Company, has disappeared, and it is
believed she was drowned in Lake WASH
ington Wednesday evening while out row.
ing III q rough sea. Her bonnet, sack and
boat were found on the shore about half
mile north of Madrona park yesterday aft
ernoon
Miss Holgate was one of the brightest
and livliest girls in the whole store and
took great delight in rowing. Wednesday
afternoon she met Mrs. K. Bengley, who
also is employed in the same department.,
on Front street, and when bidding her
good afternoon remarked that she was
'sgoing out for a row." She seemed in
fine spirits. She went to her boarding
place at the Vendome, put on q black
dress and went out. Before going
she told Mrs. Baker, tho land
lady. that she intended taking .
bundle that she had IN her arms
to Mrs. Lutz's the dressmaker. at the cor
ner of Third and Marion streets. She
evidently changed her mind and took .
Madison street car for the lake. On the
Came car was 8. p. Weston. the general
advertising agent of the MacDougali 4
Southwick Company, who talked with her
about things in general, and learned that
she was going out to the lake. 81 row q
great DEAL" she said, "and am getting up
great muscle"
When the car stopped she walked rap
idly down to the boat house with bundle
and waited until Wallace Barnes, the
man in charge, came over from Mr.. Arm
strong's boarding house to learn what she
wanted. At first she asked for one of the
light sliding-seat boats, but, as the lake
was rough. with q strong south wind,
Barnes persuaded her to take q staunch
row boat, fitted with sliding seat. She
gave him TO understand that she was GO
ing to Madrona park. AS she pulled away
she looked up and, seeing Mrs. Bartlett,
said: Isn't this delightful? ! love to
row."
She was splendid oarswoman. and sent
the boat flying through the water. Barnes
watched her few minutes, and then,
turning TO Mrs. Bartlett. remarked: THAT
young lady knows what she is about"
Miss Holgate came in close to the shore
at point near Laurel Shade and disap-.
peared behind the long bathing house.
From that time what she did and
what befeli her can only be judged
by wha. was learned yesterday afternoon.
1t was customary with her to stay out on
tho lake late in the EVENING" and her
failure to return caused the boat house
people no uneasiness as they thought she
had tied the boat at Madrona and gone
home from there. Mr.. Bartlett. however,
came from there about $50 O'Clock, and
when it was found that she had not been
at Madrona anxiety was felt. A search
was made along the shore, but nothing
found that would throw any light on the
subject.
In the morning Barnes took boat and
followed the shore down until he found
the boat IN which Miss Holgate had gone
out, lodged on the shore about half-miIe
north OF Madrona Barnes says it was
right side up and in It was an oar and veil.
He says that except for q little water,
evidently from the slight rain, there were
no indications that it had been over
turned. Barnes followed the shore
for several rods and found one
of tho oars floating in the water.
He noticed that'a logging road near by
ran UP over the hill. and came to the con-
clusion that Miss Holgate had become
tired Of rowing, and after Bleaching the
boat had taken short cut to the car line
or to some friends house. He took the
boat back to Madison street. and nothing
more was done until +. A. Armstrong
asked him If it was not a queer disappear
anee and one that should be reported TO
the police.
While these things were going on at the
lake other Developments were taking
place in the city. When Miss Holgate did
not come to the store in the morning il
did not cause any surprise, and her COM
panions thought that she was ill. By
chance Mrs. Lutz, the dressmaker. came
10 the store between and 3 O'Clock in the
afternoon and inquired for Miss Hoigatc.
No one could tell where she was, and later.
when il was learned that she had not been
at the Nendome since the evening previous
nj little before 7 o'clock, there
was general alarm. The fact that she had
gone TO the lake for n row caused every one
20 think that some harm had befailcn her,
A search party was formed, consisting of
Mrs. Frances Baker. of the Nendome.
Carroll h. lilly, aud Mr.. Craggin, head of
The cloak department in MacDougall.
Soothvick & Co.'S. They arrived at the
lake short time after the news of the dis
appearance had been telephoned 10 the
police. and, accompanied by Barnes, the
boaiman, started cut to see if any
traces of the missing girl could be found.
The rain fell slowly. but with persis,ency
that made the search party feel decidedly
uncomfortable. They stuck To- the task.
however, and examined the shore closely
10 the point where the boat Was found
without making any discoveries.
Then their labors were rewarded hy the
sight OF small dark object floating in the
water. Ii was picsed up and found 10 be
the bonnet worn by Miss Hoigate when
she left the boat house. IL was small, with
dark red trimmings and a birds head of
the same color. The party landed. and
on the beach near by was long, thin
strip Of dark cloth which was thought
by some TO be a part of Miss Ho, gates
dress, but which one of the search marty
failed 10 identify. Farther north on the
shore of the lake. hung upon bush. WAS
the missing woman's sack. which had evil
aeatly been picked up from the ground bv
some passerhy, for il was Wet and full Of
sand. The tive large pearl buttons of the
garment had been cut of, pre-
sumably because of their value
10 the finder. On the ground