The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-13
STOLE OFF IN MALI ATTIRE.
MRS. BASNISTER's FLIGHT PUz-
ZLED a NEIGHBORHOoD.

AAhhs -
zLED a NEIGHBORHOoD.
Len her 0wn Ciotht-s SAD Created the
|. Impression tsst she west Away iH.Her
Might Drers-Hhd Put ON Her Cousins
s"it-Found wnndsrinE Near snnRe Hiii.
Mrs. Maria McInness OF 1855 Summit avenue,
Jersey City Heights. awoke at $3.50 O'Clock ves-
terday morning and discovered that her niece,
who had been sleeping in the same bed with her,
was missing. The niece is Mrs. Lottio Bannis-
ter, tho wife Of Charles Bannister OF Mount
Vernon.
Mrs. Bannister was visiting her aunt, and had
hertwo children. one of them a baby. with her.
Since the birth of her last child Mrs. Bannlster
has been suffering from melancholia, and has
been subject TO attacks of arrangement. Her
aunt invited her TO pay her a long visit, think
Ing that the change might I've beneficial. Mrs.
Mcinness kept q constant watch on her niece.
On Thursday night Mrs. Bannistcr was very
melancholy. Il want to get hone," she said.
before tho snow falls, because you know that
was the time that Charley died. Charley was
her second child. He died the week after last
Thanksgiving. Mira McInness told her niece to
wait until morning and she would accompany
her to Mount Vernon.
The two women went to bel about II o'clock.
Mrs. Bannistcr was restless, and her aunt re-
manned awake watching her. Mrs. Mclnness
thinks 1t was about 1880 A. NJ. when she fell
asleep. Az $3.50 Mrs. MrInncss was awakened
by the crying Of the baby. and was surprised TO
ind that her niece was not IN bed. She jumped
up and searched through the house for lcr.
Mrs; Bannister,s clothing was on two chairs,
Her shoes and stockings were gone.
The family was aroused and the house
searched from Top to bottom, but no trace Of the
missing woman could be found, The back door
was open, and Mis-. Mclnness took IL for granted
that her niece had wandered away in her night
dress. Information. was left at the Webster
avenue. station. and a general alarm was sent
out. The family, the neighbOrS, and the police
secured the entire neiR!iOorhood, but could find
no one who had seen a woman wandering
around In q night dress,
Howard, FELTON,, a nephew Of Mrs. McInness
and cousin of Mrs. Bannister, lives with his
aunt, and is employed In the Post Office in this
city. He works at night. When he reached
home yesterday morning and learned what had
happened. he went to his room to change his
clothing, intending to join Ia the search for his
cousin. He was surprised To find one of his
Then it dawned on the family that Mrs. Ban
mister had dressed herself In Felton's clothes.
ally masqueraded in his clothes.
The, search for the missing woman was con-
tinued all day. About y o'clock last night two
~ almshouse at Snake Hill saw what they sup
posed to be IA man wandering about the grounds.
When they drew near they found u woman
They accosted her. and, seeing that she was
deranged, took her up to the almshouse. A
telephone message. was sent to Police Head
aunts house.
Mr.. Bannistcr, who had just arrived in re-
sponse 70 q despatch. took his wife and children
to Mount Vernon. The distance to Snake Hill
from the house In Summit avenue II about
three miles. The road is narrow, and there are
moonlight night. That probably saved the wan
derer from getting lost In the swamp.