New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-09
VAS SHE KIDNAPPED?
THE LONG BEACH MYSTERY NOT YET
SOLVED.
CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH POINT TO POSI-
BILITY THAT THE LITTLE DAUGHTER OF
MR.. RYDER. THE HOTEL KEEPER.


The people at Long Beach were startled yesterday
by the report that the little Ryder girl who dis
appeared so suddenly and mysteriously on last
Friday had been kidnapped. After careful in
vestigation and search and mature deliberation
coupled with several suspicious circumstances. the
members Of the family and their friends TO
the conclusion that 1t was next to impossible TO
explain her disappearance in any other way than
that some one had carried her off.
They have been searching every nook and Granny
of the inlet since the child went completely
from view, after being out OF the sight of her
mother for not more than two minutes on Fri
day. The evidence all points In direction. that
is that II would have been n physical mpossbility
for the child to have fallen overheard and her body
to have hoated away under the conditions which
existed at that time.
1t was about noon on Friday that the child
seen for the last time. She running about on
the pier on which the Long Beach clubhouse is
built. on the bay or inlet. a thousand feet so
behind the hotel There thirty or forty per
about the place at the time. and some OF
them were in bathing under one side Of the pier
All these people declare absolutely that the child
did not fall from the pier into the water. As she
must have fallen about six feet before touching the
water, those who were in bathing declare that they
certainly would have heard the splash made by
child OF her size falling far, as II would have
been impossible for her to have fallen at spot
great distance from them Those on top Of the
pier are equally sure that they would nave heard
such splash.
But this is not the strongest evidence. The club
house is back on the flats. and is some distance
from the current OF the inlet. The water never
moves rapidly anywhere near the pier. II simply
recedes slowly from the fat bottom under the pier.
The tide hsd been ebbing about two hours when the
child disappeared. and near the pier the water was
not more than a foot deep. When last seen the
child went around the corner OF the house toward
the shore. and those who were sitting near must
have seen her had she returned From her position
on the pier even had she tumbled OF. she could not
have fallen into water deep enough 10 hide her from
view under any circumstances.
She had a blue skirt anl a light waist so
she could have been plainly II she had been
in the water when the search was first begun.
In spite OF their growing belief that the child
in the water. almost every inch Of he
been dragged and carefully searched. And now one
OF the baymen who has house not far away.
toward the railroad station about tho time the
there other children going in the same al
SON at least II not more. with them \ train
leaves the beach station at l2:20 which was hii",n
This mans story is not particularly clear. and he
Is not exactly sure OF what he did see.
The parents OF the little girl have tried to force
drowned. But after thorough inyestlga;on they
sbie She many, people and made friends
with them readily that any one might easily
have entlced her away.
The new turn Of affairs has added greatly 20 the
grief OF the parents. They can think OF no motive
for such deed. II IL has been committed. unless
the kdnapper hoped 10 get ransom. Mr. Ryder
is not on particularly good terms with some OF the
baymen. but he can scarcely believe they would
vent their spite I'm horrible p way ns that She
was an extremely bright and pretty child. hut the
thought Is scarcely entertained that any one who
took fancy to her on that account would kidnap
her. =,
one man who has been around the water all his
life said:
"rf the child drowned her body ought 70 nave
the surface by this time. uness was SUCK
in the mud n il I'D rise Il certainly would have
been seen account ~ the sharp lookout when has
been KEEP. up II II stuck IN the mud where she ie!.
4 would certainly have been discovered az every men
OF mud around and ;he pier has been erp.ored
That child not drowned or Il Is the suargesi
case II which ! have ever known.
The finding OF her doll was the only circumstance
tending show ;ha: she was drowned. That being
light and remaining top Of the water. T. wOui
noat much faster than The body would. and u ~a-
found only shor; distance from the pier ~ shc
wa abducted OF course i; would have been the most
natural thing In the word 70 90 for the kinapper
20 have thrown the iO in the water 20 arouse The
belief that she had been drowned"