The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-13
Barrie and His Sister Plead ignorance
Regarding Katie Hackwcrth.

ANfSaIukES maize ftaCkWCftns
The mystery regarding the disappear
ance OF Katie Hackworth, the 14-year-old
daughter of Mrs. A. c. Arper. of l2i2
Secoad street. still remains unsolved. w.
ii. Hopkins, brother of Mrs. L. L. Bar
RE. matron of the Childrens home at
Tacoma, where Katie was for a long time
prior to being taken home, denies that he
has been in love with the GIRL and says
he knows nothing of her disappearance.
Dispatches from Tacoma state that Mrs.
Barrie says her brother could not be i'm
plicated in the disappearance of the girl.
She does not appear. however. to say pos
ftively that she knows nothing about the
child's whereabouts. Following is their
story of the affair:
Tacoma, March 12.-Special.-W. HI.
Hopkins. brother of Matron Barrie of the
Children's Home, and the young man
whose name was mentioned In connection
with the disappearance of 14-year-eld
Katie Hackworth. of Seattle, is an un-
happy youth just now. Since the publica-
ton of the story of the missing girl in
Sundays Post-Intelligencer. his lot has
not been a happy one. He has been
joshed numerically by his friends and
fellow employees in the Olympic foundry
for falling in love with a girl of Katie's
age. He denies the soft impeachment and
says that he had been paying attention
and he thought she had been mistaken
for Katie. He spoke In a tone of disgust
at the thought that he would love girl
of II summers. He acknowledged that he
had visited Katie In Seattle some time
ago. but said he went to see why she did
no come to Tacoma. as she was expected
here for several days, and did not arrive.
Hopkins said further that he had no idea
where the girl Is.
Matron Barrie. OF the Children's Home,
was seen today She said she did not
wish to speak at length upon the ques-
ton, but stated that her brother could In
no way be implicated In the girls sudden
disappearance, as he made his home ct
the Children's Home and was in the en-
ploy of the Olympic laundry. She said
he had been constantly at work and had
not been out of the city last week.
Mrs. Barrie also said that the girl was
too young to engage the attention OF her
brother, and as to the rtimor that she
had gone to church and other places
with him, II was all false, because none
of the members of the school were al
lowed to attend an entertainment or go
out unless ehaperoned by one OF the ladies
Of the home.
Mrs. ]. r. Kennedy. mentioned as hay-
ing written Mrs. Ryther, said tonight re-
garding her connection with the story:
'.It's all a mistake. They should not
have mixed me up In the matter. It's
a mistake and / don'e know anything
about It: have nothing to say. You can't
interview me-.
A reporter of the Post-Intelligencer
called at the Mission home, sl3 Alder
street. yesterday to interview Mrs. o.
III. Ryther who delivered a letter to the
girl sent in her care by Tacoma parties.
Mr.. Ryther was seen and stated that Mrs.
Ryther was attending a sick daughter
in North Seattle and would remain there
for the present.
Mr.. Ryther- said he knew nothing of the
whereabouts of the girl. Katie, but indi-
rectly admitted that she was still In this
city In safe hands, and would be heard
from in a few days. In the shape of an
application which she would make to the
courts to- have a guardian appointed for
her. as she was of an age when she could
make such an application. Mr.. Ryther in
sisted that he did not know whom she was
with. bat reiterated the statement that
she was .all right The girl, he said.
was not satisfied with her surroundings
and the treatment she had received at
her home. hence her desire TO secure the
appointment of guardian.