New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-14
SAYS MISS KING DROWNED.
HER MAID FINALLY TELLS HER STORY
PREVENTED BEFORE BY FEAR THAT SHE MIGHT
BE RIAMED-DEc1AREs THAT SHE SAW THE

PREVENTED BEFORE BY FEAR THAT SHE MIGHT
RE RI,AMEp-pEc1AREs THAT SHE SAW THE
WOMAN CARRIED OUT TO SEA.
New light was shed on the mysterious disap-
pearance Of Miss Louise King sister of William
F. King. president Of the Merchants Associa-
ton. at Coney Island on Sunday afternoon by
the confession Of Alma Lindstrom. the Finnish
maid, who accompanied Miss King TO the oeach'
Miss Lindstrom was detained by the Coney ISL
and police until Monday. when she was allowed
to return to the home Of the missing woman, In
this city. While detained by the police the maid
made conflicting statements to Mrs Charles A.
King the mother of Louise She said yester-
day morning that she wanted TO tell her the
whole truth. and that she had not done so AT
first because she was afraid imagining that she
would he blamed and probably held responsible
for the death of Louise. AS the maid speaks
only 2 few words Of English perfectly an inter
prefer was called in to hear what she had to
say.
The maid said that she was an exuert swim
mer and was invited by the n.isslng girl last
Sunday to go with her to the island to teach
her to swim. They reached the island together.
and after getting bathing suits went into bath
houses 70 put on the suits. They lef; the bath
houses together and entered tn water. They
had beon in only a short time when Miss King.
who could not swim was caught by big
breaker carried away from the ropes. and sank.
She saw Miss King being carried away. but
before she could seize her Miss Kirg was carried
far out by the waves She did rot see her sink.
but is positive that she was drowned. The
maid said that it was Impossible for her to help
the drowning woman According 10 her story
she said nothing TO any one IN the beach about
the accident. and she believes that no one saw
the drowning. as no one seemed To notice what
took place The reason she did not tell anyoody
what had happened was that she feared she
might be accused Of having done wrong. III was
fright that kept her from telling the truth To
the parents of the young woman at once WINE
telling her story the maid vas almost hyster-
ical and II was only by questioning her az
length that the interpreter was able to get from
her an explicit recital Of the facts Of the acct
dent
When asked about the maids confession yes
terday afternoon Mrs. King said that she was
certain in view OF the story Of the maid. that
her daughter had been in bathing on Sunday
and had probably been drowned by being car
ried out beyond her depth by big wave
ALMA is a big good-hearted Finnish girl,
she said land knew how TO swim. She ana
Louise we're at Long Branch little more than
a week ago and while there Alma promised 10
teach Louise how swim the next time they
went together TO Coney Island. on returning
home from Coney Island on Monday Miss Lind
strom was greatly excited. but she became calm
when she saw that We bore her no ill-wihL
our actions toward her prompted her to make
the confession The maid told me that seVeral
big waves separated her and Louise. while they
were in bathing on Sunday many uneS'
The last time she lost sight Of my daughter put
was onlv little anxious at first for Louises
safety. owing to the may persons In the water.
Later she became so frightened that she was
afraid 10 tell any one. AS she still hoped tnat
my daughter would appear, she went 20 'n ne
dressing rooms After waiting more than an
hour she plucked W courage 10 tell the ponce
zone Of the reasons given by the police LOT
thinking that Louisa did not drown Is that the
clothing she left I'm the bathhouse dressing
room was thick fall clothing. The police think
that she would not have worn such clothing IN
summer. and that she probably went away from
Coney Island in lighter clothing.
III one recalls the temperature or last SUNDAY
he will remember that II was a very cold day
Louisa wore a taIlor-made suit that day Pc
cause II was cold would like to believe as the
police do but cannot. and we are no" anxious
FOR the recovery OF her body
Police Captain Dunn said YESTERDAY thst ne
had not changed his opinion and still nrmly
believed that Miss King was safe, despite the
confession Of the maid. The Coney Island po-
lice said last night that II would have been I'M
possible for any one TO be drowned where Miss
King went In bathing last Sunday without be
ing seen as there were two life savers on the
beach and the bathing lines had been drawn
In f!ty feet. Nobody was seen struggling III
the water Sunday
For the las, time Captain Reilly. the life
guard and his men dragged again at high tide,
using instead OF irons 25Ofoot drasnet They
covered the beach from Norton's Point to the
Concourse but failed to find the body.