Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-12
MISSING MISS WECHsLER.
Mystery Deepened by Friends
Attempt mt Suicide.
lNew York Sun-llthD

No certain trace was found yesterday
Of the whereabouts or Miss henrietta
wechsler. who disappeared from the
home of her father. Samuel Wechsler
OF ll3 sixth avenue. Brooklyn. on last
Wednesday, and TO further complicate the
mystery surrounding her unaccountable
absence. Albert ID. Smith, letter-carrier
for the navy-yard, with whom t"e girl
was well acquainted, attempted 10 COM
NIT suicide yesterday shortly after learn
ing that his name was to be publicly con-
nected with the case.
When he was questioned at 10 o'clock
in the morning by a reporter concerning
his relations with the missing young wO-
man. he denied positively that he knew
anything OF her present whereabouts and
also that he had msconducted himself in
any way with her. Two hours later he
drank caroolic acid and was taken to
hospital In precarious condition.
The police and some Of the members
of the Wechsler family believe that his
attempt upon his life Is connected with
Miss Wechser's disappearance. One of
the girls brothers, Harry Wechsler. be-
lieves that Smith knows where she is
He said yesterday that his sister was al
together 100 fond of Smith. and at he
had chded her for showing her affection
to him. 1t is also known that for months
Smith and Miss Welchsler have been
meeting each other two or three times a
week at the Brooklyn post office. Smith
is married man. The Wechslers are
Jews. Smith is not. An attempt was
made last night to question him concern
ing his act. but his condition was such
that nothing definite could be obtained
from him. He tried 10 kill himself at
Sands and Hudson streets, only block
from the Sands-street gate OF tina navy
yard. At H. 80 O'Clock he went into d
saloon on the northwest corner No one
noticed anything wrong i'm his appearance.
He went back 10 the lavatory, where he
stayed but moment. Then he came out
and leaned on the luncheon counter. Sew
eral petty officers from the ships were
in the saloon. Smith knew them. He
started 10 speak with them, but suddenly
his legs gave way and he fell 10 the moor.
When the bartender reached him ne was
unconscious An ambulance was called
from the homeopathic Hospital and he
was taken there. IL was soon found that
carbolic acid was the poison used
Whether he drank it before entering the
saloon or IN the lavatory Is not known
Smith Is g years old. He has been letter
carrier for the navy-yard for twelve years.
His father held the post before him. He
lives with his wife and two children at
IS north Elliott place. He met Miss Wech-
sler three or four years ago at her father 3
house There was an entertainment there.
He and his wife We're on terms of init
macy with the Wechslefs. 'Thcy called
occasionally and members of both fami-
lies went out together 10 the theatre, TO
Parties. and on bicycle rides Mr.. Wech-
sler said yesterday that he considered
Smith "A TT associate for his daughter.
So far as he knew. they had never been
out together unless with third person.
He did not believe that his daughter
loved Smith. He did not believe that she
had miscOnducted herself with Smith. lie
did not believe Smiths attempt at suicide
had any connection with his daughter S
disappearance.
The police believe now that the young
woman has done away with herself De
teotives from the precinct In which sht
lives and from Captain Reynolds oiilct
spent the day chasing clues without learn
ing much. They learned this much, how
ever. that Miss Wechsler when she re-
turned from her walk on "Wednesday
| morning during which she is supposed
| to nave met Sulltn Ut tilf pD'A-oiil''s "
spite his denial, told her mother that she
| had been down to the bridge over the
cable-car tracks on Montague street. She
| had lived as a child In that neighborhood
| She went out again at , O'Clock that ar
| ternOon saying that she would try "a
walk off a severe pain i'm her head. which
| had been troubling her for a day or two
| She never came back, and the detectives
| say they learned that a young woman
| answering her description was seen walk
| ing on the bridge that night at o'clock
The girls father inclines to the theory
| that her mind has become unbalanced
The pain I'm her head he takes to be an
indication Of mental trouble. Mrs. Wech
sler Is broken down. She held up until
last night when she learned OF Smith
act and the suspicious arising therefrom
Then she tainted.
Mr.. Wechsler was al one time very
wealthy. lie was a member Of the old
firm Of Wechsler K Abraham. lie IS now
I'm the cloak business al 0Sj Fulton street.