New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-12
THEY THINK SMITH KNOWS.
POLICE BELIEVE HE CAN EXPLAIN MISS
WECHSLERS ABSENCE.
MISSING WOMAN SAID TO HAVE BEEN SEEN BY
SEVERAL PERSONS DETECTIVES FOL-
LOWING Up CIEWs

SEVERAL. PERSONS DETECTIVES FOL-
LOWING Up cLEws
Nothing had been heard at a late hour last
night Of Miss Henrietta Wechser daughter Of
Samuel Wechser a Fulton-st Brooklyn cloak
merchant. who disappeared on the afternoon
Of Wednesday from her home at No. 1l3 Sixth
ave. Miss Wechsler. dressed in good clothes
and wearing jewelry valued at $500 or $500
LETT the house saying that her head felt bad
and she would see If a walk would make her
better. The combined efforts Of her father and
mother and brothers and the police. aided by
a large number OF reporters, failed to reveal any
trace Of her.
Albert d. Smith the postal clerk Of the Navy
Yerd the intimate friend Of Miss Wechsler. who
on Friday tried to commit suicide after he
heard Of Miss Wechsler's disappearance. is re-
covering at the Homeopathic Hospital, and
able to talk yesterday Smith has a wife
and two children at No. ~ North Elliott Place
His wife visited him at the hospital yesterday
and afterward declared that she believed in her
husbands faithfUness.
Investigation yesterday revealed that Smith
is more or less addicted to playing cards for
money. on his own confession. At the home Of
the Wechslers he played nearly every week
though he asserts that Henrietta never played
The limit in the game varied from - cents
10 81.
Miss Wechsler and her mother were visitors
at the home Of the Smiths and Miss Wechsler
was great friend of Mr.. Smith Last sum-
mer when Smith vas sick Miss Wechser and
her mother called on him twice a week and
brought delicacies to him.
In Smiths statement to Captain James White
Of the Bergen-st police station. yesterday fore
noon Smith asserted that he know nothing of
Miss Wechsler's present whereabouts. as he had
not seen her since Saturday last This is iaty
cOntradicted by Mr.. Thornton and the watch
man at the General Postoffice. who say that
Miss Wechsler met Smith there at 1870 o'clock
on Wednesday morning. Mrs Smith asserts
that it must have been she who was seen by Mr.
Thornton she met her husband at the Post
office at o'clock Mr.. Thornton says he is
not mistaken.
SMITHS EXPLANATION.
Smith says that he tried TO kill himself be-
cause he had a number Of debts and could not
get along on his salary Of 50 week
"As near as / can remember" said Smith.
after left the Navy Yard on Friday afternoon
| went to a drug store in Sands-st., and asked
for some carboic acid 10 Kill cats. hade made
up my mind to take it. do not remember
much after that. l took a wneglassful Of the
stuff
1t is said that Smith often met Miss Wechsler
at the house of a friend in Dean-st. where cards
were played. Miss Wechsler went with Smith To
the Horse Show last winter.
F. r. Catlin. Of 40. 42O Bainbridge-st, in
formed the police Yesterday that a woman an
swerng TO Miss Wechsler's description called at
his house on Thursday night. The police paid
little attention to his story
John c. Hamburger. a private detective, yes
terday told the Brooklyn police that while on
his way home from Manhattan on Wednesday
night he saw Miss Wechser on the Manhattan
END of the Bridge. He bowed to her, he SAYS.
but though they have known each other for
years Miss Wechsler refused to recognize him.
He said that Miss Wechser was standing on
the top step Of the stairs leading TO he Third
ave station Mr.. Hamburger says he has been
engaged by Mr. Wechsler to trace the missing
girl.
The police say they think that Smith could
throw light on Miss Wechsler's disappearance
If he wished TO do They say that he Is not
the kind Of man TO commit suicide on account
Of a few small debts. He did not drink the
carbolic acid. or disinfectant probably, until
after 4 reporter had made him aware Of the
fact that several persons saw HIM meet Miss
Wechsler at the postottice on Wednesday at
1:3O.
All dav long yesterday Central Office de-
tectives followed uD different faint clews, hop
ing to get something tangible about the missing
woman. but last nlgnt the OllltcIS lepoI'tN
empty handed to Captain Reynolds.
The police are about equally divided between
the suicide theory and one 10 the effect that
Miss Wechslar has gone to the home Of friends.
with Smiths knowledgn. Those who believe she
committed suicide DO 50. apparently. on account
of smiths attempt 10 put himseH out oi the
way as soon as he was suspected OF knowledge
Of Miss Wechsers whereabouts
Mrs Wechsler has received dispatch from
her parents in Milwaukee, saying that If Hen
rietta is found in that city she will be cared FOR.
WOMAN SEEN IN a sHIPYARD.
Yesterday afternoon Mr.. Lawrence. of the
firm of Downing & Lawrence, shipbuilders at
Court ST. and the river called at the house or
Mr. Wachser and said that on Friday night
his attention had been attracted to a strange
young woman answering to the description ot
Miss Wechsler, who had appeared az me snip
vard and had wandered about aimlessly. She
was well dressed and Mr.. Lawrence SAID that ne
spoke 10 his watchman about her Nheh ne Sa"
a picture Of Miss Wechsler he was disposed 70
think that she was the person he had seen. -"
saws that as soon as she discovered that she
was attracting attention she went away.
Last nieht at the house of tho girls iather 1t
was said that the family had been mistaken
when they said at first that Henrietta had no
money with her when she left home Mr.
Wechscr said ne had discovered that his daugh-
ter had probably taken two pockethooks with
her and tnat she had enough money with her
to carry her to a long distance out OF the city
If she cared 70 go away Mr. Wechsler said
gone out OF town and that they would not hear
from her in several days He did not give any
particular rea son for thinking so. however
4 strange woman succeeded In seeing Smith
at the hospital Yesterday afternoon. and went
away without giving her name or address
Pressed 20 give her name and tell what she
wanted to see Smith about. she refused. She
talked with Smith about a minute and then
hurried away. Superintendent NcEachron
failed TO tell the police anything about the mys-
tarious woman at the time and they are wholly
,,a dor a. fn u he "A
trying to discover the identity OF the strange
woman. believing that she might have taken
message from Miss Wechslcr TO Smith.
THE BARK SIDDARTHi LOST.
London. March 1.-THE British bark Sddartha.