The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-01-11
A STRANGE CASE
One of the Sisters of ST. Mary Disap-
pears Very MysteriousIy From
Kenosha tuesday Evening.
WAS ATTENDING A RETREAT

!
Sister Augusta Lays Aside the Sigma of
Her Order and Leaves Her Room at the
Hall and No Trace Can be Found of Her
Was Last Seen in the Hall on Last Tues
day Afternoon at Five o'Clock-A Very
Mysterious Case.
The Sisters of st. Mary who are
holding their annual retreat at KEN
per Hall are in mourning today on &C
count of the strange disappearance of
Sister Augusta, one of the members of
the Sisterhood on last Tuesday even
ing. The matter has been kept very
quiet but leaked out this morning and
| it has created quite sensation where
ever the news has been heard. All
sorts of theories have been advanced
in regard to the case but none of them
are sustained by any facts. The case
stands now, the Sister disappeared
from the hall last Tuesday evening and
positively no trace has been found of
her whereabouts. The case has been
reported to the police of the city but
they have not been able to find any
clue which will aid the Sisters in the
search for their companion.
A call at the hall this morning dis
covered the fact that strict silence
was being kept in regard to the case.
After some hesitation the story of the
disappearance of the Sister was told by
the chaplain as follows: Sister Au-
gusta is minor Sister connected with
the Sisterhood of St. Mary, and makes
her home at the home of the Sisters on
Washington Boulevard, Chicago. She
came to Kenosha last Monday to at
tend the annual retreat of the Sister
hood which is now being held at KEN
per Hall. She attended the services
on Monday and on Tuesday morning
and afternoon.
On Tuesday afternoon at O'Clock
special service was held in St. Peters
chapel, and the missing Sister was
among those who attended. After the
service was over she went to the COM
munity room over the cloister and sat
| down to read. Later she was seen by
one of the Sisters going to her room.
When the bells rung for the vespers
service at six o'clock it was noticed
that the Sister was absent, and a
search was at once made for her. She
was not in her room, and it was evil
dent that she had left the building.
Her veil and cloak were gone, anG
the only thing which remained was
her handbag, in which was found
the cross and other insignia of
membership in the holy Sisterhood.
Messengers were at once sent to the
railway station and it was ascertained
without doubt that the lady did not
leave the city in this manner. The
search was continued in all the build
ings of the grounds, but no trace of
the lady was found.
In the morning ali the places in the
city at which she was known were Wis
tied but she had not been at any of
them The theory of suicide had been
advanced and throughout the day the
Sisters watched along the lake shore
to catch a sign that might come as an
! indication of the fate of their sister.
But the theory of suicide is not based
upon any established fact. On the
night of the disappearance a slight
fall of snow covered the ice near the
lake and it seems certain that if she
had gone to the lake tracks would have
been left behind. No tracks were
found anywhere along the lake. Be
sides this the fact remains that she
] took with her long street cloak as
well as her purse which con-
tanned considerable money. 1t was at
first supposed that she had gone to St.
! Louis, where her sister resides, but
a telegram sent to her broughta prompt
answer that the Sister was not in that
city. Another telegram was sent later
in the day but no answer was re-
ceived
Sister Augusta has been connected
with the Sisterhood for some time and
has been closely associated with the
charitable work of the order. During
the last year she has been one of the
Sisters who were in charge of St.
Mary's home for the poor in Chicago.
She was well known in this city and
during the last season she had charge
of the summer home on the lake shore
in this city. Her work for the home
| less waits won her many friends in
this city and the further developments
in the case will be watched with great
interest.
Sister Augusta was not in any way
connected with Kemper Hall but had
come to this city in answer to an in
vitation to attend a retreat.