The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-21
SHE. LEFT A NOTE
Mrs. HOweII's Sudden Desert
ion of Husband and Baby
CAUSED BY HOMESlCKNESS
Could Not Control Desire to
Go Back to England.

Dear George-I have gone. Do not look
for me. Take good care of the boy.
HELEN
This is the note which George Howell
foreman Of the Frisco shops in this city,
found pinned to the night gown of his
slumbering baby boy last Saturday night,
after the wife and mother had safely
made her escape from the city and is sup
posed to have started for her old home in
England
George Howell never met with greater
surprise than that which the news in the
note conveyed.
The disappearance Of Mr.. Howell was
mysterious. She left her home at 1874
Ohio avenue, deserving her husband and
little boy, and within two hours had
packed her trunk and made the train
unobserved When Mr.. Howell found out
that his wife had gone, he was almost
overcome with surprise and grief, and
from that night on he has not left
thing undone to find her.
When Mr.. and Mrs. Howell and their
baby ate supper together for the last time
Saturday night everything was as usual
between them. Mrs. Howell was as kind
and lovable as ever and the meal was
taken with the usual family gayety
After supper Mr.. Howell had occasion to
go back to the Office at the shops and
told Mrs. Howell to take the little boy
and go up town and he would meet them
at designated place. With this he left
them and hurried to his office. When he
returned an hour later he found the baby
asleep, but Mrs. Howell was gone. The
imprint Of the kisses which she had
planted on the baby's cheek could hardly
have left it when Mr. Howell discovered
her action. made only too plain by the
note which was pinned to the baby's
mighty
Mr.. Howell hurriedly put some one in
charge Of the baby and made search Of
the city. He saw that his wife's large
trunk was gone and he went to every
depot in an endeavor to overtal1e her, but
he was too late The next day the search
was continued and it was learned that
Mrs. Howell had left on the $40 Santa Fe,
north, supposedly for Kansas City. It
was learned from McCurdy the hackman,
who hauled Mrs. Howell to the depots,
that she first went to the Rock Island,
but found that the northbound train was
two hours late. She decided to take the
Santa Fe train. Mrs. Howell is said to
have worked theoretically and systemat-
ically to make good her escape. She or
dered the hackman to convey her trunk
hurriedly from the Rock Island to the
Santa Fe, but the trunk was so large that
he could not haul it on the hack He
borrowed the trucks and wheeled is
across, but when told to check it he told
Mrs. Howell that he would not have time
This seemed to make her very nervous,
as she knew the baggage man and did not
want him to know of her going. She is
supposed to have finally got a stranger to
check the trunk and that is the last seen
of Mrs Howell. A telegram was received
from Mr.. Howell a Kansas City asking
for the numbers of the baggage checked
that night and it is presumed that he is
trying TO trace the trunk. but with what
success has not been heard
The neighbors and friends of the How
els are mystified over the runaway oc-
eurrence. There seemed to have always
been the greatest happiness in the family
and especially after the little boy came
to bless the union. Mrs Howell was well
provided for in every way. She had
plenty of money to spend and dressed
handsomely.
The only reason Mr.. Howell has adj
vanced to the officers and his friends is
the extreme inconsistencies Of his wife
They were married in England and came
to this country a few years ago. The |
long distance from home and the new
faces and new ways have given her an |
unconqUerable longing to see her parents |
and the old home in England Aside I
from this Mrs Howell is said to have |
been happy, but the great desire finally |
broke the chords of restraint and she /
Slir,ad avvav 70 baoip her Inn Or io11rnev