The Jersey City news., 1901-07-22
WIFE MISSING.
Petersen Told Her to Wait
in Ferry House and
Then Sought Her
Elsewhere.
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE
Nothing Has Been Heard Of
the Young Woman Since
Saturday Night Sui
eide Doubted.
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE

William Petersen of Little Ferry re-
ported at Police Headquarters yesterday
afternoon, about two O'Clock, that bR
had lost his wife on Saturday evenins
and had been unable to find her after
diligent search of many hours. She Is
still missing. The police are searching
for her, but as yet they have not OBJ
tanned the slightest clue to her where
abouts. She has disappeared as conn
pletely as though the earth had opened
and swallowed her. Mr.. Petersen is now
inclined to think that she has been
drowned. He last saw her on Cortlandt
street ferry boat at 7 o'clock Saturday
night on the trip from New York to this
city.
The Petersens had been to Brooklyn
calling on some friends and were on
their way home by way of New York
City. Mr.. Petersen left his wife on the
upper deck of the Cortlandt street ferry
boat while he went to the mems cabin
to have his shoes polished and to smoke
a cigar.
When the boat was made fast to the
slip here at the Pennsylvania Railroad
ferry Mr. Petersen came ashore and,
thinking that his wife would also come,
ashore, went upstairs to meet her. She
was nowhere to be seen. The waiting
rooms and every portion of the big depot
were searched. In the meantime the
boat started on the return trip. Mr..
Petersen thought that perhaps his wife
had remained where he left her awaiting
his return and had gone to New York on.
the return trip of the boat, so he waited
H., Il
not bring Mrs. Petersen. Then he went
to New York and made a thorough
search there but again he was unsuccess-
full 1t was then near midnight and Pc.
tersen was at his wits ends.
There remained but two chances of his
finding his wife that night. One was at
home, though she had no money or trans
portation to his knowledge. The other
was that she had come ashore when the
boat reached here and had gone to the
home of her uncle, Casper Simon of No..
2121s Seventh street. Petersen went to
Mr.. Simon's home, but his wife was not
there. Then he went home and again shs
was not to be found Petersen was des
perate. He informed all the police au-
thorities in the vicinity.
Mr.. and Mrs. Petersen were married
two years ago. She was seventeen years
old then and he was twenty-three. They
had two children and both died. The Sec
ond one died two months ago, but Mrs.
Simon said yesterday that the grief over
her loss did not affect Mrs. Petersen to a
degree that would either cause her mind
to become unbalanced or move her to any
rash act The couple lived happily; in
fact, were characterized by Mrs. Simon
as the happiest couple one would wish TO
see.
None of the deckhands employed by the
Pennsylvania Railroad remembers seeing
Mrs. Petersen and all are sure that she
did not fall overheard.
Mrs. Petersen was born in New York
City, and she lived there for some years,
Mrs. Simon says. so should not be ratified
in the hustle and hustle of the metropolis.
Because of this fact Mrs. Simon is con-
vinced that an accident has befallen Mrs.
Petersen, but nowhere in the vicinity is
there reported any accident to woman
answering Mrs. Petersens description.
The disappearance is a mystery that has
thus far baffled all who have tried to
solve it.
Mrs. Petersen weighed ITS pounds. She
was dressed, when last seen, in black
waist, blue skirt, and black hat. She is
of light complexion and has light hair.