Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-18
Driven by Despair and Disap'
pointment, She Is Thought
toHave Drowned Herself
LAST SEEN NEAR THE RIVER
Young Woman Who Figured In Sensa
tionaI Portland, Ore, Incident Last
Winter, Grows Dependent Because
of Troubies--Threatens to Kill Her
self and Then Disappears.

time 1t is Elnla smith. girl ~ Seais
of age, who is supposed TO have been
driven to despair by family troubles,
suffering disappointment, brought on
by incidents altho trivial, yet apparent
ly OF great Importance to her childlike
mind. were sufficient to urge her 70
self destruction as a means OF relieI.
She has disappeared completely, anu
the suicide theory is borne out by her
threats and the fact that she has been
traced as far as the Iowa river.
She was last seen Monday morning,
when she left the home OF Mrs NJ. Il.
Powers, corner of Frederick street and
Third avenue, to go to the depot to look
for her trunk, which had become lost.
Not finding the missing baggage, she
took a street car and alighted at the
corner of Center and Main streets. She
was next seen near the mill, on North
Center street, by Ed Sandstrom. an
employe OF the Marshall Ice Company,
| who was going to work. he spoke to
her and she replied. Since then she
has not been seen, and this afternoon
the police and sheriff's officers are
searching the banks of the Iowa river
| for traces of her.
II this young girl has ended her life
| by her own hands, the causes leading
up to the act run back for several
years, and according to Mrs. Powers,
| with whom she has lived for the past
three years. may be charged directly to
| trouble at home. From Mrs. Powers
| the story Of the girls trials were
| learned.
The Portland incident.
| To get away from her torrents Miss
Smith left for British Columbia on Dec.
! 10. accompanying a cousin of Mr.. Pow
eis, r. III. Birks of Timber Creek town
ship. There. she entered. with Birks, a
disreputable dancing and music hall,
was discovered by detective for the
Rescue Home for Boys and Girls, was
/ placed in charge of the police and spent
| the night In the police station, being
later released and returning home. She
again made her home with Mrs Pow
ers, but for weeks this apparent dis
grace hung over her mind like a cloud.
AS time wore on, however. she seemed
TO emerge from her dependency. Later
she went to work for the Seeley Res
taurant Company. where she was en-
ployed until April %.
| Upon her return from Portland the
unlind remarks OF relatives. owing TO
| her experience in the west, reached her
ears, and Hoods of tears always fol-
| lowed, with wishes that she were dead
and away from it ALL Again with the
intention of leaving Marshalltown
she went to the home of Robert Bry-
ant, living near Nevada. on May g.,
in the hope of getting work in the
neighborhood. In this she was unsuc-
cessful, and she returned home Friday,
but not until she had stopped at State
Center, hoping to get employment
there. During her trip home her trunk,
containing everything of value to her,
was lost This worried her continually
and UP to Monday morning the COM
pany was unable to locate it 1t was
later found by Mrs. Powell, who went
to State Center Monday, expecting to
| find the girl, in the American express
office here. Miss Smith was told at
| the union station Monday morning that
| no trace of the missing baggage had
been found. This, coupled with her
other troubles. may have Sc worried
| her that she deemed it best to end her
| life and was on her way to do so when
| seen on the street car and at the river.
Said to be Simple, Good, Girl.
| Mrs Powers says the girl is with
out n serious fault, and that she is a
| lady in every respect of the word. She
| had no young men companions, went
but seldom upon the street alone and
was a faithful girl to work. While
/ 4 n nf oh nf a MI
child-like disposition, and she was sus-
ceptible to encouragement and de-
spondency.
| Left Home Early.
Monday morning she left the Pow
ers' house about $50 o'clock. Not re-
turning home Mrs. Powers became UNI
easy, and started a search. She learn
ed the girl had. been at the baggage
room and. determined to get the trunk.
| Mrs. Powers went to State Center.
supposing, her young friend had gone
| on an earlier train. After tracing the
trunk down Mrs. Powers returned
home, but the matter was not brought
! to the attention of the police until
/ Tuesday evening.
Search the River.
| Sheriff Hutson. accompanied by
| Marshal Nicholson, went to the river
this afternoon for the purpose of To-
eating, ii possible, any traces that
might serve as a clue The young wom-
an is described as being short in
height, not over five feet, and quite
1 plump. weighing probably about lie
pounds She has dark brown eyes and
hair, the latter short and curly. She
| was dressed in n black silk skirt, with
black jacket, trimmed with applique
| Her hat was of brown straw, trimmed
with pink flowers and pink and white
sash Miss Smith is the daughter OF
| Frank Smith, of Ferguson.
Sheriff Hutson. Deputy Nicholson,
| City Marshal Nicholson, Officer Clark
/ and others took charge of the search
this afternoon, and people for miles,
both up and down the river. have been
notified to keep on the lookout foi
| a body. Up to a late hour nothing
had been found that will afford any
| clue.
| ------------
Local Weather Record.
| A general rise in temperature is no
| ticeable from this mornings obserya-
ton The maximum for Tuesday was
| 50, as against SO for Monday. Forty