The San Francisco call., 1905-01-19
Miss Gertrude Wells who we'll known Francisco recently
arrived from New York Seven days ago she disappeared from the
St Francis Hotel and all efforts gain knowledge of her have failed
Miss Gertrude Wells, Guest at St. Francis,
Is Being~EagerIy Sought by Friends.


known in San Francisco, is among the
missing, and much anxiety is felt by
her friends regarding her whereabouts.
She left the st. Francis Hotel seven
days ago, and since then not the slight
est trace of the young woman has been
discovered, although her friends and
the management of the st. Francis
have been making diligent inquiries
about her.
The missing woman is the sister of
Mrs. Fred Webster, widow of the late
well-known San Francisco clubman.
Mrs. Webster and her sister have been
living in New York for some time
since the death of the formers hus-
band. Early in December Mrs. Web
ster came to San Francisco for the
purpose of settling up certain matters
connected with the estate of her late
husband She was afterward followed
to this city by her sister, who arrived
here shortly after Mrs. Webster had
given up her apartments at the St
Francis. Apparently Miss Gertrude
Wells expected to meet her sister here,
for upon her arrival at the st. Francis
she asked for Mrs. Webster, and
showed her disappointment when the
clerk of the hotel informed her that her
sister had left for the East.
Miss Gertrude was assigned to COM
Portable apartments, and for three
weeks she was frequently seen about
the hotel lobby and ladies' rooms. At
evening she was often observed go
ing in and out of the hostelry. Seven
days ago she walked out of the hotel
and that is the last seen of her.
FRIENDS MAKE INQUIRY.
The first intimation the management
of the hotel received of the disappear
ance of its fair guest was when the
maid on the floor on which is located
Miss Wells apartment reported that
the room had not been occupied. Think
ing possibly the occupant was visiting
friends, no heed was paid to her abb
sence for several days. Meanwhile fre-
quert inquiries were being made Tor
the young woman at the hotel and her
continued absence resulted In an in
vestigation5 that led the hotel manage
ment to suspect that Miss Wells had
possibly met with some mishap.
Inquiry among Miss Wells friends in
this city failed to reveal her where
abouts, and an effort to get some in
formation regarding her from her sis
ter's local attorney. Ludwig M. Hoef-
Ter, was equally as fruitless. An in
spection Of the missing woman's
apartments revealed many circum-
stances that would suggest that she had
not departed on a long trip, for her
abundant supply of wearing apparel
was found hanging in the closet, and
her combs and brushes and Jewelry
and trinkets were lying carelessly upon
her bureau. In short, there was moth
ing in the way of evidence In Miss
Wells rooms that would indicate that
she had made any preparations for
prolonged absence.
In discussing the strange case last
evening, one of the representatives of
the ST. Francis said that the careful
investigation made by the hotel had
failed in it's purpose of bringing to
light the slightest explanation for Miss
Wells absence. She had paid her first
weeks bill, and the fact that she had
not promptly settled for the second
week had caused no particular concern,
for it is known that she is a RESPONSE
BILE person, and no thought of her de-
linuuency had entered the minds of the
hotel management. Two days ago the
woman's effects were gathered together
and placed in the hotel storeroom to
await claimant.
A theory that Miss Wells may be
lying i'll somewhere in this city sug
gested itself yesterday after the fact
became known that she had come to
San Francisco for her health. This bit
of information was CLEANED from At
torney Hoefier, who, while discussing
the case last evening, said:
ATTORNEY HOEFLER WORRIED.
Miss Wells disappearance is as
much a mystery to me as the people in
the st. Francis Hotel cannot dis
cover any cause for her strange absence
unless 1t be that she has been taken
ill somewhere, and in that case would
imagine. that those with whom she
might be staying would notify her
friends Certainly the young woman
would need clean clothing, and that
fact would .necessitate her friends Wis
iting the st. Francis. AS to any finan-
cial embarrassments that Miss Wells
might have experienced, will say that
her sister left with me certain funds
that could readily be applied to Miss
Wells needs. Recently Mrs. Webster
advised me that her sister had been Ill
in New York and was coming to San
Francisco ipt the hope of bettering her
health. There is a bare possibility that
unexpected sickness may be the solu-
ton of her absence"
Attorney Hoefler said he would re-
new the inquiry for the missing woman
to-day and would advise her sister of
the facts in the case. Miss Wells Is an
attractive woman, whose stately fig
ure, properly gowned, made her an OBJ
ject of attention among the other
guests of the St. Francis during her
short stay there. During that period
she made no complaint of illness to
those she met, and when last seen.
leaving the hotel. she appesEH in the
best of spirits.