Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-12
FOR MISSING WOMAN
REWARD OF $50 OFFERED BY THE
POLICE.

The offer of reward of $50 for the find
ing of Martha Rodgers, colored. who disap-
peared from the home of her sister in Ana
costa last Sunday night. as heretofore
stated in The Star, caused a number OF
searchers to offer their services this morn
ing. The woods beyond Anacostia, where
the woman, attired only in her night gown,
is supposed to be living was swarmed with
searchers this afternoon. Capt. Boardman
took an interest in the case yesterday after
noon and sent a detail of a dozen men to
Anacostia to assist the police there In max
Ing systematic search of the WOODS. The
band Of searchers remained In the woods
until darkness came on and then they were
forced to give up the search
While In the woods during the morning
hours the officers found conditions to indi-
cate that the woman had been about there
since the heavy rain the previous day but
were unable to overtake her. Policeman
King found an old sack containing some old
clothing and a few apples in the woods. but
was sat isfied that it had not been left there
by Martha Rodgers. He ascertained that an
other coiored woman, heavy set black wo-
man. had been seen about the woods ana
her conduct and appearance indicated to
the minds of the officers that her mind was
not exactly right. She wore pair of mems
shoes, the officers were told, and abbrevi-
ated skirts. Yesterday morning she appear
and was given something to eat When
she had eaten her breakfast. 1t is stated,
she returned to the woods.
Police at Sea.
. Sergeant Anderson who is in charge Of
the Anacostia police district, informed Capt
Boardman this morning that the police have
far to seek as ever in the case. He adj
mtted he believed that some Of the reports
about the woman having been seen alive
were true and thought that the offer of a
reward by the police department might in
crease the number of searchers and the
woman might be saved from death from ex-
posture and starvation. 1t was because OF
this suggestion that Capt. BOardman Of
fered a reward of $50 for informa ton lead
Ing to the finding of the missing woman.
Relatives had already offered a reward of
s.. 1t was also stated by Sergeant Ander-
SON that a woman answering the descrip-
ton Of Martha Rodgers had been seen
about o'clock this morning. Mrs. Davis,
who lives on Anger avenue. Garfield. was
getting ready to go to market when she
saw colored woman. wearing one gar
ment, near a store on Anger avenue. Mrs.
Davis went into the house TO summon the
male members of the family and when she
returned to the yard she saw the woman
disappearing in the woods
Detective Lacy was detailed upon the case
today. He was sent in vehicle to canvas
the county and part of Maryland in order
TO ascertain II Martina RodgerS nad Deen
seen or II she had sought refuge in any
house. Capt. Boardman has an idea that
Martha may have gone to some house in the
country and been cared for by its occupants.
The people may not have heard of the
woman being missing and in this way she
may be all right. This afternoon the po-
lice are pushing their search in the woods
and the task is an exceedingly uncomfort-
able one. If the woman is still in the
woods. as the police believe she Is, 1t is
feared that her strength cannot last much
longer and that death must surely follow.
At late hour this afternoon the missing
woman had not been found