The L'Anse sentinel., 1908-02-29

Brockton, Mass.-"T opened my
cloak and took the children under It
one on each side. From that time TIL
I woke up everything is blank"
twenty-five trembling words, spok
On by a disheveled, shaking woman
yet behind them lies the tragedy OF
. wrecked home, the remarkable dis
appearance OF two human beings as II
the ground had opened to swallow
them, and mystery which has baf
ned the keenest detective minds OF
New England.
A mother calling at the schoolhouse
door for her boy and girl, three f1g
ures disappearing into the woods, q
great storm cloak flung open to shelter
two small forms-a blank of "a hours
and then disheveled. Quiverine
mother-form being hurried to an In
sane asylum.
What happened during that period
Of mental death?
And where are the children?
On Monday, December 2, soon after
nine o'clock, Mrs. Mary r. G. Ball
wife OF John Ball, left her home al
28 Holbrook avenue, and walked hur
riedly to the Winthrop school, where
her children were engaged in their
ntudies. Mary Grace Ball, aged nine
and Thomas Ball, aged seven, were ex
cused by their teachers at the request
of their mother, who was apparently
quite composed and natural in her
bearing. They put on their warm
coats and toques and mittens and trot.
ted down the schoolyard path, one on
either side of the tall, cloaked figure.
Children Went JoyfulIy.
Joyous anticipations were aroused
In their childish minds. Christmas
was at hand. Perhaps they were 60
ing shopping! Perhaps they were 60
ing to the woods to gather evergreens!
As to where they really went, directly
from the schoolhouse, opinions differ
This may have been because Brockton
had something else to think about
during the next few hours. The Ball
home on Holbrook avenue was in
flames. There was a fire to be put out
and to be discussed, and 1t was so un
fortunate that 1t happened while Mrs
Ball was away shopping!
However, since the tragedy has be
come the sole topic Of conversation
in the little manufacturing city oi
Brockton, one man recalls that he
saw the mother and her children to
gether about $3.50 o'clock that after
noon. Two children, who knew the
Ball family well, claim to have seer
the mother without the children or
Brockton street at 1880 OF that event
fui Monday afternoon.
But the one tangible piece Of evi
dence is that Mrs. Ball, unaccompanied
by her children, stopped at lunch
cart for a rnouthful of food at Avon
. little town Just north of Brockton
on Tuesday evening, December 3
Later that night she was found by Q
nearby farmer, A. L. Pinto, in his barr
and was ordered away. The children
were not with her. Pinto did not
know who she was and took her foI
some poor, drunken wretch.
Instinct Led Woman Home.
Two nights later. on Thursday, De
cember s. Mrs. Ball staggered into the
home Of Mrs. Baxter, who lived d.
rcctly opposite the Ball home in
Brockton. The Baxters were terrified
BY the figure which stumbled across
their threshold. Her clothes were in
disorder. Her fingers were grimy and
torn az though she had been digging
in the frozen earth. Across her
throat were great bloody scratches.
All reason had fed. Her eyes were
Wild. her speech incoherent-
The next morning raving maniac.
Mary Ball was taken to the asylum
for the insane at Taunton, Mass.
But where we're the children?
The distracted father asked It. The
excited neighbors echoed his question.
The county officials considered II
fAsir duty to find out Detectives