The San Francisco call., 1908-11-05
GIVES MESSAGE AS
FROM EDNA CLARK
Strange Man Telephones That
Missing Girl Will Enter
Convent Today
Little Credence Is Placed in the
Statement by Members
of the Family

A mysterious telephone message re-
ceived at the home of Edna Clark s
mother, Mrs A Y Mack, in Alameda,
yesterday afternoon may be the fore
runner of the girls meeting her mother
today On the other hand, the COM
municaNion was so vague that, while
hoping for the best relatives of the
missing art student are expecting an
other disappointment. Whether today
viii bring forth a solution Of the nlys-
terry which has puzzled detectives and
others working on the case for more
than a week only the developments OF
the next "A hours can tell.
About $3.50 o'clock yesterday after
noon the telephone bell in the residence
OF Mrs. Anita Y Mack rang and was
answered by Mrs. Bruce Wright A
man giving the name OF Johnson,
which is thought 10 be fictitious. said
he wanted TO speak to Mrs. Mack. On
being informed that she was not at
home he inquired who Mrs. Wright was.
On being told. he stated that he had a
message from Edna for Mrs. Mack. but
that il was incumbent upon him to de-
liver il to her personally. Greatly agi-
tated. Mrs. Wright inquired what the
message was, but only received the an
sWer that Edna was well and happy
day.
The inquirer asked particularly in re-
gard TO when Mrs. Mack would be
home. and when told that she would re-
turn today st noon stated he would call
10 see her at that time.
When / answered the phone" Mrs
Wright said last evening, the man
asked me If I were Mrs Mack and I
told him who was. He then stated
that he had a message for Edna's
mother from her and that he could de-
liver IL TO no one else. 1 was anxious
and asked him if he could not deliver
& TO me. because she was out, and 1
would see that she got it Immediately
on her return.
WTTHHOLDS MESSAGE
He insisted that he could not, and I
went down stairs 10 see IL Mr. or Mrs
Clark knew where Mrs. Mack was and
when she would return. She was Wis
iting an aunt and the old folks told
me would not be horne until tomorrow
al noon. ! returned TO the phone and
told the man that He then said he
would call ar the house at noon to-
morrow. 1 explained TO him how anxf-
GUS all of US were in regard to Edna
especially her mother and grandpar-
snts- He then replied:
You can tell the old folks that
Edna is well and happy and that she
viii enter a convent tomorrow
4 again asked the man who he was
and he said:
You know who I am; my name is
Johnson
Whether he is a detective who has
been employed on the case I do not
know. can not believe that any one
would attempt a brutal joke in such
a misfortune as the present"
Mrs Mack was seen at her home
last evening and il was apparent that
she was on the verge of a nervous
collapse. Frequently during the course
Of the interview the diminutive woman,
scarcely able to repress her tears, ex-
planned that rather than a daughter
Edna had been her companion.
Regarding this latest message 1 am
almost afraid to hope. Edna is all 1
have in the world, and ] hope that no
one could be so brutal as TO raise my
hopes this way only to have me again
face an awful mystery. This waiting
is dreadful. I DO not know whether 1
viii be able to stand the suspense or
not
No one knows what terrible ordeal
this has been for me. I have been de-
ecribed in the press as a most dreadful
person. which hope I am not"
DISCREDITS MATTER
A z. Yates, uncle OF the missing
girl, when asked for his opinion OF yes
terday's message, said:
L do not place any credence in the
report and viii not do so until it Is
verified. There have been so many false
hopes advanced that this news seems
too good to be true II it is verified
today. I will believe it. 1 hope and
trust II will be-"
W. H. Field. manager of the Pinker-
ton detective agency. on being asked
il any of his men had sent the tele-
phone message, said:
None Of our men has made any re-
port on the matter to the girls rela-
lives today, so far as I know"
Rev. PaysOn Young, the Episcopal
minister who was the conhdant Of the
girl. was unable to advance any further
information yesterday in regard 70 the
case.
Numberless clews. all of them proving
futile. have been run down by the girls
relatives. Among these clews is one
which was received by Mrs Mack YES
terd2y and which. while thought hone
less, viii be thoroughly investigated.
A woman in Truckee has written 10
Mrs. Mack informing her of the advent
IN, that town several days ago of a
young girl answering in measure the
description Of Edna Clark The girl
according TO Mrs. Mack's informant. Is
going under the name of Summers and
IS livinF at the house of Mrs. Cos
grove. Mrs. Mack stated last night thar
there are too many discrepancies in the
description OF the Truckee girl to war
rant any belief that it might be her
missing daughter.