Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-17
SEEN IN [ANSDOWNE
Esther Hilbert Said to Have
Visited Father.
DINED WITH GIRL FRIEND
Left Home Years Ago to Be With
Her Mother.
SHE IS NOT HAPPY, PERHAPS
Schoolmate Believed to Know Where
abouts of Pretty Missing Student.
Father Directs Search.
DINED WITH GIRL FRIEND
SHE IS NOT HAPPY, PERHAPS

| NEW YORK. September 17.-News in
advertently made public yesterday that
Esther Hilbert, the pretty twenty-year-
old Lansdowne girl who disappeared from
her mothers home in Chesterfield. Mass.
| last Sunday, and for whom the police and
her relatives are still searching, was in
Lansdowne last Friday, throws additional
mystery about what is already a per-
picking case.
The strange disappearance of Miss Hill
| bert on the eve of beginnin-: her college
term is the talk of the quiet town where
| her girlhood days were spent, and where.
at one time she had scores of friends
Nine years ago Mrs. Hilbert. taking her
little daughter with her. left Lansdowne
suddenly for Chesterfield Mass. John
Hilbert, the father for twenty-five years
| agent at the Lansdowne station of the
Pennsylvania railroad, stayed behind and
boarded with Edward Stewart of As South
LanSdOWne avenue.
The missing girl was always a favorite
with her father, and on many occasions
left her mother to pay him visits. Friends
young woman would have been much hap
pier had she been allowed to make her
home with her father.
Friend May Know Whereabouts.
Mrs. Clifford Parkinson. who was for
merly Miss Esther Lewis, and lives at
1O1 Mckinley avenue, Lansdowne was a
warm friend of Miss Hilbert, and because
of her repeated assertions tat the mat
ter will end to the satisfaction of every
one, and her scouting of all murder or
suicide theories, the rumOr has gained
considerable force that she is not un-
familiar with the missing girls move
ments.
Miss Hilbert, during the hurried trip
that she made to Lansdowne Friday. took
advantage of her opportunity to take din
ner with her old school friend.
Miss Hilbert left Lansdowne Saturday,
and Monday her father received a tele-
gram that made him turn pale and pre-
pare for hurried departure eastward.
Whether the message was from his
daughter or from her relatives in Ches-
terrified. apprsing him of her disappear
ance. is known TO no one In Lansdowne
but Hilbert. for he refused to discuss the
contents Of the telegram with any one.
A workman who for years has been
employed about the feed store of Carrot
Fl. Lewis, father of Mrs. Parkinson, let
slip the information that Miss Hilbert
was in touch with her father few days
ago. A reporter was questioning him as
to the missing girls acquaintanceship
with the Lewis family.
Went to School Together.
''Oh, N.Y. yes" he said: Miss Hilbert
and the boss daughter are great friends.
Went to school together and all that sort
Of thing When she was here week ago
she took dinner with Mrs. Parkinson,
and Here the man hesitated and con-
tinued: But I'm afraid I'm talking too
much. l am not supposed to discuss the
matter, you see"
Dar Iyip
refused to discuss the story as well, and
they denied that the girl has been in town
so recently.
Esther will be found all right" said
Mrs Parkinson, confidently. shes not
the girl to elope. and l don't believe she
has been murdered or that she has taken
her life
Another person who says he saw Miss
Hilbert in Lansdowne last week is the
expressman Stewart. with whom Mr.. Hill
bert boards He told a reporter that the
father and daughter had several long
talks together before she went back to
Massachusetts.
William J Hilbert, an uncle of Esther
Hilbert, left his home in Charon Hill
Yesterday for New England to aid in the
search for the girl
Hilbert Searching for Daughter.
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. September II.
John c. Hilbert, father of Miss Esther
A. Hilbert. the young Lansdowne. Pa.
girl for whom a search has been in
progress the past two days. yesterday
personally supervised the hunt for his
lost daughter through the woods and
other territory surrounding the house
which had not been covered in the preVl-
Gus searches.
The possibility that Miss Hilbert
might have fallen into Westfield river
or Conwel pond has not been given up
altogether, and the waters are being
dragged.