The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-12-22
MRS. ,NEUMANN
SOUGHT DEATH

Pacific Mail steamship City of sydney
in regard TO the death of Mrs. Elise 8
V. Neumann was received by the Cir
cult Court yesterday by registered mail
The testimony was taken by Henry
Eickhoff, of San Francisco, who was ap.
pointed commissioner by the court
for the purpose on interrogatories fled
with the commission.
Captain William II. Mclean of the
City of Sydney testifes that his first
acquaintance with Mrs. Neumann on
the voyage of his vessel from San Fran
cisco to Acapulco begun in April, 1908
He saw her last on the night of Sep
tember j, about 1880 p. m, just after
leaving Mazatlan for San Francisco
She was sitting on a chair outside the
door of her stateroom. AT 11:22 he was
called from his bed by the announce
ment that she had disappeared. He was
told she had been missing since about
ii o'clock. A thorough search of the
vessel was made under Captain Nc
Lean S direction, with the result that he
became as certain that she must have
gone overheard as he could be of any
thing he did not personally observe.
Her trunks and other belongings were
taken charge of by the purser at the
captain s directions. These consisted
of two trunks, two bags or valises,
$202.60 in cash and draft for $3.50,
one three-stone diamond ring, one two
stone diamond with turquoises, one pin
of three pearls, one unset pearl, one
pair of pearl earrings, one sealed bot
tie of pearls, one bag of clothes, one
umbrella, one fur cape, one black hat.
The entry in the log concerning the
loss of Mrs. Neumann was as follows:
"11:10 p. m, in latitude 90 degrees
02 minutes north; longitude 107 de-
grees 4S minutes west; saloon watch.
man reported to second officer that Mrs
Neumann, cabin passenger, was miss
ing, and the matter was promptly re-
ported to Captain Mclean, who ordered
a search to be made of every part OF
the vessel, but without result Mrs
, Neumann had either fallen or Jumped
overheard, as she could not be found. D
The testimony of Chief officer Johr
A. Johnson and of Puresr +. A. Morgan
is substantial repetition of that OF
Captain Mclean.
Chief Engineer Thomas A. Selfridg,
testified that he had known Mrs. Neu
: mann for four years and was well ac
quainted with her.
At about S:15 O'Clock on the evening
, of September ] he called at her state
room, as was his habit every evening
to spend little time with her in con
versation, as he knew she was troubled
with sleeplessness. He remained sit
, ting at her stateroom door until min,
O'Clock, when he was called below.
quarter of an hour later he returned ant
walked up and down the deck with her
She wanted to walk, but was unable t.
walk alone. During this time she ask
ed him if he would not ask Miss Bill
lings, her travelling companion, to G,
to bed, as Miss Billings had not beer
to bed for two or three nights. Mrs
Nepmann said she would lie down
which she did, the chief engineer help
ing her into her berth. Speaking t.
Miss Billings about her going to bed
she said she would only Mrs. Neumdnt
was afraid. When the chief engineer
Billings said she did not know, but pos
sibly she was afraid of men coming
around, as there were men around tn,
decks all night, their duties requiring
them to be there. The chief enginee
then volunteered to stay on deck nnti
Mrs, Neumann was asleeh and Mis-
Billings then "went and turned in.
At $3.50 O'Clock, standing in the door
way of the stateroom, the chief ell
giheer spoke TO Mrs. Neumhnn, Sh
assured him that she would have n
trouble in getting asleep. He then So
outside ON the d'sct about three fee
from her door sor possibly an hou
During that time he heard nothing. H'
door was open, but there was no light
the statefoom. He then walked up an
down the deck for time, and abol
ten minutes of eleven O'Clock he weI
below, but returned to move the chai
from around the door on account of IA
crew making noise moving them
the morning, as was afraid Mrs, Ne
mann might then be awakened early.
While Chief Engineer Selfridge W
thus moving the chairs, Miss Biilin
came out of the room and declar
that she had had sleep enough, and sa
she was going to sit up the rest of t
night. She entered the room and car
out and informed the chief engine