Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-18
MISSING SCHOOL
GIRL NOT FOUND
TWO MEN SAY THEY SAW STU
DENT IN TUNA CANYON
FATHER OF MISS ELLERY LEADS
SEARCHING PARTY
Younn Woman Who Answers Descrip-
tion and Whose Picture Friend
Identifies Is Believed to Be
Lost Child

A searching party headed by George
ElIery, father of Miss Gladys o. Ellery,
the Polytechnic high school girl who
has been missing from her home at Los
Angeles since last Friday morning, Is
securing the country in the vicinity OF
Tuna canyon, near Burbank, in hopes
that a cleW reported yesterday may
reveal the 16-year-old girl.
Miss Ellery, who had been living at
the home of E. S. Butterworth, 71S
West Thirty-second street, left the
house Friday morning to attend school.
When she failed to return to the house
Friday night inquiry disclosed the fact
she had not reported at the school that
day.
Since that time a diligent search has
been made, and despite the fact that
several likely clews have been investi-
gated, the disappearance of the young
student remains mystery.
The most promising clew, and the
one which was being investigated at
an early hour this morning, was that
reported by Hans Zimmerman and Max
Schwartz, 516 South Avenue II, who
stated yesterday afternoon that girl
who answers the description of Miss
Ellery in every respect visited Tuna
camp, three miles from Burbank, Sat
urday afternoon.
Picture Is Identified
To the young men she gave the name
of Virginia Sheldon, and said she was
residing with her grandmother in Bur-
bank She passed part of Saturday in
company with the young men, and they
took a photograph OF her, which yes
terday Mrs. Butterworth, with whom
the girl had lived, positively identified
as that of Miss Ellery.
Learning of the disappearance of Miss
Ellery, which had been reported to the
Los Angeles police, the young men re-
ported their meeting with the girl and
the description they gave of her tallies
with that which had been reported.
The further identification of the pic
ture they had taken leads to the be-
lief that Miss Ellery is the girl who
had been in company with thinner
man and Schwartz Saturday.
Word of the Identification of the pic
ture and the report of the young men
was given to George Ellery, the father,
and he at once organized a searching
party to scour the territory adjoining
Burbank in hopes the strange mystery
will be solved.
The reported Identification was also
forwarded to City Marshal Charles
Catlin of Burbank, who began an in
vestigation.
Education Wanted
Miss Ellery, until year ago, made
her home with her father and STEP
mother in a cottage at the end of the
Temple street car line.
She met Mrs. S. M. Kiser, who be-
came interested in her welfare and OBJ
tanned position for her in the home
OF Mrs. Butterworth, the work being
oh l..
ambition, to gain an education.
In speaking of the strange case last
night Mrs Butterworth was unable to
give any explanation or motive that
would solve the sudden disappearance.
According TO Mrs. ButterWorth, the
girl appeared perfectly contented un-
tll about a month ago, when she be-
came respondent and melancholy. 1t
was then learned that Miss Ellery had
not been a regular attendant at her
school, and she pleaded with Mrs. But
terWorth not to tell Mrs. Kiser.
through whose efforts she had been
placed in order that she might obtain
an education.
Mrs Kiser learned of the fact that
Miss Ellery was absenting herself
from school and found she was passing
her time sitting in the park. Last Fri
day Mrs. Kiser became suspicious of
Miss Ellery's actions and followed her
when she started to school, Miss ELL
cry walked up Thirtieth street to San
Pedro, followed by Mrs. Kiser. The
latter soon lost track of her.
Investigation revealed the fact she
was seen by the caretaker of South
park Friday afternoon, and later her
school books were found on bench
in the park.
Disappearance Seems Complete
From that time, outside of the clews
which have been offered, her disap-
pearance has been as complete as
though she had been swallowed by the
earth.
The only fact that leads to the be-
lief she intended to leave the Butter
worth home is that she wore two
dresses on the day of his disappear
ance. 1t is also known she had but
a few cents with her when she left.
which also adds to the mystery,
Mr.. Butterworth, in speaking Of the
case last night, stated that Gladys had
no male friends he knew of, and the
only explanation he could offer for her
actions was the fact she worried be-
cause she was behind in her studies
and feared she would not be graduated.
He said that for several weeks she had
despondent and downhearted,
and he believes worry ever her studies
is accountable for her actions.
When the young woman disappeared
she wore black alpaca skirt, a white
shirt waist, Scotch plaid Jacket, a fiat
black silk hat and high elkskin shoes
Although 16 years old she looks much
younger, weighs about 1856 pounds, has
blue eyes, brown hair and is rosy
checked.
Zimmerman and Schwartz, who be-
lieve that Miss Ellery is the girl they
net Saturday afternoon, did not pay
particular attention to the case until
they returned to Los Angeles and heard
of the missing girl. Yesterday they re-
ported at the ceRtral police station their
belief that MISS Ellery and the girl
they had met are identical.
Unless the girl is found within few
hours an organized searching party will
make a tour of the canyons in the
of Burbank.
Supervisors EnioIned