The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-02-18
MUTilATED AND UNCONSCIOUS
FORM OF GIRL Is FOUND IN
HOTEL BATHROOM.
BODY BOUND TO BATHTUB
Partially Emptied Laudanum Bottsl,
Gags and Cuts on Victims Person
Indicate Either Attempted Murder or
Strange Efforts at Suicide-Patient
Mutters Incoherent Story.

Chicago. Feb. l7-One of the most
mysterious cases with which the Chi
cago police have had to deal In many
years developed I'm the Wellington no.
tell. a standard downtown hostelry.
today. when the unconscious form of
Miss Ella Gingles was found lashei
10 the supports of a bath tub.
Whether she was the victim of a plot,
Is she incoherently alleged in ber
few conscious moments, or chose fam
tastic means, intending suicide, to re-
taliate upon a woman whom she be-
lieved to have been her enemy, form
ed a mystery which the police set
about to solve.
When chambermaid reached the
public bathroom on the fourth floor,
she found the door locked from the
inside with bolt. Later the house
carpenter, removing the transom,
crawled into the room, which was
dimly lighted by candle that had
nearly burned out. Upon the floor
he found Miss Gingles, clad only in a
nightgown. The bath tub was half
was in the same condition. Attempt-
ing to move her, the carpenter found
her hands tied with light binding
cord. and fastened to the legs at the
head of the tub. A second cord.
drawn tightly about the knees, held
that portion OF her body to the lower
legs of the tub Her face showed
cuts and bruises, and II was later de-
termined that she had been mistreat-
ed. She was also APPARENTLY suffering
from laudanum poisoning two
ounce bottle which had contained the
liquid was found in the room, and
near 1t an empty claret bottle. A
towel was tied tightly under the girls
jaws and a wet cloth stuffed in her
mouth. Her clothes, even to the little
brown fur-trimmed hat, were found In
a corner of the room.
Mumbles IncoherentIy.
Restoratives were administered by
DIR. Watson, the house physician, but
MISS Gingles recovered only suf-
hciently to humble Historically:
Don't let her come nearer; don't
let her make me drink any more. II
will kin me-"
The words "cab" and pepper" oc-
CURED in her talk.
Later in the day at the Frances
Willard hospital she recovered con-
seriousness for several minutes. Chief
OF detectives O'Brien was at her bed
side and to him she told strange
tale of having been attacked near her
home, 474 LaSalle avenue. last night
by man with a woman. One of
them struck her and the other threw
pepper in her eyes. She was then
hustled into a cab which apparently
had been waiting. She new no more.
she said, until she regained con-
sclousness at 8 o'clock at night in a
strange room. She recognized the
apartment as belonging to the Well
ngton hotel, she said, and wrote a
note to her friend, Miss Mary Joyce.
She threw it over the transom. she
added, with a penciled note on the
envelope asking some beliboy' to
nail 1t. The letter ran:
Mary, will be killed at Yelling
on hotel. Come-Ela."
Police Get Note.
1t was this note which SET the po-
ice on the trail today. 1t reached
Miss Joyce at 9 a. m. in the office
where she is employed as stenog-
'apher to p H. O'Donnel. at
orney for Miss Gingles At the hotel
he detectives found that no ELLA
fingles" was registered there.
When her senseless form was dis
covered later the police were noti-
led. No one could be found who had
cen the young woman enter the
lace, although this might easily have
happened owing to the location of
treet railways and elevated. The
ight elevator man. however, was posi-
i've that he had taken no such per-
on up in the car. No bellboy could
e found who had picked UP any let
er and mailed it as described by
fiss Gingles
Manager McClinstock of the hotel
eclared the girls story and the post
1ark on the letter received by Miss
oyce were inconsistent. The post
1ark showed that it had been
tamped az the postoffice at p. m.
,st night. According to this, he said,
must have been mailed in the box
t the hotel not later than $50
clock, an hour and a half before
liss Gingles said she regained con-
ciousness.
Woman Named.
The name of Miss Agnes Barrett
'as brought into the case in the
purse of Captain O'Brien's talk with
ie patient. The latter said she
scognized as Miss Barrett the wo-
ian who helped her into the cab.
he latter conducts a lace shop in
lie Wellington hotel building and
w weeks ago caused the arrest of
Iiss Gingles on charge of stealing
% worth of lace from the store.
Miss Gingles came to Chicago two
onths ago from Ireland, and being
a expert lacemaker, found employ
ent with Miss Barrett. This en-
nymeDf peocad with tha thoft