Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-04
Found in a Tree in
Woods at Bethel.
Terribly Exhausted and Al
most Without Clothes.
Taken Home, CIInging Paiheti.
cally 10 Her Father.
Remembers Little Of Expert
ence-.She VIII Recover.
Signal Of Rescue Causes Rejoicing
throughout Town.
Signal Of Rescue Causes Rejoicing
throughout Town.

Bethel, Me, Aug. 3.-Clinging to the
limbs of pine tree. like some hunt
ed animal. with part of her clothing
gone and iii a state of utter collapse,
vet alive, Miss Elsie NJ. Davis the
handsome 24-year-old church organist.
who disappeared during the morning
service on Sunday. was found late to-
day in the wood near Hew's hill. Her
hiding place was disclosed by Fred l..
Edwards. owner of the land, and
Charles S Stowell Loeke's Mills
trader. within an hour after her shoes.
hose coat and shirt waist had been
found. She was in a very weak con-
dtion and was hurried to her home
in an automobile. attended by ply
sicians. summoned when the searchers
came upon the clothing
With the discovery of the articles of
clothing Ii was felt certain that the
young lady would be located before
night and the search was prosecuted
with even more vigor than ii has been
since the first searching party was
called out late Sunday night.
The young lady was found %
rods up the brook from the Rab-
bit road. in an angle where the
Howes hill road and the Rabbit read,
which leads to Mt Abram. come to-
gether. She was not far from where
the tracks were found yesterday.
showing she had gone TO the brook to
drink and where the bed of pine
boughs and back comb were discover
ed. Men had passed beneath the tree
several times during the search today.
Both men discovered her at the same
time, about 20 feet UP in a large pine
tree. the branches of which came near
~ to the ground and with another tree
formed sort of ladder. They spoke
to her. but she did not move nor pay
any attention to them. Other men as
sisted therS in passing her down TO
the ground. after having much diff
Guilty in unclinching her hands from
the limbs. She appeared frightened
when so many men appeared and look
ed bewildered. but made no effort to
escape nor TO be violent.
Her long, beautiful, brown hair was
hanging down her back, her arms and
neck We're bare, her outer skirt was
torn partly off and she presented dis
tressful sight. Her father spoke tn
her. but there was no response nor
sign of recognition. except that she in
clinsd her head on his shoulder She
made no talk whatever, either there
or for time at least after her aNfsal
home Apparently she was in a state.
of collapse and the outcome of her eX-
perience is problematical
Her fathers revolver, which she was
supposed to have taken with her. was
not found and she evidently had made
no attempt to kill herself.
The 300 mill men and citizens who
have been securing the woods from
early morn until dark each day since
the strange disappearance, all the mills
being closed to permit the former to
engage in the hunt, were augmented
today by many others, including Beth
ell people and many from adjoining
towns, far and near, until the COM
bined forces numbered between 500
and 500 people
When the word was passed that she
had been found the news quickly
reached the town proper. two or three
miles from the scene, and the glad
tidings were given to all by sounding
nine blasts on the mill whistles.
for years as it has been since the mys-
FERROUS disappearance of Miss Davis.
talented young lady, who was adj
mired by all and the daughter of
Charles M. Davis, who is well known
to the travelling public as driver of tbe
auto-stage route of 80 miles between
Bethel and Enrol, n. H., and the tense
strain was relieved by the sounding
of the signal.
The searchers were aided by a young
bloodhound brought from Hartland nv
automobile. arriving at II A. M. About
noon he was given the scent of the
footprints and rustic bed in the woods.
The animal did not find the young
lady. but it was stated that he was on
the right track and probably would
have done so had not Messrs. Stowell
and Edwards made their timely dis
covery.
1t was noted that several of the
points about the finding of Miss Davis
\