The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-07-17
PINNED NOTE TO PILLOW
Intinlates That She Has Sought Way
to End Her Life-Mr. and Mrs. John
swadish, Relatives of Missing Girl
Ask Police to Aid in Search.

Forgive me, I can't help it. May
God bless you, Aunt Margaret. (" This
note penciled by a trembling hand on
the corner of an envelope is the only
clew rhas the police have to the mys-
FERROUS disappearance of Miss Laura
Estella Voss, aged eighteen years and
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Gustav
Voss of Lake Geneva, who disappear
ed from the home of John Swadish,
her uncle, who resides at 6l9 Park
street, some time during the night.
The relatives of the young woman be-
lieye that she has committed suicide
by throwing herself into Lake Michi-
gan and at their request search is
being made along the lake for some
clew that may lead to the recovery
of the body or solve the mystery at
tending her disappearance.
Miss Voss had made her home with
her uncle at the Park street house
since last February On account of
trouble between her father and mother
which had in measure disrupted their
home life at Lake Geneva, the girl
had come to Kenosha to make her
home with her uncle. She had seemed
to be very happy in her home life here
and Mrs. Swadish told this morning
of the many things that had been done
to make the girl like her home in
Kenosha.
1--WE all liked Laura and we had de-
MED ourselves many pleasures in order
to keep her here. She was very sensi-
tive and felt deeply the troubles that
existed at home. On Sunday some of
her friends made an automobile trip
to Lake Geneva and when they return
ed she learned that they had been
visiting with friends Of her father
She was convinced that they had learn
ed the story of the troubles in the
family and was greatly worried for
fear this would become common talk
among her friends and the neighbors.
She spoke to me about her fears and
at the time declared that she could
not stand for such things being said
about the family and that if this
talk was common she would jump in
to the lake.
The young woman seemed to be in
good spirits on Tuesday evening and
Mr.. and Mrs. Swadish and other mem
bers of the family had attended a
picture show. When they returned
home just after nine O'Clock Mrs.
Swadish went to the room occupied by
her niece and found the young woman
preparing for bed. She sat down and
talked with Miss Voss for a few
minutes and then kissed her good night
and went to a room in the other part
of the house. Nothing was heard from
the room occupied by the young wom-
an during the night, but this morning
when breakfast was ready Mrs. Swa-
dish went to the room to call her niece.
She found the room empty. 1T was
evident that the young woman had left
the house only partially clothed. She.
had not arranged her hair and her hat
was found put neatly away in box
in the closet in the room. She had
changed her clothing and had put on
new underwear and clean dress, but
there was nothing to indicate that she
had worn shoes. 1t is thought that
she slipped through the hall in her
stocking feet and left the house with
such care that she did not arouse any
of the other members Of the house
hold. No one has been found who saw
the young woman leave the house or
after she left it.
This MORN gs the police found tracks
on the sand Ear the foot of Wisconsin
street and this led them to believe that
it was possible that the young woman
might have jumped into the lake.
Search along the lake during the day
failed to reveal any trace Of the body.
The Voss family live at $50 Sage street,
Lake Geneva, and the mother and
father Of the young woman are ex-
peeted in Kenosha this afternoon TO
aid in the search. In the meantime
the police have sent description Of
the young woman to other cities in
hopes that she may have wandered
away and gone to one Of these cities.