The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-17
DISAPPEARANCE OF,
SECOND WOMAN IN
TWO YEARS, ALARMS
Nell Spradlin. Who Left For
Richmond Week Ago. Has
Vanished as Though Swal-
lowed Up by Earth.
Richmond Police. Bafled, Re-
call Case of Annie Werner
Who Has Yet to Be Heard
Of-White Slavers' Victim is
Theory Held by Police.

This morning one week ago, Miss
Nell Spradlin, q girl of twenty-five.
left her home in Bedford City and
started to Richmond to visit her bro
Their, A. l.. SpradlIn. of los West Mar
shall street. From that time to this
che has not been seen and but for
her trunk, which arrived in good
time at the Byrd street station. there
has been nothing heard Of her.
She has disappeared as completely
as though the earth had opened and
swallowed her.
In the minds of many of those en-
gagged in searching for the lost girl
there Is the fear that she has fallen a
victim to one of the gangs of cadets
operating for the white siavers' and
that her fate is that of many or the
thousands of innocent young women
who are abducted annually ami
thrown into a life of slavery to make
possible the maintenance Of the vice
districts.
Two years ago almost to Gay.
Annie Werner. the daughter of a well
known farmer living on the Govern
mcnt road, about five miles fran
Richmond. left Chicago to return
ifpAiS @AtSA HttitNsitfs SPt.t% N''A4% -
q school in that city.
A ticket was purchased for her and
she was placed on the train by the
representatives OF the school Her
trunk arrived in this city undisturbed
and for months lay in the station I'M
claimed.
Annie Werner had disappeared, and
TO this day has not been heard Of.
Father Meets All Trains.
For DAYS her father visited the sta
ton early in the morning and waited
until late at night, meeting every train
which arrived. in the hope that his
daughter might come Finally, he
appealed 10 the police and country
wide search for the missing girl was
begun.
No possible clue was overlooked
and several investigators made trips
to Chicago In the interests OF the case
but without result. The Chicago Off
rlals also aided in every possible way
and they. too We're unable TO find any
trace Of Miss Werner after she had
been placed on the train.
Detective Sergeant Wiltshire, who
recalled the case yesterday because OF
the similarity between II and the dis
appearance of Miss Spra iiin. said that
II was thought at that time that she
had fallen victim to the trafiiekers
in human souls. although this point
was not stressed much at the time
because the work OF these barterers of
human flesh had not then been given
The national prominence which resulted
from the Rockefeller Investigations.
Absolutely No Trace.
The cases are similar in every de-
tail and the disappearance of Miss
Spradlin leaving absolutely no trace
or clue as to where she may be or
what may be her fate. is the second
with which Richmonders have had to
contend ia -.ha-last- t.Na- Iears--1n- ihG
little farmhouse In Henrico the old
father Of Annie Werner sits and silently
cries for the daughter whom he Will
probably see no more t.,is side of the
grave.
In their home in Bedford City the
family OF Nell Spradjin are this morn
ing anxiousIy awaiting word from any
source which may tell of the safety
or fate of tnes missing girl.
The police throughout the state are
making every effort to find Some trace
Of her and it is reported that infor-
nation from Petersburg says that she
was seen In the station there on last
Tuesday This is all which can be
learned. though, and the police are not
disposed to put mucn credeIsee in the
report
4. L. Spradlin has told the police
that his sister was fond of her home
and that she had never done much
travelling. Such, too, were circum-
stances in the life of Miss Werner.
Spradlin. in describing his sister for
identification. said that she was of me-
dunn build with light hair and blue
eyes and about five feet Ave or six
inches in height