New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-05
Seen by Nurse Girl.

Seen by Nurse Girl.
The nurse had Mrs. Prague baby out
for an airing. and il was the baby that
brought about a conversation between
the two. at a SPOT about five hundred feet
sUav from the place where the waves
washed up the body a month later MISS
Mccain told the nurse girl she was on
the verge of a nervous collapse, and that
after a shopping trip she thought 1t would
do her good 10 get the refreshing sea air.
After talking with Miss Dore for half
an hour Miss Mccain said she was
hungry, and that, although she had only
30 cents with her. she thought she would
get something to eat. She departed m
the direction Of Surf avenue. The fact
~ she had so cents left was considered
81 fcant. since I'm the description Of her
Ier belongings which the family gave
" police they said that the only money
she had with her. To their knowledge.
when she left the house was 20 cents. 1t
is supposed. therefore. that she must
have gone direct to Coney Island
\ little while after leaving the nurse
girl in Seaside Park she appeared at Pub
lie School 100 at West Cd street and Park
Place. Coney Island. Of which Frank j.
Arnold is principal. She told him her
name. said she taught in kindergarten
I'm tho Home for Destitute Children and
asked for permission TO visit some Of the
teachers I'm the lower grades. Mr.. Arnold
introduced her to Miss Goldsmith. in
whose class she remained until l@:So
O'Clock. The next two hours she spent
with Miss Phillips, another teacher. and
then went to Miss La Chase's class re-
naming there until S:55 o'clock in the
afternoon.
All three teachers and the principal
agreed that. although she seemed rather
worried, she appeared entirely rational
She talked with them only about teach
ing. and romped with the children in their
play hour.
sill later in the afternoon Miss La
Chase pointed out Miss Mccain TO her
sister teachers as they were walking
along Surf avenue Miss Mccain was
sitting alone then on the sand of the mu-
nicipal beach, almost on the exact spot
on which her body was found yesterday.
This is the last time that any one is
positive he saw Miss Mccain alive. The
next day Mrs. Prague TO whom Loretta
Dore had narrated her encounter with
Miss Mccain. saw from the Neranda OF
her hotel a young woman walking alons
Surf avenue.
Thought They Saw Miss Mccain.
THAT looks like your school teacher
friend" she remarked TO the nurse girl.
and the latter seemed TO think II was she.
II so. the settlement worker must have
passed the night an some lonely NOOK or
the beach or the shelter house. on Sat
urday night the tide an unusually high
ono. impelled by the wind. rose right up
over this beach and broke against the
low sea wall running along Surf avenue.
This has given rise 10 the suggestion
that Miss Mccain may have been drowned
accidentally while curled up asleep on the
beach. but Coney Island residents say the
tides were not sweeping the beach month
ago. They point out also. that at no time
has the water reached the floor OF the
shelter house which Is elevated above the
sand four or FIVE feet on piles, and that
II the girl passed the night there she
would probably have chosen what shelter
this open house afforded In preference to
The bare sand.
on the other hand. there is no very like
~ place available near this point off when
a respondent person might jump into
water over his depth ON the one SIDE
the old Dreamland pier. partly destroyed
o. IRE. is boarded up, so that 1t would
take an unusually agile climber 10 get
out on IL. on the new Dreamland pier
a Waterman is stationed during all hours
There is. however. jetty. or bulkhead'