New-York tribune., 1921-04-05
Family and Police Hunt
for Mrs. w. B. Rankine.
Missing Since Friday;
Wore Valuable Jewels
Chauffeur Waits at
Bridge Approach
Missing Woman, Reputed
Worth Over Million.
Observation-Disclosures

Mrs. William Birch Rankinc, for
merly Annette K Norton, wealthy and
socially prominent, whose fortune is
understood to be more than S1,OO0,0O0,
left her automobile for some unex.
planned reason last Friday evening at
the Fifty-ninth Street and Second Ave.
nue. approach to the Greensboro
Bridge. Since then she has not been
seen by any of her family or friends,
The aid of the police and private
detective agencies has been enlisted
by the family in their effort to find
the missing woman, who is forty wears
of age. Several years ago Mrs. Ran
Kline suffered a nervous breakdown,
and as consequence of this she was
for time subject to fainting spells.
benjamin Norton, brother, who is
connected with the Guaranty Trust
Company. expressed q fear yesterday
that his sister had suffered another
OF these attacks. Re directed an un-
successful canvass OF hospitals and
city institutions in the hope of find
ing her 1t is believed by Mr.. Norton
search, that Mrs Rankine NAV have
been picked up by we'll intentioned
persons, who realized that she was i'll
and, perhaps. temporarily irrespon-
ponsibe.
Directed Chauffeur to Wait
Mrs. Rankine lived in small apart
ment at Ia East Sixtieth Street. She
devoted certain part of her time to
STATISTICAL work for the Association for
the Improvement of the Condition of
the Poor: Friday afternoon, according
TO her chauffeur, she directed him to
drive her TO Fifty ninth Street and
Second Avenue. Her family can think
OF no reason for her going there. but,
she left the car and told the chauffeur
to wait
As she started away from the
machine the traffic policeman stationed
at the bridge approach told the chauf~
Icur ne could not wait there as it
would impede traffic. The man then
parked his car few hundred feet
away in Second Avenue and waited.
But his mistress did not return. She
had previously told the chauffeur that
she would want to go as usual for a
ride after dinner, instructing him to be
at her door at s O'Clock.
When She disappeared Mrs Rankine
was clad in black, for she was in
mourning. Her hat was mannish gray
cloth affair, which she wore we'll down
on her head. Her gloves, shoes and
sult were all black. She wore small
watch suspended from her neck and
besides her, wedding ring wore two
others. One was set with two dia-
monds and ruby and the other with
two sapphires and diamond.
Mrs. Rankine is slight of figure, not
tall; has blue eyes and light hair. She
wore rimless nose glasses Her COM
plexion is ruddy and slightly frockled.
Mrs. Rankine is the daughter of
Edward Kingsley Norton, of Buffalo.
She was married in February, 1905.
Her husband, who was much older than
she; had given up his law practice to
Niagara's waterpower. He was the
founder Of the Niagara Falls Power
Company and its vice president. In
Niagara Falls they call him the father
Of the town.
His family was we'll known in that
part Of the state. Delaney Rankine
brother, is prominent in the business
and social life of Buffalo. Another
brother, Harold, is an attorney at &C
Broadway.
Husbands Death Sudden
Seven months after his marriage Mr.
Rankine died while he and his bride
were in Franconia, N. II. His death
was due to pneumonia and was sudden
1t was a profound shock to Mrs. Ran
kline, and two years ago she suffered
another in the death of her mother
from which her friends believe she
never fully recovered.
After Mr.. Rankine's death she had
lived with her brother and mother, first
in Buffalo and then at a summer home
which she bought in New Canaan
Conn, until 1917, when she moved to
the New York apartment. In 1916 her
brother married Miss Mary Clare Mul-
lally, daughter of the Rev Francis P
Mutually, of Pelham, and sister Of Will
lam r. Mutually, an advertising man OF
1913 Broadway.
Mrs. Rankine was matron of homo,
at the wedding. When her brother
and his wife decided to live in Pelham
Manor Mrs. Rankine and her mother be.
came lonely in their home in Connec.
ticut and moved to New York.
Her friends saw her seldom and al.
ways in the deepest mourning.
MT e1 x