The New York herald., 1921-04-09
COMB CEMETERIES
FOR MRS. RANKINE.
Searchers Hear of Woman
Seen in Evergreens Who
Looked Like Widow.
ACTED In A QUEER WAY
Graveyard in White Noun
tains, Where Husband Is
Buried, to Be Visited.
ACTED IN A QUEER WAY
SUICIDE THEORY WEAKER
Apartment Fails to Show Indi-
cation Of Her Contemplating
Self-Destructi0n.

After the lapse OF full week since
the unaccountable disappearance Of
Mrs. Annette *. Rankine hope that
she may yet be restored to her family
and friends was revived with several
notable developments yesterday. A
Brooklyn man has convinced Miss
Sphinx, Mrs. Rankine's companion and
nurse, and also J. NJ. Nye, experienced
Secret Service investigator, that he
observed and addressed last Thurs
day afternoon in Evergreen Cemetery,
in the Bushwick section Of Brooklyn,
woman who was none other than the
missing widow.
1t was learned also that last week
for herself and her nurse from Mon
day, April 4, in the Hotel Touraine,
Atlantic City, and that chair car reser-
vations had been made for them on
the train leaving here at 10 o'clock that
morning. Miss Sphinx says they had
prepared to remain several weeks at
the seashore.
Mrs Ranl1ine had arranged for the
renovation and repainting of her Ian
daulet during her prospective absence
from New York. II was on Friday,
April 1. that she disappeared.
Mr.. Nye cannot reconcile himself he
said yesterday, to the belief that
woman contemplating suicide would
have done any of these things. A
search of her apartments in Il East
sixtieth street yesterday yielded no clue.
1t has been established with reasonable
certainty that Mrs. Ranlsine had no
more than $50 with her when she dis
appeared.
Funds for the expenses OF the sea-
shore trip were to have been drawn
from bank Monday morning.
Edwin Palmer. lather, of 1877 Covert
street, Brooklyn, went to Evergreen
Cemetery last Thursday afternoon be-
tween and 8 o'clock. He noticed
standing by a lot enclosure woman
who removed from her head a mascu-
line cloth crush hat and stood bare
headed in the chill drizzle. She hung
the hat on a rail post and smoothed
back ner luxuriant hair.
Seeing that she was observed the
woman turned her hack, but STOPPING
over she began to clean with piece
OF paper splashes of mud from her high
laced walking boots.
Approaching her. Palmer said: Par
don me, Madam. but hadn't you better
put on your hat? It's cold and raw
here
"oh. I guess I'm all right" was the
calm reply.
After leaving the cemetery Palmer
dropped in to visit his cousins at Ssl
Sumpter street, Brooklyn. There he
told about his cemetery adventure.
Don't you know you are giving US a
perfect description of this missing Mrs.
Rankine?" he was asked.
Palmer says he was astonished and
he told his relatives he had never seen
description OF the woman. He was
induced TO 20 to telephone and COM
municate with Miss Sphinx.
As sequel the nurse. Palmer and
William T. Mullaly. Mrs. Rankine's
brother-in-Iaw. met yesterday in Nye's
office, 50 Liberty street. Palmer had not
noticed the 'mannish four-in-hand neck
tic" nor tho ring on the woman's
finger. but his account of the woman Of
the cemetery in all other respects was so
surprisingly like Mrs. Rankine that the
three who examined him went away con-
vinced that Palmer had accosted none
other. He identified as a duplicate tho
Knox hat shown to him. He inspected
Mrs Rankines mum and said II was OF
similar fur to that OF the neckpicce he
had seen.
The dragging OF the river by the
police ceased yesterday and a systematic
search was begun among New York
cemeteries Mrs. Ranldne's mother Is
not buried in Evergreen. but in Wood
lawn.
The body OF Mrs. Rankines husband,
who died fifteen years ago, before they
had finished their honeymoon, is in
TERED at Franconia In the White Noun
tains. steps were taken yesterday 10
sift out that section.
Albert Kraft. arrested in a telephone
booth Thursday and accused OF at
tempted extortion in demanding $4,000
for the promised return of Mrs. Ran
kline by her "hidnappers." was held In
$4,000 bail by Magistrate McQuade for
hearing on April l2. Mr.. Nye expects
to recommend a medical examination Of
the prisoner. He believes Kraft belongs
in an observation ward rather than in
4.t1