The Mankato free press., 1923-09-14
HELEN FRANCIS
T.. FINALLY FOUND
She Is Located After Two
Weeks Search
WAS SAFE : SOUND
Pine City Girl Working In
Minneapolis Home AS
Domestic


girl. who has been missing for two
weeks. was found Friday night
wolkIng as a maid at the home OF
Mr.. and Mrs. Morgan, 1916 Henne-
pin avenue. Minneapolis.
Helen, who is fourteen years old,
disappeared en- route TO Minneapolis
from her farm home. Until Mrs.
Morgan telephoned Minneapolis po-
hce neadQua4 Iers Frluay nlgnL aad
asked a detailed description oI Ine
child, she mad eluded an intensive
seaIch conducted py her parents,
reIalRes, the ponce department and
private detectives She had been
working, she said, to earn money To
pay her way though art school.
To Mrs. Morgan the girl was
known as Helen Thompson, an or
phan, who had lived at Cooper,
Minn. This was the name helen
gave when she called Mrs. Morgan
on the day of her disappea. ance
and applied 1or position as d maid.
When she found the position had
not been tilled, she hired q taxicab
and arrived al the Morgan home.
She told Mrs. Morgan she was sew
enteen years old, that she had been
living at Cooper with a maiden aunt
who had died q short time before.
In the two weeks in which she was
MISSING Mrs. Morgan said, Helen
had es AIDED every effort to link her
with the missing girl.
Friday night, MRS. Morgan called
Mrs. Georgiana Sharrot, police wo-
man. Helen then was taken to Mrs.
Sharrott's home where she was met
by her father and two cousins. She
returned TO Pine City.
Helen Francis had been visiting
relatives in Vernon Center and II
NASHVILLE en- route from that village
to Pine City she disappeared from
view.
Was Quite Clever
To Mrs. Morgan, the girl was
known at Helen Thompson, an or
phan. who had lived at Cooper,
MINI. This was the name Helen
gave when she called Mrs. Morsa
from the Great Northern railroad
station on the day Of her. disap-
pearance and applied for a position
as a maid.
When she found the position had
not been filed, she hired taxi
cab at the station and arrived at
, the Morgan home with the news
paperl In which she had been read
ing the Help Wanted" column.
still In her hands.
She told Mrs. Morgan that she
was seventeen years old, that she
mad been living at Cooper with q
maiden aunt who had died a short
lime before. She was hired.
She Eyaded Questions
During the two weeks in which
she was missing, Mrs. Morgan said.
Helen had evaded every effort TO
link her with the missing girl. At
one time Mr.. Morgan asked her:
Helen, have you ever been in
Pine City?"
why, no." she replied, ~I don't
even know where II is"
When Mr.. Morgan questioned her
further on the disappearance, she
Yes, I've been reading about
kidnapped her"
Friday night Mrs. Morgan de-
cided to test her suspicious, even
though the printed photographs OF
the missing girl bore no resemb-
lance to her maid.
confesses To PolIcewoman
q. She called Mrs. Georgiana Shar-
rott, policewoman, and asked for a
detailed description Of the girls
clothing on the day she disappear
ed: It settled definitely Helen's
identity,
Mrs. Sharrott called at the home
and the girl confessed. Helen then
was taken to Mrs. Sharrotts home,
a201 Clinton avenue, where she
was met by her father, Hugh Fran
els, and a cousin, II. w. Francis,
1887 Nokomis avenue, at whose
home the father had been staying,
, while searching for his daughter.
Helen told her father that she
decided while on the train that she
would work to- pay her way
through art school. Her only wor-
~. she said, was the anxiety which
her disappearance caused her par
ents. Helen viii return to Pine City
with her father today, and has
agreed to finish high school
Earlier In the day Mr.. Francis
received letter from the girl.
which she had written ip response
TO an appeal from her mother. The
letter failed to give her where
abouts, but said that she was AL
right"