San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-02
MISSING GIRL
FROM EAST MAY
BEFOUND HERE
Picture Taken in Lily Pond
Is Clew to National
Mystery.
GONE TWO YEARS
Asheville, North Carolina,
Police Chief Sends
Photograph.

Mystery surrounding the disappear
| ance of Miss Marie Lance, pretty
stenographer of Asheville, n. c., more
than two years ago, may be cleared
by San Antonio police and detectives,
according to announcement made here
Saturday night.
Miss Lance has been missing since
the night of January IL, 1922, when
she disappeared from her home in
Asheville under strange circumstances.
Search for her throughout the United
States has been futile and. it is said,
she may have been murdered, rob-
bed and her body hidden.
San Antonio police Saturday night
expressed confidence Miss Lance is
still alive. A photograph of the
missing woman, which reached them
from W. Il. Messer, chief of police
of Asheyille, has been identified as
having been taken of Miss Lance in
the lily pond in Breckenridge Park.
The picture was taken in the winter
time. Miss Lane was standing on
the rock bridge.
Ernest d. Shacklett, secretary to
Police Chief Van Ripper, has COM
municated with Police Chief Messer,
advising him of the positive identifi-
cation of the spot where the photo
graph Of Miss Lance was snapped
as that of Breckenridge Park here.
The investigation here, police are con-
fident, will throw light on and per-
haps unravel the mystery.
Reported Dead Once.
Acting mpnm. mora rnnnr annnlpI
with the discovery of photograph
of Miss Lance, Chief Messer COM
municated with San Antonio authori-
ties. Written upon the back of the
photograph in the hand writing, said
to closely resemble that of Miss
Lance, were the words: "Taken in
Breckenridge. San Antonio, Texas"
Examination of the portrait by San
Antonio police disclosed the photo
graph was taken in Breckenridge
Park. The portrait of the woman
in the picture, the Ashevile police Of
fetal says, is undoubtedly that of
Miss Lance, and, that if the photo
graph is genuine developments in the
battling mystery may ultimately be
solved.
Miss Lance's whereabouts, Chief
Messer cites, have pushed an eXhaus-
tive search throughout the country
for the missing woman, though her
continued absence has led many to
believe she has been made the victim
of foul play. When she left home,
it is said, she was well supplied with
funds.
Reports that the body of Miss
Lance was found last November at
the foot of Never Sink mountains in
Berks County, Pennsylvania, near
Reading and Norristown, are given
little credence by the Asheville police
executive. While the body of a wo-
man, resembling Miss Lance in many
respects was found. Chief Messer adj
vises local authorities he doubts that
the body was that of Miss Lance.
Seek 4 Brown Eyed Man.
Local authorities. with the positive
Identification of the scene in the
photograph of Miss Lance as Brack-
enridge Park are confident they will
be able TO, through San Antonians
who may have met her during her
residence here in 1922 or 1928, TO
learn much of her and possibly I'M
cover some clue that may lead to her
fate. The investigation will include
a search Of film developing companies
in an effort to trace the negative of
the portrait.
Police are asked to seek the where
abOuts Of handsome. well-dressed.
dark skinned, brown eyed, black haired
man of striking appearance and a
professional dancer" who, according
TO Chief Messer, may have accom-
panied Miss Lance when she disap-
pearcd from home. Miss Lance is
described as having been woman
of unusual beauty, with wealth of
light, reddish brown hair and blue
eyes tinged with hazel. She is said
TO have been very fond of dancing,
was well educated and very temper
amental.
Police are now devoting their at
tentiOn TO finding some trace Of Miss
Lance in San Antonio at the time
the photograph of her was taken here.
Officers feel certain they will be
able to reach one or more San An
tonians who may have became &C
nuainfo1 With