Evening star., 1926-12-27
TOYS ARRIVE FOR BOY.
Houck Is Described as Being i'm Ex-
cellent Condition.

AUultiOIldl WOTQ was dWdlIcQ Dy pO-
lice here this afternoon to supple
ment the brief wire from Blytheville,
Ark, last night to the effect that a
woman answering the description of
Mrs. Gladys w. Houck, the missing
wife of DIR. Knutt Houck had passed
through that point on a train bound
for Springfield, Mo.
In the meantime neither DIR. Houck
nor any of his psychiatrist friends at
st. EliZabeth's Hospital, where he was
a member of the staff before he was
stricken with mental collapse, were
able to supply the authorities with the
names of persons Mrs. Houck might
be likely to visit in that part of the
country.
Theories for Trip.
Both DR.. Houck and friends pointed
out, however, that as an alumnus of
Northwestern University he would
probably have some old friends all
around that section whose names he
would not Immediately recall. 1t is
possible that Mrs. Houck, suffering
from a nervous breakdown herself,
would seek to reach some such desti.
nation.
1t is possible, too, that she might be
endeavoring to reach the home of
gon by a circuitous route. Two big
bundles of toys from the Oregon fam.
lily, addressed to Hugh Houck, the
3-year-Cld son. were received at st.
Elizabeth's Hospital several days ago.
They were hurried on to Canton, Ohio.
where Hugh is in the care of his wife s
parents.
Message Is Doubted.
Although DR.. Houck and his closer
associates profess continued belief
that Mrs Houck is alive, they do not
pin very serious hopes to the message
from Arkansas. At the same time the
authorities here have been requested
to expedite confirmation of the mes
sage. 1t was received from S. c..
Hardin, chief of police at Blytheville,
and read as follows:
Woman passed through here De-
cember 23 en- route from Cairo, ILL.,,
to Springfield, Mo. Have three men
who positively identified her as GLADYS
w. Houck after seeing press pictures.
Carried black grip with Washington.
d. c., haberdasher's tag. Wire de-
tailed description"
1t was recalled that DIR. Houck
some days ago gave the police the
name of friends in Cairo whom his
WaAO AiilSAI floll. 4HlS dlOHC IGnQS
hope over the clue, police said. The
detailed description was wired both to
Blytheville and Springfield last night.
but the message would not have been
delivered until this morning as tele-
graph offices at both places were
closed Sunday night.
Publicity Is Limited.
Physicians who know Mrs. Houck
well hold that the continued failure
of the police to find her either dead
or alive is stronger indication that
she is still alive. Her failure to COM
municate even with her son is ex-
planned by the fact that her memory
may even have been destroyed by the
nervous breakdown that is believed to
have struck her just before she dis
appeared.
They pointed out that little or moth
ing is printed about the case, even as
close as Philadelphia. She could
wander around for weeks, or even OBJ
tain employment, without being de-
tected, If she chose to conceal her
identity. There are domestic reasons,
too, it was explained. why she would
not wish to be found until public in
terest has turned definitely elsewhere
here, too.
DR.. Houck could not remember any
grip which Mrs. Houck may have
taken with her. He also was perplexed
as to where she could have obtained
funds either to travel so far or pur-
chase clothing with which to complete