The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-01-27
RANSOM I R 4 ?
IS FUTILE
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been making ransom demands was
sprung secretly late yesterday but
failed to produce results. Under
pre-arranged plans $4,000 III bills
was brought to Springfield from
New York on forenoon train. 1G
was dropped at an appointed place
inside q Springfield departments
Police watched and waited but
the writer Of the so-called ransom
letter. failed to appear.
Find Coat In Detroit
DETROIT, Jan. 27.-Search for
Francis st. John Smith, missing
Smith College girl. was renewed
with energy here today, on the
strength Of the latest clue-d1s-
coverv of a coat resembling the
one Of the New York heiress wore
when she disappeared.
The coat OF reddish brown cloth
trimmed with fur collar and cuffs
and bearing the label Of q New
york garment house was turned
over to police from the offices OF
Heston Associates, 1900 Washing
ton Boulevard Building.
The coat had been left &C
meeting on January IL Of about
500 girls who answered Q want 40
promising steady work. Mrs. Lilly
Hervig, personnel manager Tor tha
Heston Associates said she nad
noticed the wearer Of the coat dur
ing the meeting and identified her
as bearing a resemblance 70 the
missing girl.
NEW YORK, Jan. 27.--Lydard II.
Horton, Boston psychoanalyst, has
consented to aid the search Tor
missing Frances st. John Smith.
Announcement of the retention OF
Prof. Horton, a pupil OF the late
William James, was made by Major
Stanley Washburn at the home OF
Miss Smiths parents, Mr.. and Mrs
st. John Smith.
1t was explained by Major Washs
burn. a family friend. that Prof.
Horton will undertake to recon-
struct the mental background OF the
missing girl. He hopes to evolve q
theory which may throw light on
the missing girl. He hopes to
evolve a theory which may throw
light on the mystery, and prcbable
itinerary of the girl under various
but specific conditions of mind.
the Smith family said:
''In the absence Of any clues
whatsoever, our only hopes lie In
trying to piece together the girl
probable mental state. We feel
that good psychoana1yst would
see matters more clearly than the
ordinary investigator. To that end
we are asking Boston man who
has had great success in his pri-
vate work among persons who
possess or imagine they possess
inhibitions or repressions.
Shy. Timid Girl
Now Frances had a good home,
but anyone who knows children at
all Is familiar with the fact that
boys and girls just approaching
or having reached adult life enter
tain fancies which are sometimes
inexplicable. Frances was a girl
of extraordinary sound morals
that has been established to the
satisfaction of all investigators. And
of course it was well known to be
the fact in her home.
Frances also had every care and
attention. The fact is. however, she
was a rather shy, tirnid sort of girl
and a very gentle child. She may
have harbored certain fancies which
led her to try to escape from an
imaginary environment which actu-
ally might have been self-created,
but so real as to irnpel her to some
sort of flight.
However, only the trained scieIi-
tific mind. aided by many expert.
ences and familiar with the quirks Of
childish fancies can piece these ele-
ments together in a proper manner.
If this Boston scientist, regarded an
a leader in his field. cannot under.
take the case. then others. will be-
asked to contribute toward solving
the mystery"