Evening star., 1937-08-07
POLICE PUSH HUNT
FOR DORIS MAJOR
Possibility Cigarette Girl
May Be Amnesia Victim
Considered.


Considered.
The possibility Of amnesia was being
considered today by detectives in
vestigating the strange disappearance
OF Doris (Billy) Major, 27, attractive
cigarette girl at the Shoreham Hotel.
Friends of the girl. who has been
missing since midnight Saturday. told
police she had been working long
hours and frequently had difficulty in
getting to sleep. A note left by Miss
Major indicated she had been worry
| ing.
In this message, timed at S am
Sunday she said she was going up
the river" to swim in an effort to
make things 60 straight in my think
machine
Frequently Swan Alone.
Miss jor had been in the habit
of swimming alone in the Potomac
River above Washington at some point
she never revealed to her friends
Investigators yesterday searched the
banks and questioned rivermen with
out obtaining a clue to the location.
A check Of the clothing in her apart
ment. in the Cathedral Mansions. how
ever disclosed that she did not take a
bathing suit with her 1t was learned
further that two pairs of slacks. two
pairs of walking shoes and two riding
shirts were missing from Miss Majors
wardrobe, which otherwise seemed
complete.
Investigators were told that Miss
Major on several previous occasions
had left the city for few days with
out announcing her plans or destina-
ton to her friends It was thought
she might have slipped away for a
rest or suffered an attack of amnesia
Note Pinned TO Door.
The note, which Miss Major pinned
on the outside Of her apartment door
presumably was addressed to a friend
Miss Mary Virginia Sinner. daughter
of James Sinner drummer in the
Shoreham Hotel Orchestra.
The contents of the note follow:
10 chicken:
Its five o'clock and can't sleep
can't seem to make things 60 stra ight
In my think machine so think I'll
drive on up the river (where It's quiet
and the automobiles have brakes in
stead of horns) and swim around 4
little then pick up all the jumbled
brain children and put them in the
corner with their faces to the wall
Make yourself to home'-expect to
get back before you get this-Gts just
in case). They've got three new horses
we can have our pick of-Nice?
See you-Doris."
Miss Major was An enthusiastic
horsewoman.
A girl answering Miss Majors de-
scription had been In the habit OF
going swimming alone in the Poto-
mac just below Chain Bridge. accord
ing to a watchman stationed at the
bridge. The watchman said the girl
told him she had her "own private
swimming hole" in the river.
He said the girl would climb down
steps from Chain Bridge and dis
appear along the tow path beside the
old canal. The canal and river are
separted at this point by several nun
dred yards of tangled thickets and
heaps of stone. The watchman said.
however, he had not seen the girl
in the vicinity recently.
Reports Seeing Miss Major.
A report that Miss Major was seen
Wednesday afternoon "in a small
car like an Austin without 4 top"
on Connecticut avenue near the Ken
nedy Warren Apartments was being
investigated today.
This information was given yes
terday afternoon by Fonnie B. LAdd,
2o2s Connecticut avenue, following
publication Of stories Of the girls
disappearance. Ladd said he was
positive" about the identification
having talked with Miss Major On
several occasions.
Friends Of the girl said, however,
that she had not driven the Austin
car for several months At the time
Sne disappeared she was renting Z
car from a garage. This machine was
found in front OF her apartment Mon
day.
Miss Major, who resumed her
maiden name following her divorce
several years ago, is the mother Of
two young children, who now live with
relatives, one in Washington and the
other in New York City She is the
daughter OF Malcolm Major, Washing
ton artist.
Said She Planned Trip.
Investigators learned today that
Miss Major told Edward Cook, 4
garage man, from whom she had
rented = car, that abe planned to 70
to the mountains for several days
The girl, however, did not reveal her
intended destination.
n