Evening star., 1949-05-25
Girl, ;, Missing
In Storm, Found
Asleep on Ledge
Uninjured After FolI
As Feet Into Vines
From Cliff Over River

A 3-year-old girl who wandered
from her home near Indian Head,
Md, just before last nights thun-
derstorm was rescued early today
from a precarious perch halfway
down the side of a 90-foot cliff
which forms the Maryland bank
of the Potomac River.
The girl, Margaret Laverne
James, was found soaked but un-
hurt at am. eight hours after
her disappearance touched of a
search by 500 civilians. soldiers,
Marines and Navy personnel
She was clad in a lightweight
blue dress. with no shoes or coat.
Lamps of men crawling UP the
cliff picked up the child lying
asleep in a clun1p of honeysuckle.
The party was headed by
George M. Craig. 36, a civilian
mechanic at the Governments
Potomac Heights housing project.
Other members of the group were
James Grinder. 20; Robert Nor
gan. II, and Edward Lewis, %.
The spot, about 500 yards from
the girls home, was on a narrow
ledge. Rescuers said that If she
had taken few more steps she
would have fallen into the river
which at that point sweeps against
the bottom of the cliff.
They said she apparently had
stumbled at the top of the cliff
and fallen about As feet before
being caught in a clump of honey
suckle vines.
Taken to the Indian Head Com
munity Center, the child was ex-
amined by DR.. Virginia Harris. a
pediatrician for the State Health
Department. DR.. Harris, who lives
at Indian Head with her husband,
DR.. William A. Harris. deputy
health officer for Charles County,
said the girl was uninjured but
was suffering slightly from expo
sure and would be re-examined
later today.
IT feel fine. daddy" the child
told her father. Sergt. Homer
James, who is stationed at An
drews Air Force Base.
- Sergt. James was notified last
night of his daughters disap-
pearance and rushed to the scene
ahead of buses loaded with 200
soldiers who had been assigned
to the search.
The girls mother, Mrs. Myrtle
James, is in La Plata jail in de-
fault of $120 collateral on charges
of hit-and-run driving and driv-
ing with a revoked license as a
result of an accident over the
week end. ----..a.....
Neighbors said the girl and her
6-year-old sister Wanda had been
picking flowers in the rear of a
house occupied by Mrs. Agnes
De Lashmutt. who had been car
ing for the children.
They said Mrs. De Lashmutt
summoned the children because
of the approaching storm. Wanda
came in shortly afterwards. but
Margaret Jagged behind.
After several minutes search
was begun which was soon joined
by neighbors. They carried on
the hunt for an hour. AS dark
ness closed in some one called
Leo Schwartz, general manager of
the group of 500 houses. compris-
ing the Potomac Heights project,
where the child lives. Mr..
Schwartz notified the State Police
and powder factory authorities.
who responded by sending a detail
Of men from the Waldorf police
barracks and a detachment OF
military personnel.
They were followed by fire ap-
paratus, wrecking trucks and pri-
vate vehicles. In a few minutes
hundreds of men were milling
about the area. Taking over di-
rection of the search. Mr..
Schwartz assembled the men in
the community center and organ
lied them into groups.
Meanwhile rumors filtered in
that a child had been heard cry
ing somewhere along the river
front. Spurred by this report,
searching parties went down to
the rivers edge while other par
ties looked along the top of the
bank. Then the two groups moved
along toward each other.
One party spotted Margaret
Just a few seconds before the de-
scending band reached the spot