Pearl Buttons and a Will Deepen Lake Washington Mystery
A missing woman’s will is discovered, while two travelers stumble upon evidence at Lake Washington that deepens the mystery.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The Lake Washington mystery, as the disappearance of Miss Nellie Holgate is generally termed, continues to engross public attention. The investigation yesterday brought to light a will, but still more interesting was the recovery of ten large pearl buttons from a sack found in the lake by two men, Harry Owens and George F. Johnson. They had been walking along the shore near an old skid road when Johnson noticed the garment in about three feet of water. Meanwhile, Chief Jackson examined Miss Holgate’s room at the Vendome, and a long envelope containing insurance policies and a will were found. James Hamilton Lewis, the lawyer, advised that the seal not be broken until it is established beyond doubt that Miss Holgate is dead. The will had been drafted by Col. I. D. McCutcheon after Miss Holgate took out a $5,000 insurance policy, intending to provide for her future. The search for her body continues.
“I wonder if any one has been drowned around here?”
The disappearance of Nellie Holgate became a sensationalized obsession for the Seattle press, reflecting the era’s fascination with urban crime and private tragedy. Today, the location of her disappearance, near Madison Street and Madrona Park, remains one of the city's most beloved waterfront areas, showing how Seattle layers its darkest histories over its most picturesque public spaces.
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