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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 2017)
COFFEE BREAK Saturday, August 26, 2017 East Oregonian Page 5C OUT OF THE VAULT Pendleton nurse found insane in Portland after disappearance W hen Nellie Baker of Pendleton left for Portland in June 1912 to serve as a private nurse, her mother thought nothing of it. Three weeks later, Nellie was found in a padded cell in a Portland jail after she was discovered wandering the streets in a state of insanity. Nellie Baker was a 26-year-old nurse who periodically performed private nursing duties for Pendleton residents. She told her mother she was approached by a Miss Huntington to accompany her to Portland as a nurse and companion. The two women supposedly left for the city on June 23 and took rooms at a Portland boarding house. Nellie sent several letters to her mother about their trip, but her last communication was received in Pendleton on July 5. At about the same time, the landlady of the Portland boarding house noticed that Nellie had not visited her room for three days, but had left all her personal belongings behind. She immediately called the police. On July 15, Nellie was identified as an inmate of a padded cell in the Multnomah County jail, where she had been since July 3. She had been found wandering the streets of Portland, completely insane, and was unable, or unwilling, to hear or speak since her incarceration. Pendleton police began their investigation by attempting to locate the mysterious Miss Huntington, but could locate no one by that name in town. Nellie’s mother insisted that her daughter had received a call from a woman on the north hill and had gone to talk to her. A taxi arrived early the next morning to take Nellie to the train, but no one at the station saw the young nurse in anyone’s company, and the brakeman of the train testified that Nellie traveled to Portland alone. This led investigators to theorize that “Miss Huntington” was a figment of Nellie’s imagination, and that she had already been suffering from some kind of mental breakdown before she left Pendleton. But friends, including a Pendleton doctor, insisted Nellie was perfectly rational when they talked with her prior to her departure for Portland. Portland police were criticized for not identifying Nellie earlier, as Pendleton police had sent her description and a photo when she disappeared in early July. But in their defense, Portland officers related that when she was picked up Nellie was using the name Gertrude Wilson, and she gave a lurid story of an attempted abduction into white slavery. She told officers that she and her mother had moved from Minnesota to Stanfield several weeks prior to her disappearance, where they had attempted to start a chicken ranch. Their endeavor had failed and they lost all their money, and she had gone to Portland on the promise of a job. When she arrived, Nellie said, she had been met at the train station by the husband of her alleged employer, who had attacked her and attempted to drag her into a taxi. She had escaped from him just before the police spotted her on July 3, she claimed. Portland police had taken Nellie to Stanfield in an attempt to find her mother. “Gertrude” had told them her mother dressed like a man, and lived in a hut there. When her mother couldn’t be located, Nellie jumped out a second-story window of the hotel where she was staying and hid in the sagebrush, but was soon found. On her return to Portland she was put in a straitjacket and locked in a padded cell at the jail for her own safety. Nellie’s mother telegraphed Portland authorities that she would travel there to make arrangements for her daughter’s care. On July 17 a letter from Nellie’s sister said that Nellie had regained her powers of speech and had briefly admitted that the Miss Huntington story was a complete fabrication, but later recanted. A piece of clothing known to have been worn by Nellie when she left Pendleton was found, badly torn, but no cause was ever found. ■ Renee Struthers is the Community Records Editor for the East Oregonian. See the complete collection of Out of the Vault columns at eovault.blogspot.com DEAR ABBY Teen doesn’t want to stumble in approach to longtime crush “shameful” to ask for advice. Dear Abby: I understand that Call her and ask how her a 15-year-old guy writing for summer has been. If you did relationship advice is shameful anything interesting, tell her and that I’m probably better off about it. Then ask her if she’s not worrying about relationships seeing anybody special. If she in the first place, but I’m still says no, ask if she’d like to go gonna try. to a movie, a sporting event or I’m in high school, and I’m on a hike with you — depending searching for a relationship with Jeanne a certain girl. I’ve known her for Phillips upon her interests. I can’t guar- antee it will get you the response eight years, and I always had a Advice you’re hoping for, but at least little-kid crush on her, but it’s you will know where you — evolved over time and we’ve gotten closer. We used to talk a lot. She and she — stand. Dear Abby: My daughter will turn was in a relationship then. Even though we had feelings for each other, she 6 soon, and she is a lovely, wonderful child. The only thing is, my parents and stayed loyal to him. Well, a couple months ago they I have spoiled her a tad. broke up. As far as I know, she’s single, Holidays have always been cele- but we don’t really talk much anymore. brated with lots of gifts. I’m starting A couple times I’ve started conver- to worry that perhaps she’s becoming sations with her, but they are usually too materialistic. What’s the proper short-lived. etiquette for requesting no gifts on her She knows I have feelings for her, birthday invitations? And how do I but nothing has happened. She’s the one respond if they ask why? — Spoiled In I want and now’s my opportunity, but Washington I don’t want to ruin the small chance I Dear Spoiled: I don’t think it’s have. I’m afraid she won’t be single for necessary to state on the invitation “no long. — Wants To Try In Ohio gifts.” There are ways to teach children Dear Wants To Try: It is not that there are other, less-fortunate children in this world. One way would be to volunteer at an organization that serves the under- privileged so your daughter can see for herself how lucky she is. Another would be to do as some other parents do: Mention on the birthday invitation that any gifts will be donated to a cause you and your daughter agree upon. And if you are asked why, be honest and upfront about it. Dear Abby: I feel uncomfortable when people end conversations with “I love you.” It creeps me out when a man does it. I always thought those words were reserved for someone you are inti- mate with, such as a spouse or possibly one’s children. Am I wrong to think “I love you” has become meaningless from overuse? Or am I just a weird guy? — Uncomfortable In Texas Dear Uncomfortable: It’s not uncommon for good friends of both sexes to say “Love you” or “I love you” to each other as well as to extended relatives. In my opinion, it’s healthy for people to express their feelings, because there’s never too much love. Our world could use more expressions of it, not fewer. DAYS GONE BY 100 Years Ago From the East Oregonian Aug. 26-27, 1917 Ray McCarroll, well known local wrestler, was out hunting in the Fly valley last week with a party of men in search of bruins. Ray had separated from the others who had the dogs with them, and rode down a canyon to find bear sign. All of a sudden his horse reared and snorted like a trumpet-call. At the same moment a big, shaggy black animal reared itself not 25 feet away and whistled defiance through its nose. Ray says he’s a pretty good judge of distance and swears that the animal was nine feet in the air if it was an inch. With arms outstretched and eager, old Bruin made for the local champion. The horse aided Ray in his indecision by manifesting a desire to leave the bear behind. The way they traveled down the canyon would have delighted the soul of a moving picture operator. 50 Years Ago From the East Oregonian Aug. 26-27, 1967 Speeches, Indian war dances, Round-Up and Happy Canyon royalty, square dancers and plenty of spectators were part of the dedication ceremonies at the Round-Up Pavilion Friday night. The audience appeared to enjoy master of ceremonies Fred Hill, who intro- duced persons instrumental in construc- tion of the building — although he occasionally had trouble remembering their names. At one point he lost his list of names and turned to the platform of guest speakers for help. “Tonight I think I’d have trouble remembering my own name,” he chuckled. Once the speech making was over, more than 100 square dancers stomped the pavilion floor until midnight. About 500 persons attended the dedication. 25 Years Ago From the East Oregonian Aug. 26-27, 1992 An 18-year-old Hermiston woman, Jill Peterson, will represent Oregon in the 14th annual Miss TEEN National Pageant. Peterson was named Oregon Miss TEEN at the recent state pageant in Portland. Her parents are Tom and Jackie Peterson of Hermiston. TEEN stands for Teens Encouraging Excel- lence Nationally. Teenage contestants are judged on scholastic achievement, volunteer service, talent, personal interview and formal presentation. At the state level, Peterson won the talent and formal presentation categories, along with the title. The pageant will be staged from Nov. 21-28 in the eastern Caribbean aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line ship “Norway.” THIS DAY IN HISTORY Today is the 238th day of 2017. There are 127 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing American women’s right to vote, was certified in effect by Secretary of State Bain- bridge Colby. On this date: In 1789, France’s National Assembly adopted its Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. In 1817, the University of Michigan was founded. In 1939, the first televised major league baseball games were shown on experimental station W2XBS: a double- header between the Cincin- nati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. (The Reds won the first game, 5-2, the Dodgers the second, 6-1.) In 1944, French Gen. Charles de Gaulle braved the threat of German snipers as he led a victory march in Paris, which had just been liberated by the Allies from Nazi occupation. In 1957, the Soviet Union announced it had successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile. In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson was nominated for a term of office in his own right at the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In 1968, the Democratic National Convention opened in Chicago; the four-day event that resulted in the nomination of Hubert H. Humphrey for president was marked by a bloody police crackdown on antiwar protesters in the streets. In 1972, the summer Olympics games opened in Munich, West Germany. In 1978, Cardinal Albino Luciani of Venice was elected pope following the death of Paul VI; the new pontiff took the name Pope John Paul I. (However, he died just over a month later.) In 1986, in the so-called “preppie murder case,” 18-year-old Jennifer Levin was found strangled in New York’s Central Park; Robert Chambers later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and served 15 years in prison. In 1996, Democrats opened their 42nd national convention in Chicago. Today’s Birthdays: Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is 72. Rhythm-and-blues singer Valerie Simpson is 72. Pop singer Bob Cowsill is 68. Broadcast journalist Bill Whitaker is 66. Actor Brett Cullen is 61. NBA coach Stan Van Gundy is 58. Jazz musician Branford Marsalis is 57. Country musician Jimmy Olander (Diamond Rio) is 56. Actor Chris Burke is 52. Actress-singer Shirley Manson (Garbage) is 51. Rock musician Dan Vickrey (Counting Crowes) is 51. TV writer-actress Riley Weston is 51. Rock musician Adrian BURNS MORTUARY of Hermiston & Hermiston Crematory 685 W. Hermiston Ave. Hermiston, Oregon (541) 567-6474 www.burnsmortuaryhermiston.com 60 63 59 15 47 67 71 56 SATURDAY EVENING $ 5.00 BUY-IN (6 ON - 5 UP) DOUBLE PAY PACKS www.bingoblvd.com 6222 W. 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