SEARCH FOR COMPANION

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 70, 19 September 1930, Page 9

SEARCH FOR COMPANION

(From "Thp Post's" Representative.)

SYDNEY, 11th September. The. solution of the mystery caused by the discovery of a skeleton at a lonely spot near Newcastle is at last approaching solution after weeks of work by a largo squad of police and detectives. For weeks the police have beon unable or unwilling to throw any light on the matter, which was surprising seeing that the discovery of the skeleton had caused a great deal of interest throughout the State. Now they say definitely that the skeleton was that of Mary Doris Schubert, 14, formerly of Taree on the north coast of New South Wales. They are now searching for the girl's father, a man past middle age. Between Christmas and January of this year the girl anjl a man left the small township.of Coopernook for Newcastle. The man was carrying a suitcase in which the girl's clothing was packed. The girl's mother, it is alleged, believed that her daughter was to bo placed in a home at Newcastle. She had no idea what happened to the girl, and she was satisfied when the man returned home with the empty case, stating that he had left the girl safely housed.

Weeks passed, the mother not hearing anything of the whereabouts of her daughter. Having received no letter from her, she questioned the man, who is alleged to have told her that he took the girl to Sydney instead of to Newcastle. In any case, the girl soon afterwards was posted missing. When the remains were found some weeks ago at a lonely spot near Newcastle, various people viewed the cheap jewellory that was found with the bones. In the meantime a constable at Coopernook, having read the circular that was sent out by the polioe ■ headquarters, communicated with tho Newcastle police. Mrs. Schubert then went to Newcastle, and she was able to identify the trinkets as belonging to her daughter.

Mrs. Schubert also spoke of the man who, the police think, will be able to throw a great deal of light on the mystery. The trail took tho police to the Northern districts of tho State, where tho man had been working on the roads, but when they had arrived they found he had gone on his way. Tho police were able to collect some valuable information, and they found that he had cashed a money order at the local post ofllee. They followed him across the border into Queensland, but always thoy were behind their quarry, who, it is thought, returned to New South Wales and is now working outback.

An analysis of the soil near where the bones were found1 has satisfied the police that the girl was poisoned, but the circumstances in which the poison was administered remain a mystery. Sensational ' evidence regarding the life of tho girl are expected when the inquest is held. i