by Laurel | January 31st, 2012
14 March 1910
Discovered in the Second Level Canal Near Germania Mills — She Had Been Missing Since December.
The body of Emma Richter, 16, who had been missing from her home, 106 Brown Avenue, since December 29, was found yesterday morning about five feet below the overflow of the second-level canal near the Germania mills. The case is a pathetic one, the mother dying when her daughter was 14 years of age. Considerable criticism has been expressed in the city over the action of her father, who on the evening of her disappearance ordered her never to enter her home again, and this feeling has been augmented by statements made by him at several times since. The girl had stated her intention of committing suicide to her chums in the Skinner Silk Mill, where she worked, and had evidently planned to make away with herself. On the afternoon of December 29 she had a conference with one of her brothers, and had been persuaded to take a brighter view of her troubles. Following this conference she went to her father’s home and was ordered never to enter its doors again.
She remained there but a short time, and dressing herself in her every-day clothes, and leaving her money, she went from the house stating that they would never see her alive again. Although suicide was feared, yet her brothers hoped that she had gone out of the city, and with the help of the police department every clue was followed up and every effort was made to locate the missing girl. The efforts proving fruitless, it was at last believed that the girl had made good her thread, and on January 30 the water in the third level canal was drawn off in the hope of recovering her body. This proved unavailing and it was not until the water was drawn off in all the canals yesterday that the body was found.
The body was removed to the undertaking rooms of G. H. Foster, where the funeral will be held his afternoon at 2 o’clock, Rev. E. B. Robinson officiating. She leaves, besides her father Julius Richter, three brothers, Alderman F. Otto Richter, Eugene, a clerk at the local post office, and George A., a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and four sisters, Mrs. H. G. Young, Mrs. Richard Unterdoerfel, and Miss Ida of Holyoke, and Mrs. Fletcher of North Wilbraham.
15 March 1910
The funeral of Emma Richter was held at the undertaking rooms of G. H. Foster yesterday afternoon, Rev. E. B. Robinson of Grace Church officiating. The bearers were Eugene and Otto F. Richter, Richard Unterdoerfel, Max and Fred Ruckdeschel and Archie Fletcher of North Wilbraham. The burial was in the Forestdale cemetery. A memorial service will be held for Miss Richter at Grace Congregational church Sunday.
From The Springfield Republican.
This is part three of a three part series of posts on Emma Richter.
For part one, see: Holyoke Girl Disappears
For part two, see: Vain Search for Girl’s Body
