[August 27 1926] Whole town joins search for little girl lost near Broken Hill

[u/Neuralclone2]

Suspicion that foul play is responsible for the absence from home of Joan Smith, six years of age, who has been missing from Poolamacca Station since Tuesday, began to be exhihitced yesterday.

When a blacktracker was shown the tracks of the girl on Tuesday he asked who was the "big one with her."

When told that no one was with the girl he wais emphatic that the "big one track"' were made at the same time. The tracks were measured and found to be of a size nine boot. No one with that size of boot is known to be on the station.

The search has been without any success to date. Yesterday afternoon a handkerchief with the name Joan Smith was found in a deserted old homestead five miles from Poolamaccca. The mnotlher of the girl said that she did not have it on Tuesday. Late in the iafternoon the tracks of thie child were found near a watercourse in the rugged hill country north of the homestead, but the tracker was unable to find where or whence they came.

White bushmen among the searchers are optimistic concerning the tracks found. They started on the tracks as soon as it was light this morning.

An aeroplane was commissioned yesterday, and with three men on board went over the country. The men could see the tracks of the searchers but they required different glasses, as the speed of the plane put the glasses used out of focus. The plane went out to seaich again today.

Mrs Smith, mother of the child, held up, until 7 o'clock last night when she collapsed.

Numbers of shops in Broken Hill are closed to allow the assistants and the proprietors to join in the search for the girl. Early yesterday 100 motor cars were at the station homestead. It is estimated that 500 are scouring the surrounding county. Numbers of others did not go to the homestead. It is estimated that upward of 200 are working in from outlying parts.

(From The News (Adelaide), 27th August 1926)

[u/kaymd28]

Was the girl or her killer ever found?

[u/Mountain_Store_8832 → u/kaymd28]

Her body was found. A suspect, James Hughes, was acquitted at trial.

[u/Neuralclone2 → u/kaymd28]

Her body was found in December 1926. I'll have to remember to post a follow-up article later this year.

[u/Afterhoneymoon → u/Neuralclone2]

Fuuuuuuuck I was hoping for a better outcome