From the March 27, 1894 edition of the New York Tribune:

She Fled Without Her Hair

The Strange Disappearance of Girl Who Cut Off Her Tresses and Carefully Left Them on the Bed.

Jane Hanihan, twenty-one years old, who had been employed as a chambermaid at the Newsboys’ Lodging House, at Duane and New Chambers sts., for the last sixteen months, was reported missing yesterday at Police Headquarters by her mother, who lives at No. 12½ Washington-st.

The girl slept at the lodging-house with the cook. About 5:30 o’clock yesterday morning she arouse and, without giving any explanation, cut off her hair, which she left on the bed, wrapped in a paper. She then left the building, with a black sacque thrown over her head. No trace of her has since been obtained. She wore a black skirt and button shoes.

Jane’s mother was seen last night at No. 12½ Washington-st. She said her daughter was a girl of good habits, and, so far as she knew, Mrs. Hanihan feared that her daughter had met with foul play, as she had no reason to believe that she had made away with herself.

Mrs. Heig, the matron of the Newsboys’ Lodging House, said that she knew of no reason why Jennie should go away. It was learned from several of the employes [sic] of the Lodging House that on Sunday morning there had been some trouble about the quantity of milk put in the coffee when it was made. Jennie, by accident, put in much more than was necessary, and was called to account for this. Jennie was a sensitive girl, and she and another girl, named Ellen Prochen, sent out and bought milk enough to make up for the loss, paying for it with their own money. For several days past Jennie had been feeling down-hearted. On Sunday evening about 6 o’clock, she met one of the men employed about the building, and asked him if any of the drugstores were open. She said that she wanted to buy some paris green, but she did not go out at that time.

Some friends of the family declare their belief that the girl committed suicide.