153:. Later, at about 8 a.m., Corbett was observed leaving her room in the Clark House dormitory. When she failed to return later that afternoon, friends entered her quarters and discovered a note in Corbett's handwriting. College officials examined the note and reported that it contained the line "Mother, I am going home" and included content indicating that Corbett was in a "confused" state of mind. Corbett's father, James, showed the note to a physician who determined that she may have been suffering from mental illness at the time she disappeared.
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160:. Sterling reported to police that Corbett asked him to buy her poison a week before she disappeared. He refused the request. Police also examined letters exchanged by Corbett and Sterling indicating they recently quarreled. In December, Sterling was cleared of any involvement in Corbett's disappearance.
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In the weeks that followed, police investigated numerous reports from witnesses in nearby communities. A druggist believed he saw
Corbett on the morning of the 13th and stated that she had inquired about the local trolley schedule. Trolley crews, however, stated that no woman resembling Corbett had
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On
November 20, telephone linemen working on Whiting Peak near Mount Tom reported being held at gunpoint by a young woman resembling Corbett who demanded food and then escaped into the woods. In early December, a resident came forward claiming to have seen a girl "wearing a yellow slicker" walking
250:
Searches of urban areas, woodlands, and waterways in western
Massachusetts continued throughout the spring and summer of 1926. In January, James Corbett enlisted the help of a boatman to search the Connecticut River and in July as canals at various mills in and around Northampton were drained for
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Corbett was last seen wearing a dark dress and hat and a distinctive yellow raincoat. She was believed to be carrying $ 75 in cash, equivalent to $ 1,303 in 2023. She was described as being 20 or 21 years old, 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) tall and weighing 111 or 112 pounds (50 or
228:, around the time of Corbett's disappearance. Police linked this report with an earlier sighting of a yellow slicker floating on the same area of the river. On December 13, State Police Detective Joseph V. Daley said he believed Corbett had "wandered away" and was dead.
251:
annual maintenance, a search was made for
Corbett's body and clothing. In October 1927, James renewed search efforts of wilderness areas by publicizing a $ 1000 reward (equivalent to $ 17,540 in 2023) at the opening of hunting season.
216:, reported seeing a young woman resembling Corbett who wore a yellow rain slicker. One week after Mount Tom was searched, a witness claimed to have seen Corbett hiking in the area, spurring an additional search of the site.
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Widespread publicity of the case also produced false reports and hoaxes. In
December 1925, police and newspapers reported receiving "many" crank letters about the case. In March 1926, a resident of
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In 1933, a man from New York City confessed to killing
Corbett while living in Hadley in 1925. He later recanted, and following an investigation, police dismissed his confession as false.
188:, where Corbett reportedly enjoyed hiking. James Corbett posted a $ 500 reward (equivalent to $ 8,687 in 2023) for information leading to her discovery, and local radio stations in
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Early on the morning of Friday, November 13, Jean M. Robeson, a fellow student and friend of
Corbett, was found dead in her dormitory room as a result of accidental asphyxiation from
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235:, twice tried to collect a reward by claiming a housemaid employed at his boarding house was Corbett. In April, a middle-aged woman turned herself in to the police at
263:, another student at Smith College, vanished from her residence on campus on January 13. In March 1929, Smith's body was recovered from the Connecticut River near
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In 1936, human bones discovered in a shallow grave in
Northampton were suspected to be Corbett's, but were identified as historic
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122:(born 1905 — disappeared November 13, 1925) was an American woman who went missing in 1925 from her residence hall at
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On the day
Corbett was reported missing, college staff and students searched the campus. The following day, the
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247:. While police believed the event to be a hoax, they searched the area but discovered no new evidence.
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Before her disappearance, Corbett was dating Thomas
Sterling, a student at nearby
453:. Associated Press. 13 December 1925. p. 83 – via newspapers.com.
356:. Associated Press. 16 November 1925. p. 11 – via newspapers.com.
408:. Associated Press. 19 November 1925. p. 2 – via newspapers.com.
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336:. United Press. 14 November 1925. p. 1 – via newspapers.com.
243:. The note indicated that Corbett was being held captive in caves near
660:"Canals to be Drained in Renewed Search for Missing College Student".
400:"All Clues Fail In Hunt For Missing Utica Girl, Smith College Student"
445:"Exonerate Youth of Complicity in Disappearance of Lost College Girl"
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645:"Father Engages River Man to Help Search for Alice Corbett".
433:. 17 November 1925. pp. 1, 6 – via newspapers.com.
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51 kg), with brown or dark hair and grey or blue eyes.
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Searchers for Corbett, as published on November 19, 1925
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List of people who disappeared mysteriously: 1910–1990
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Interest in the Corbett case was revived in 1928 when
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465:"Rich Smith College Girls Vanishes From Dormitory"
294:, who also disappeared from Smith College, in 1928
96:for 98 years, 10 months and 14 days
522:"Missing Girl Student Thought Seen on Mt. Tom".
507:"Search for Smith Girl Centers in Easthampton".
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180:conducted ground searches in the area including
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705:"Police Certain Body That of Frances Smith".
8:
787:History of Hampshire County, Massachusetts
570:"Many Crank Letters About Alice Corbett".
324:"Smith College Student Vanishes Strangely"
29:
18:
777:November 1925 events in the United States
690:"Alice Corbett Mystery Two Years Later".
720:"Recants Confession to Murder of Girl".
348:"Posses Seek Missing Smith College Girl"
304:
208:ridden the line that day. Witnesses in
792:Missing person cases in Massachusetts
724:. Associated Press. 25 November 1933.
630:"Alice Corbett Sends Plea for Help".
559:. Associated Press. 14 December 1925.
555:"Missing Girl Seen on River's Bank".
541:. Associated Press. 21 November 1925.
526:. Associated Press. 21 November 1925.
496:. Associated Press. 16 November 1925.
7:
694:. Associated Press. 16 January 1928.
679:. Associated Press. 20 October 1927.
675:"Again Seek Body of Alice Corbett".
649:. Associated Press. 21 January 1926.
615:"Tells Queer Tale to State Police".
574:. Associated Press. 4 December 1925.
537:"Suspect Corbett Girl as "Bandit"".
492:"Search for Smith College Junior".
739:. Associated Press. 31 March 1936.
709:. Associated Press. 30 March 1929.
604:. Associated Press. 12 March 1926.
589:. Associated Press. 10 March 1926.
14:
802:History of women in Massachusetts
664:. Associated Press. 30 July 1926.
585:"Alice Corbett Thought in Troy".
425:"Fail in Search for Missing Girl"
16:1925 American missing person case
735:"Skeleton Not Alice Corbett's".
634:. Associated Press. 2 May 1926.
380:. November 13, 1925. p. 14
600:"Domestic Not Alice Corbett".
473:. November 28, 1925. p. 3
292:Frances Smith (missing person)
220:down an embankment toward the
1:
196:, broadcast her description.
130:. Her case remains unsolved.
76:November 13, 1925 (age 20/21)
807:20th-century American women
757:People from Utica, New York
481:– via newspapers.com.
388:– via newspapers.com.
823:
782:Northampton, Massachusetts
767:1920s missing person cases
241:Northampton, Massachusetts
190:Springfield, Massachusetts
174:Massachusetts State Police
128:Northampton, Massachusetts
368:"College Girl Found Dead"
107:James H. Corbett (father)
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329:Press & Sun-Bulletin
214:Westfield, Massachusetts
237:Cheshire, Massachusetts
707:Press and Sun Bulletin
617:North Adams Transcript
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772:1925 in Massachusetts
572:Burlington Free Press
494:Burlington Free Press
226:Hadley, Massachusetts
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194:Schenectady, New York
110:Emma Corbett (mother)
35:Corbett's photo from
797:Smith College people
334:Binghamton, New York
511:. 17 November 1925.
138:Born and raised in
737:Fitchburg Sentinel
662:Fitchburg Sentinel
647:Fitchburg Sentinel
405:The Ithaca Journal
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539:Asbury Park Press
222:Connecticut River
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54:Alice M. Corbett
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43:16 November 1925
38:The Boston Globe
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23:Alice M. Corbett
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475:. Retrieved
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384:November 19,
382:. Retrieved
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151:gas lighting
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210:Easthampton
79:Northampton
73:Disappeared
751:Categories
299:References
265:Longmeadow
184:in nearby
178:Boy Scouts
176:and local
134:Background
277:remains.
255:Aftermath
182:Mount Tom
281:See also
144:New York
65:New York
186:Holyoke
101:Parents
94:Missing
192:, and
90:Status
85:, U.S.
67:, U.S.
140:Utica
61:Utica
479:2023
386:2023
212:and
57:1905
50:Born
224:in
126:in
41:of
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378:AP
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