While my hypothesis may seem a bit over-the-top, I have some confidence in it for the following reasons:
1. The ship's manifest is a documented conjunction of CTR and a 16 year old girl named Sophie.
2. I have been privileged during my life to have known some girls who at 16 were adventurous enough and clever enough to have staged similar stunts. When asked who she was, she did what any intelligent person would do -- she lied. As a 16 year old blue eyed blonde (according to the ship's record), Sophie may have appealed more to the protective instincts of any policeman than to their primitive 1910 tech forensic skills. They held her for questioning. She wouldn't have been expected to have any kind of ID - she's a cute kid who's acting a little funny - obviously infatuated with Pastor Russell. Is it uncommon for 16 year old girls to be infatuated with older men? HA HA! She, being quick of wit and with robust survival skills, would have given a false name and hometown and assured the officer that she would go home. The cop would let her go, knowing he had a great story to share in the precinct house the next day. The reporter, hanging out at the precinct house, would have recognized the appeal of the story and wrote what he heard.
The only part of the story that I find disturbing is the suggestion that Sophie may have been sent to Bellevue Hospital, the famous NY mental hospital that served as a model for Arkham Asylum. Back in 1910 you could be committed involuntarily. It would be good if the records from Bellevue in 1910 were available for scrutiny, but it seems they are not.
The 1910 census was taken in April, and the article was written in August. Our Sophie was living with the Carson family in August. I hope Sophie what's-her-name had a long and happy life, but the possibility exists that it was otherwise. She was born in approximately 1892, so we can be sure she is not available for interviews at this time.