Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-08-06
NO LONGER CAPTIVE
ST. LOUIS GIRL HELD IN ARKAN-
SAS AGAINST WILL LEAVES
FOR HOME.
Tells Story Of lndienities and the
Neighbors Of the Planter Are
Indignant.

Jonesboro, Ark. August 5.-Marian
Emmons, the 19-year-old girl. who
says she was held a prisoner in a
cabin five miles north of Barfield
Ark, by Thomas II. Musgrave. an &C.
centric plantation owner. has gained
her freedom and departed for st.
Louis.
She has enjoyed liberty since Sun.
day, when Deputy Sheriff William
Gibson of Blythevelle, Ark. who was
appealed to by the girls mother for
assistance, went to Musgrave's home
and demanded her release
Deputy Gibson was accompanied
to the cabin by Ben F. Brogden, who
was specially sworn, as Gibson fear
ed that he would have trouble in Sc
curing the release of the girl. Mus
grave met the deputies and Gibson in
fromed him that he had been request
ed by the Emmons girls mother to
send her home and that he would do
so.
Musgrave Immediately consented to
let the girl go. He looked at her
scornfully, the officers say. remark
ing: "You can go. if you want to-"
In a trembling voice the girl said
she would accompany the officers
Musgrave refused to permit her to
take her trunk. and still retains it.
with contents. He says he brought
and unless he is reimbursed he will
hold her wardrobe. Miss EmmOns
said she was glad to get away, even
if she had to sacrifice her belongings.
Deputies Gibson and Brogden took
the girl to Blytheville in buggy and
placed her in the Waters Hotel. to
await instructions from her mother.
The girl told some pitiful stories Of
alleged misreatment. to which she
SAYS she was subjected. Her stories
were given credence by many citizens
of Blythevi1le. 1t was not the first
time the had heard it alleged that
Nusgrave enticed young girls to his
home and made household slaves Of
thnm.
They relate stories of instances
where Girls were alleged to have been
pnticed 10 Musgrave's home and
kept there against their will for
months finally making their escape.
Three of them he married, it is said.
Two have been divorced, it is alice
cd and a suit for divorce in which
Muscrave is the plaintiff is now pend
inc in the Pulaski circuit court at
Little Rock Sentiment. is said to
ho so great against Musgrave in Mis-
siseinpi county that he has asked for
= decree from his last wife in another
rart of the state.
Many st. Louis girls. people OF this
section assert, have been brought to
his poorly furnished cabin in the
woods. and as many have made their
escape from there. 1t is stated that
Musgrave secured girls from Cincin-
natl. Memphis and Northern cities.
The exact number who answered ms
advertisements and were employed
hy him is not known. One woman,
whom he induced to marry him, 1t is
said. attempted to kill him with a re-
vo,ver. She departed the next day.
She is now defendant in the Little
Rock suit.
Divorce Record.
The records of the circuit clerk
office at Blytheville. Ark, show MUS
Grave to have obtained divorce from
Relle Musgrave. who is said to nave
loen his fourth wife, in October, 1908.
His wife did not contest the suit and
decree was granted to Musgrave
unon the testimony of negro farm
hands in his employ. They were ols-
cussed. but unless graver conditlohs
orise IT is not regarded as unlikely
that there will be any movement III
hat direction.