The Washington times., 1906-10-12
Preacher and DeSerter
From Navy Caught
After Five Years
Of Liberty.
BETRAYAL CAUSED BY
HIS RECENT MARRIAGE
Old Sweetheart Threatened,
He Says, to Murder
Woman He
Married.

Youthful indiscTeti0n, enlistment in the
United States Navy as a refuge from a
woman, desertion from the navy. refor-
nation. and work in the service OF God,
his betrayed 10 the pursuing officers Of
the navy by the woman who wanted TO
avenEe herself. his escape from a train
bearing him 10 confinement-these are
the prominent chapters in romantic
life story. the story OF the Rev. James
r Slayton. jr., Of Myersdale. Pa. who
was married 20 "a lovely girl in this city
a few weeks ago. and who Is wanted by
the authorities on a charge OF deseTtiOn-
SiaytOn is in Washington now, and
this afternoon he win walk 10 the Navy
Department and give himself up with
the plea that justice may be meted out
90 him al the earliest moment possible
so that the suspense Of his young wife
may be done away nth ~=3..!ii
Mine IS a hard story" said Afr.
Slayton today ''ae I-ar7 ~- ----'
five years I had
without attemptiT
authorities. Last
announced that /
ried. a woman fTOI
pursued me fer ~
town and threafe
woman ] married.
Disregard
'I disregarded her Lhre
she notified the naval au f
my whereabouts a. soon a
of my marriage. The day b,
day Detective A q. Miller le
N Myersdale Pa, where
charge. fer / am a reRiils ed
minister OF the Evangelical 'n.
My young wife was pros Ter
grief was beyond idle tee 'ry
moment ! agonize Tor her welfare.
Miller put me on the train was
at the prospect OF losing my
position. my honor. ] wanted little
time. lust enough t0 get into communl-
cation with nay friends here. The train
stoned in Johnst0wn. ! left the car
through an open window while the train
was standing IN the yards iu Johns
town. From there L bought d ticket
10 Pittsburg. and from Pittsburg
bought a ticket 10 this city. / shall
give myself up TO the Navy Department
this afternoon.
Blow Follows Marriage.
..Jusr think. I have been out n. GA,
navy for I'VE years and they never --i %
10 md me Now, SIS soon as '.l.-l---
the blow fallsl'
The man. well-Hi5h Frustrated By mis-
grief, spoke slowly. heavily. the words
coming from the base Of his throat a5
II nc we're choking. In his young eyes
he IS IWenty-ulnc-Wa the mist 81
tears, but the tears never telL he coII-
n oiled himself only by Ills iron Will
Then he told The scCry Of his early
youth, told how he had started 10 work
in Cleveland Ohio. IS an interior decora-
tor when he WAS seventeen years old
frankly confessed that he was !ed
astray by woman twelve years his
senior, and made no secret of the fact
that this was Ioilo"e9 oy a'9slI'at'Oh, rs j.
gambling and riotOus living. In a Last
desperate resolve 10 end tEls kind or
living. he enlisted IN tire landsman
branch of the navy.
Unfair Struggle.
IT vas hardly a fair strupele from
the frst." he said. refectiyely. Il went
TO Cleveland and there ] became en-
tangled with q middle-aged woman.
was a boy. but I make no attempt 70
defend myself.
'It was not long before / resolved to
break away from the associations which
were running my life. The ETst time 4
told her of my intention OF leaving, she
fell over gasplng for breath and said
she had had heart attack This
WORKED on ny y III kltAAil4ta AZ NAiA -Ai--a1
times after that. ! was too young 10
know much Of human or woman nature
So. because she worked on my sym
Dathies / stayed.
Finally ] broke away. Ny business
vas ruined. / joined the navy. This
vas in 1885. In 1889. through my friend
ship with Senator Hanna. ] was pro-
noted from the landsman 10 the yeO-
man branch.
First Departure.
In 1900. ! came back from South
America and got five days leave.
wrote my sister, Mrs. r. II. Fatt, in
his city to go to the authorities and
have the leave extended for another five
laws and I went 10 Cleveland. For
some reason or other my sister, who had
yotteu the extension, did not get it 10
ne in time ! fancied I had Oyerstayed
MS leave. and. being a mere boy and
fearing the punishment ] went 20 Buf-
'aIo y. Y. hoping 20 fix things up
through friends.
mot long after thar j got into trou-
bic with the proprietor OF beer gar
5on there and was fined $50. Seeing
now things were piling up. ! tele-
graDhed the Navy Department OF my
whereabouts and told them the circum-
stances that had prevented my return
nU for duty. They wired the Boston
navy yard 10 court-martial me. This
resulted IN a sentence OF one years
was soon cOmmuted.
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