Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-13
Girl Prefers Prison
to Separation from
Her Sweetheart
Declines Proffered Bali
Unless Lover Is Also
Given Liberty
Beautiful Young Girl of Oakland Who
EIoped to Los Angeles, COM
posedIy Talks of Her
Troubles

Prison walls with the man she loves,
or the right to go free while he re-
mained behind the bars.
These were the alternatives which
yesterday confronted Estelle Cunning
ham, the seventeen-year-old girl who
eloped from Oakland Saturday with
Harry II. Holly and who was arrested
in company with him Monday night in
Los Angeles.
Early yesterday morning Mr.. and
Mrs. David w. Cunningham of 627
West Eighteenth street called at the
city jail and were admitted to see Miss
Cunningham. They offered her bail If
she would go with them, but they
would not do the same for her lover,
and rather than accept that which was
not extended him the girl declared she
would stay in Jail.
Quite Self-Possessed
She was sitting. in the matron's room
last night with Lulu Griggs, the girl
who is accused of accepting bribe to
leave Paris, Mo-. so that she would not
be present at the trial of a man who
is said to have deserted his wife and
family to run away with her.
They were talking quietly when en-
tered with the matron. Neither of the
girls was as l expected to see her.
Miss Cunningham, who is beautiful
girl and would be considered attractive
l,.I
turned as the matron called her name,
and a tight line around her lips be-
came a little more firm. She greeted
me with composure such as few wo-
men of twice her age could command
You want to see me? l am sorry
but have really nothing to say and
she tossed her head little to one side.
Now that you are here will see you,
but l did not want to say anything
more.
Il began by telling people what was
really the truth, but 1T was misunder-
stood and now I will say nothing.
Whatever is the truth will come out
some day. and if it does not, it cannot
be helped.
YES, 1 refused to be released today
because Mr.. Holly had to stay here. If
they had been willing to bail him out
l would have gone, but not otherwise.
Determined to Marry
What am 1 going to do? 1t would
be foolish to say what I am going to
do. 1t is foolish for anyone to say, for
things have to take their course
when a girl makes up her mind to
marry man, she is as good as mar
ried to him, in my mind. When my
mind is made up it is made up to stay.
mo, 1 really canot say why my
mother objected to Mr.. Holly. 1 do not
f1Un cicta IN
the family the sisters are more apt to
be chums, and then one girl does not
confide in her mother quite as much as
she might otherwise.
"Yes, l know all Mr.. Holly's people.
] really could not say whether they
wanted us to be married. We did not
take into consideration whether or not
anyone else wanted us to get married.
mo, told no one that / was going
to be married"
Pretty and Well Dressed
The words were uttered quietly but
determinedly and after each sentence
the girl closed her lips firmly as if to
say, this will be the last"
1t seemed hardly possible to imag-
inc that she is only seventeen years
of age She was dressed in perfect
taste. Her hair, which is beautiful
shade of brown, was drawn back from
her face in soft pompadour. and her
dark brown eyes were yelled beneath
long lashes Her gown, which con-
sisted of dark brown silk, made In
good style, was the most becoming
thing she could have chosen. There
was nothing about her which would
suggest anything but refinement. In
all her refusals her tone was quiet,
patient and determined.
people think I am much older, but
Il.r nNd snD
said. "On the boat the friends l made
guessed that I was twenty-four and
twenty-five, but none of them ever
thought could be seventeen.
IT have been out of school only a
few months. 1 graduated at the Oak
land high school last June. 1 have
known Mr. Holly about four years.
Admits Big Mistake
YES, we made one big mistake. We
should have been married sooner If
we had known that we could have been
married on the boat 1t would have
been all right, but we did not know,
mo, have not seen Mr. Holly since
| came into the jail" and with that
the girls lips quivered, and the feel
ing which she had been trying to hide
came very near to appearing on the
surface.
"Have you seen his picture? That is
the least l can DO. l VIII snow you
that" and she pulled tiny locket on
tiny gold chain from her dress
"The matron was so good-she went
down stairs and got 1t for me today,
have worn it long time. l wanted it,"
IN these few words she expressed
more feeling than the average girl
would put into as many dozen.
Il don't know how long we will have
to stay here, but the matron is very
\ ~ ,to oh continued.
mo, | do not think my mother real
izes what my position here Is, or she
would noe want to keep me this way,
Ll.-.--LL....oL -. Ilnm.n NIna-I