Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-01-27
CHURCH UNDER
SERIOUS CHARGE
Stolen Ring Leads to More Serious
Developments in Crime

Hazel Morehouse. the sixteen year
old girl who was recently sent to a
rescue home in Spokane by the Sal
walton army. has confessed to Chief
of Police McGovern to having stolen
from the NJ. C. Peterson iswelry
store the ring which was recently
pawned by Arthur Church and r. +,
Roy to the proprietor of the Horseshoe
saloon. Besides drawing the above |
confession from the girl the Chief |
succeeded in extracting from her the |
confession that she has frequently In
the last two or three months sustain
ed improper relations with Arthur
Church, and she alleges that her ruin
by Church was accomplished by force
on his part on their way home from
a dance last New Years from La
Crosse.
| ihG bhAs FiAAAg VfWhAAht WANA
Church and r. e. Roy were arrested
on suspicion of having stolen the
ring from the Peterson jewelry store,
was In Spokane, and II was there
that the Chief of Police interviewed
her and secured the above confes-
sions. After arresting her he brought
her back to the city and she is now
in custody of the police and appears
> as a witness against Church at this
afternoons preliminary examination
on the charge OF statutory rape.
When first questioned as to her
part in the jewelry thefts by the
:. chief, the girl denied all knowledge
: of 1t. She admitted to having given
the ring to Church and stated that
she had received It az a gift from a
cousin in the east
The chief after briefly questioning
her as to this story soon convinced
. her that It could not be sustained by
! facts and It was then she broke down
and confessed. He then confronted
her with having sustained improper
relations with Church. She denied
this at first, but the Chief by a few
adroit questions addressed to hei
succeeded in drawing from her the
whole story of her ruin by Church
According to the story told by this
girl, Church first accomplished hel
ruin as they were returning from 1
dance last New Years evening from
Lacrosse. She stated that she resist
ed his advances at first, and tina
when he found that he could not pre-
vail upon her to yield to his solicita
tions he used force to accomplish hi
purpose. She stated that frequently
!, since that time she has sustained II
licit relations with him, and anon
= other places mentioned the frankie
hotel.
: She stated that she had been In tn
IN city for something like four months
= She first met Church about tire
~ months ago In the city. Recent
: she was converted by the Salyatio
!. Army and after her conversion sh
was provided by them with a home
Spokane.
Arthur Church, X. e. Roy an
q Harry Church are confined In the eli
~ jail The two former were arreste
"a Friday evening and the latter Satu
"a day evening. A charge of statutoI
= rape has been preferred again
- Arthur Church. but no charges ha'
:. been preferred against either OF u
other boys, but they are held pen
ing further developments In the cas-
. All three OF them are young. A
thur says he is 10 years of age, Hari
Is 90 and Roy is said to be about /
lay All OF them are taking their inca
ceration easily and gayly. and
- while away the time the two Chur'
wn boys have composed a song in viii
a. they take ding at the police on
!, ers and prosecuting attorney.
Arthur Church when seen by
IN representative of the Press this NOR
in- ing denied ever having sustained Al
les Illicit relations with the Morehou
ttb girl. He stated that he had met L
girl about three months ago Al
that he was engaged TO marry h,
are He said he had been in her compa
her much and that he and the girl in I
ok company of Roy and another girl a
rn- several others had attended a dan
on, at Lacrosse New Years and later
tel dance at SprIngwater.
He explained to her he said II