Evening journal., 1909-10-25
MISS SIMMS" In
PECK OF TROUBLE
Wilmington Girl Tells New
York Police She Had to
Marry Against Her viii
AUTHORITIES HOLD HUSBAND
PENDING EXAMINATION

NEW YORK, oct. 25.--A sixteen
year-old girl, pretty and in a peck of
trouble, told a remarkable story TO
Magistrate Butts in the West Side
police court on Saturday. Her name
used to be Ethel Simms, and up to a
little while ago she lived in Whining
ton, Del. She told the Magistrate
that her husband, Harry Mason OF 266
West Thirty-ninth street, had made
her marry him against her will.
This Is substantially what she told:
Il came to New York four weeks ago.
My father Is a business man in Phil
adelphia, but I don't see him very
often because ! used to live with my
grandfather in Wilmington. My moth
er is dead. My grandfather's name is
DR.. John II. Simms, and he lives at 613
French street, Wilmington. / had an
uncle who was q Judge I'm Whining
ton. His name is Joslyn
Il left Wilmington because ] want
ed to go on the stage, and 1 thought
New York was the place to come 10.
Yes. I got a place in a company. /
answered an advertisement in news
paper and I've been rehearsing for
quite a while in Neutral Hall on Ninth
avenue somewhere near Forty-second
street. II was a burlesque company,
think.
Last Tuesday I met Jimmie-that
Is the name / knew him by. / was
walking through Thirty-ninth street
and / saw him standing on the stoop
at 266 West Thirty-ninth street He
called to me and / stopped He asked
me II / was looking for a job, a good
Job as a show girl I told him yes
He asked me II wouldn't please come
up stairs, so / went. Jimmie had a
six room apartment I stayed a little
while and then l went away. / told
him / would come back again the next
afternoon. l think l must have fallen
In love with Jimmie at first sight.
Il did just as l said I'd do. When
went back again to Jimmys rooms he
showed me some pipes to smoke opium
with. He asked me II II / wouldn't try
It, I did. and IL made so sick that
had to stay there all that night When
| l woke up in the morning / was still
very sick. When 1 tried TO get out
found the door was locked"
The police say that when Ethe
found the door locked she turned or
the gas and that Mason got back JUS
in time to let in enough fresh air e
save the girls life. Ethel hersel
wouldn't say anything about that
Jimmie came back after a while.
think it must have been afternoon,
she continued. He said he wanted I,
marry me right away. 1 told him
wanted some time to think II over
but he threatened me so that I wen
with him down to the City Hall. HI
did all the question answering him
self He told them l was 10 year
old and that my name was Ethel Ros
lGilmore. Alderman Goldschmidt mar
ried us. / remember his name.
when we got back again to Jim
mics apartment 1 was still prett
sick, SO I laid down and fell asleel
After a while-I don't know how long
1 woke up. / heard some voices. Or
was Jimmie's, and he was talking
another man.
Il heard Jimmie ask; What do 70
think of her? I kept my eyes tigh
shut so that they wouldn't know I ha
walked up.
"The other man said: oh. she's pret
" enough. She ought to get in tn
cash all right. She'll do Then the
went out OF the room.
a time / told Jimmie wouldn't sta!
with him. He swore and beat me
SO I stayed.
"The next day-that was Friday
he took my ruby ring. He said he wa
going to pawn II. He went out, ant
when he was gone some time 1 slippe'
out too. ] found two men and toll
them about it ALL"
r-t.r ,,,ar xsrat.a uof1drUfllQ actors
Harry Duffy and David Porter. The
both live at go West Thirty-nint
street. They took the girl 10 a trafh
SQUAD policeman, who went back wit
her and arrested Mason when he re
turned at about 10 o'clock. Guilty, tn
policeman. says he found the opiur
Layout that the girl spoke Of. Maso
is 23 years old.
Magistrate Butts held Mason In 500
bail for examination in order that Alder
man Goldschmidt might have chanc
? TO tell what he knew Of the case
The Alderman. who lives at l66 Eas
, Ninety-sixh street. told reporter tina
he had married the couple, but that tn
girl had told him she was 10 years ole
The license gave that as her age. "As
matter Of fact" said he, "she showed
good deal more self-possession than th
young man."
, Word received from Wilmington say
e that the girl disappeared five weeks as'
] She left home ostensibly to go to Sur
a day school. but went TO Philadelphia wit
two women Instead. Her grandmothe
I Mrs. John H. simms, found note und'
the girls pillow saying that she woul
I come back in two weeks and that II anl
|, body came after her she would XIII he
self. Her uncle, Judge Joslyn. says th'
she has run away number OF times b
r fore and that twice he had her pickle
= up in Philadelphia by the police La
o Saturday DR.. and Mrs, simms had ie
c ter from the girl saying that she WI
staying here with Aunt Tilly." WI
Aunt Tily was they didn't know.
q = Catara - nIfrra ar4afe -