The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-03-02
Pathetic Letter To Her Mother Tells
Where The Runaway
Was ALONE IN ST. LOUIS
The Strange Story OF Miss Ethel
johnson. Sixteen Year Old
School Girl Of Spa-tanburs, Who
Was Induced To- LcaY. Her Homo
Was Induced to Leave Her
by a Man and Woman.

The Spartanburg Herald says Mss
Ethel Johnson. who so mysteriously
from her honl". $50 Magnolia street.
last Tuesday morning week ago. has
been located il ST Louis. No. Mr..
J. W. Johnson. father of the young
lady, left Sunday for ST. Louis TO
bring her back home.
Mrs. Johnson received letter
SUNDAY from her daughter in St.
Louis. Ia speaking with q Herald
representative last night. Mrs. John
son said that the letter she had re-
ceived was one OF the most touch
ing appeals she had ever read. She
said her daughter had expressed her
self in the letter as believing that
her father would not take her back
home. bu; that IL he stoutly refused.
she asked her mother 10 send her the
money 20 return en-. and that She
would work for her until she had
paid Il back.
Il am alone IN great city.
among strangers" said Miss John
son in her letter TO ~. mothe:
but l have always asked TO be shown
| 10 good boarding places along the
line" Mrs. Johnson said :he letter
| was full of assurances that her
daughter had kept herself pure, and
that she believed her.
Albert E. Hill has been retained
as counsel FOR the prosecution in the
case against Kate Parham and Wal
| ter Johnson. under arrest OF the
charge o. abduc,ing Miss Johnson.
Mr.. Hill! will ask for continuance
until Mr. Johnson and his daush-
ter arrive. Miss Johnson will be
| placed upon the stand. and It Is
believed she will tell the whole story
in connection with her disappear
| aDce
The story OF Miss Ethel Jchnson's
disappearance is one OF the most
clouded mysteries that has ever hap
pened about S9artanburg. A young
girl. sixteen years OF age. she was
going to school daily and seemed to
be happy and contented. Some time
ago she was noticed occasionally
with Kate Parham. grass widow.
who has rooms over Sharp's market
on Magnolia street Tuesday morn
ing week ago she left home with
her books. presumably for school.
instead she t; * passenger train NJ.
9 and went TO Ashevil!e.
Immediately the Parham woman
was connected with her disappear
ance. Mr. Johnson and police Of
ficer search,I Kate Parham's apart
ments over Sharp@'s market the next
night after Miss Johnson left and
they found there her school books.
The Parham woman declared she had
nothing 10 do with he- disappearance
but that she had been asked by Miss
Johnson to accompany he! as FAR as
Asheville.
Waiter Johnson. of Inman. \
cousin to Mr.. J. W Johnson. had
left ten dollar bill At Maddux drug
store for Miss Johnson This bill
Miss Johnson called for just before
she took the train. The conductor
on No. states that Miss Johnson
,..so, b;,,, , +ao JoiI,- hiI1 from
which to take her fare. and that
when she reached .Asheville she ask
ed concerning the connections 10
Knoxville. Accordingly Mr.. John
son. in tracing his daughter. went ~
once to Knoxville.
However. ne failed TO find any
trace OF her. He returned home on
Saturday afternoon. He determined
he would offer reward for her re-
coyerv. but Sunday Mrs. Johnson
received the letter from her daugh-
ter. AS soon as Mr. Johnson read
the letter and lear ned that his daugh-
ter ~.as in strange city without
money he wired 10 her 20 let him
know how much money he should
send her. Directly be received 4
telegram asking FOR small sum.
This he sent. and then took the
train for St. Louis.
Miss Johnson will tell the whole
story when he case for abduction
comes up against Kate Parham and
Walter Johnson. II IS said that the
story she will tell is one that vii
! startle the community. and that
it may result in placing somebody N
the penltcntiary.