Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-17
BOY JAILED WHEN
ELOPEMENT FAILS
Parents Are Rushing Daughter of
Capitalist to a Convent
in Europe
TLL WAIT, THE GIRL WRITES
Lawyer Goes to Young SWain's
Aid and Will Plead with
Court for LenienCy
TLL WATT THE GIRL WRITES

While pretty Myrtle Gates, 17-year-
old daughter of an Iowa capitalist,
and former Los Angeles high school
student, is being taken to a convent
in Europe by her angry parents as
fast as train and steamer will carry
her, Harry Hudspeth, her boy sweet
heart, with whom she planned an
elopement which was nipped in the
bud by the probation department yes
terday, is penning her loving epistles
from his cell in the county Jail. He
may be taken to the Whittier reform
school today at the order of Judge
Wilbur of the juvenile court for an
alleged violation of his parole
Hudspeth is 16 years old and faces
five years of confinement in the re-
formatory. He was at one time caddy
on the Washington golf links to Post
master General Hitchcock and was a
page to President Taft on his trip in
1909 down the Mississippi river during
the Deep Waterway convention.
Attorney Frank Dominguez and
Sheriff Hammel, touched by the boys
plight, have interested themselves in
his case and will do all in their power
to save him from the reformatory.
Dominguez said yesterday that he
would appeal to Governor" Gillett, If
necessary, to save the young prisoner
from Whittier.
Hudspeth's life from the time he met
Myrtle Gates in the east two years
ago reads like a romance. His pres
ent predicament is due to too persis-
tent wooing in the face of the obJec-
ton of the girls parents. He first met
the girl two years ago at Fort Mad
ison, Iowa, where her father, Lander
Gates, is a prominent man of affa1rs.
The two soon became fast friends, and
while he was but IA years old and she
IS they planned marriage.
FOLLOWED GIRL HERE
Mr.. and Mrs. Gates then brought
their daughter to Los Angeles, and 1t
was not until months later that let
ter reached Hudspeth from the girl,
apprising him of her whereabouts.
Hudspeth, according to his story. eX-
erted every effort tc make his way to
California, which he finally succeeded
in doing. They met secretly here and
renewed their old VOWS, he establish
ing himself in a little business and she
attending to her studies at the high
school. In his one-roOm store at 800
Buena Vista street, directly across
from the county Jail. Hudspeth worked
early and late selling automobile sup
plies and his account in local bank
shows $400 to his credit as the result
of eight weeks earnings. Sheriff Ham
mel and attaches of the county jail
knew the boy before he was in trou-
BILE and testify to his adeptness and
untiring energy in his work. In ex-
PLANTATION he says he was saving for a
home for the girl and himself.
The two met many times in Los An
geles until the parents became, aware
of his attentions, and an effort, it is
said, was made to place the girl in
convent Hudspeth learned of the plan
and passed several nights watching
their house at 422 North Hill street.
Young Hudspeth next saw the girl
when she called at 337 Buena Vista
street, where he was boarding, and
the two were arrested on complaint of
her parents a few minutes later. The
probation officers believe they were
about to elope.
LETTERS ARE SEIZED
Hudspeth had previously been before
Judge Wilbur on complaint of Mr., and
Mrs. Gates and had been warned that
another attempt on his part to COM
municate with Myrtle would mean four
years in the Whittier school. Accord
ing to the probation officers Myrtle
and Hudspeth kept the telephone wires
busy shortly after he had left the court
and in written messages sent to each
other they characterized the judge in
strong terms. The mother of the girl
seized the letters and turned them
over to the judge. Hudspeth was ar
rested shortly afterward in his room.
The youth is said to have received
sixteen letters in four days from Miss
Gates, all penned in endearing terms
and bidding him be patient. They were
mailed at stations along the route east.
In them she tells the boy that she will
wait for him if necessary until she is
an old woman.
"I don't know where they are taking
me-" reads one. 1T may be Paris or
Berlin / think it is a convent, but
wherever. it is. Harry, ] will never for
get you and 1 know you will come to
me-"
In speaking of the boys case yester-
day Attorney Dominguez said:
1.-THE lad has shown by the energy
and ability he displayed in the little
business built up from his own eff
forts that 1t would be nothing short of
a crime to lock him in a reformatory
four years.
TO ASK FOR LENIENCY
"TIis offense is the result of boy
and girl love affair. The girl will be
1S before another month and he has
demonstrated that he is a little man
already. 1 don't believe in this being
too hard on boys or failing them. He
is at a period in his life where he can
make good if given the chance. The
letters written by the girl show that
their affection was mutual. / am sure
that after Judge Wilbur has made a
close investigation into this case the
boy will be turned loose. The proha-
tion department is too hard on these
youngsters 1t should make allow
ances for the follies of youth"
1t is believed that Judge Wilbur of
the. Juvenile court will look into
young Hudspeth's case and hear cer-
tain evidence that the lad did not
bring out before in his defense, as he
had no attorney The judge has taken
a special interest in the cases Of those
who have come before him from the
probation department, and in many
cases has granted parole, giving the
boys and girls a chance to begin their
life anew.
Dominguez, believing the case mer-
tied defense, has proffered his services
without compensation in the interest
of the boy and win appear in his be-