The Washington herald., 1910-07-11
ODD TALES TOLD
BY RUNAWAY PAIR
Minister and Girl PurpOSely
Permit of Their Arrest.
NEITHER SHOWS REPENTANCE
Rev. Clinton De Witt sharp and
Eunice Whitaker Let Home Folk
Know Their whereabouts to Spite
Father Of Girl-ChiId Takes 1he
Blame for Running Away.

Kansas City. July 10.-The story that
minister Of thirty-hve and girl Of four
teen from Schenectady. y. Y, told the
police after their arrest here is the
familiar recital OF the runaway pair up
to a certain point Beyond that it lifts
itself above the ordinary romance. Both
admit they did wrong. but neither is re-
pentant. And both declare they purpose
ly let the home folk know where they
were. so they could be taken back. just
TO get even with the girls father.
The runaway pair, Rev. Clinton De
Witt sharp. of the Adventist Church, and
Eunice Graham Whitaker. were arrest
ed in a clearinghouse at 1905 Holmes
street. They were living there as MIR.
and Mrs. Harry Ellsworth Artwen- Capt.
Whitsett ordered the arrest at the re-
quest of William H. Hathaway. sheriff
OF Schenectady.
A wear ago last November Sharp ar
rived at Schenectady from Rochester
with his wife. He began his work in the
community. After he preached at the
home of asa Whitaker, a few miles out
of town. Whitaker, his wife, his son
William. seven years old. and his three
daughters, Cora, eleven years old; Helen,
four wears old, and Eunice. fourteen
years old. all were converted
His Wife Leaves Him.
Anrr % came charges that Sharp was
having toe much attention to the femi-
nine members OF his congregation. H'
resigned from his pulpit. and his wife
left him TO go 10 her home in Rochester
Rut Eunice Graham Whitaker refused
n believe the stories. One night she went
ia the minister to confide a story 10 him
A note from Sharp to the girl followed
the next day. That night they eioped-
~ loved her." the minister confessed
TO Cant. whitsett last night She i
only a child. but loved her.
az am willing to endure punishment.
am willing to go to the penitentiary fol
wears. I am willing to be tarred an
| faathered. for / know that the onll
wrong I have done is an innocent one
should not have taken the girl away
know this. But did it when my hear
was full Of sympathy and when tha
svmpathy ruled my better judgment"
Cant Whittsett turned to the girl.
And YOU" he said. You woult
rather be with this man than with you
father and mother?'
Eyes. 1 asked him to take me ava,
from Schenectady I wanted never TO Sc
nv father or my mother again. pleade'
with him, and finally he said we woul'
go
Child Not Mistreated.
'rWhen we got to Kansas City we di
not have much money. 1t was June
when we left Schenectady, and it wa
June when we arrived here and wen
10 a place where We believed we coul
hide. He has kept every promise h
made me. and has treated me as If
were his daughter. There have bee
times when we had no money and moth
ing to eat, but we have felt happier tha
way than II I were at home and wit
my father. He earned a lving-whs
living we had-by selling religious paper
and writing cards and peddling soal
There would be days when there were n
sales, but we trusted in God. and W
have lived.
Cause of Their Arrest.
"Then we saw my fathers denial thu
; he had mistreated me In the Scheneetad
papers. We had written letters to hs
relatives, telling that we were goir
away because my father had mistreate
: me, and suppose the papers got no
I Of one of these letters. Ny father denit
( everything. I answered the letter. ar
told exactly where we were and how y