Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-08-02
THE CASE OF REV. PADGEIT.
Released OH Bond---Talke to News
papcr-To Fight Case.
(Greenville News, July 28.)

Rev. b. l.. Padgett, said to have
been at one time prominent in Wes-
leyan Methodist church circles, about
Greenville, who acquired what must
be unpleasant notoriety through hav-
ing been arrested In an Atlanta hotel
on last Sunday night in company
with Carrie Stockton, a 16-year-old
girl, who formerly lived in this city,
while the police were on the track Of
another Greenville minister and a
girl from this city, with a warrant
charging them with eloping, came to
the city yesterday morning and walk
ed about the streets as Of old. Last
night Rev. Mr.. Padgett walked into
the editorial rooms of the Greenville
News and addressed a letter to the
public, which is printed below. At
the same time he related much Of
his experiences in Atlanta, and gave
several sidelights on the case that
are possibly of interest.
Rev. Mr.. Padgett said that on last
Sunday afternoon he discovered the
Stockton girl In the lobby Of the
hotel where he had been stopping.
Having known her in Greenville, he
said he approached her and inquired
of her mission in Atlanta Mr.. Pad
gett said that the girl told him she
had run away from home because
her mother and father, who had been
living apart for some time, had
agreed to go back together He said
that because Of some accusation
made by the girl against her father
she had a dislike for him, and rather
than accompany her mother to live
with him again she left home. Mr..
Padgett said that soon after meeting
the Stockton girl he telegraphed her
mother, and later wrote her letter,
telling her that Carrie was in At
lanta and that he would try to per-
suade her to return home. Mr.. Pad
gett went on to say that he succeed
ed in getting the girl to promise to
return home the following morning.
Sunday night, Mr.. Padgett said,
he took the Stockton girl to church,
and that as they returned to the
hotel they were "shadowed" by po-
lice. No sooner had they reached the
hotel, he said, than the police laid
hands on him and the girl. Mr.. Pad
gett said that he had registered as
a minister and had given Greenville
as his address, and that the Stockton
girl had registered in her own name
and given Greenville as her address.
While he and the Stockton girl were
at church, Rev. Mr.. Padgett said,
the police, VIII were searching for
Rev. J. II. Newton and Miss Tessie
Moore, both of Greenville, saw his
and Miss Stockton's names on the
register and concluded that they
were the parties wanted, but had
registered under fictitious names.
, Mr.. Padgett said that the police
informed him that a warrant was at
the police station for him and the
girl, and that they would have to 90
to prison to furnish bond. Mr.. Pad
gett said that he went to the police
station, but that on arriving there
the police could not find the war;
rant Thereupon, Mr.. Padgett said,
he had tilt with the chief, protest
ing against arrest when there was
no warrant against him and no evil
dence that he had acted unseemly
while with the Stockton girl. Mr..
Padgett said that the police refused
to release him, and made out a
case against him "on suspicion"
The news going out to the world
Of his arrest, said Mr.. Padgett, at
tracted the attention Of the girls
father, who lives at Kings Noun
tain, N. c.. Because of cnmity be-
tween himself and the girls father,
said Mr.. Padgett, Carries father tel
egraphed the police to hold Rev. Mr..
Padgett on the charge Of Kidnapping,
alleging that he had taken Carrie
away.
Rev Mr.. Padgett put III bail and
was released. He stated last night
that he will fight the charge Of kid
mapping as best he can. The Stock
ton girl has gone back to North Car
olina to be with her people.
a North Carolina Case.
The following excerpt from an ar
ticle appearing in the Charlotte OBJ
server, under Shelby date line Of