Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-03-23
Young Girl Clones With Married Man

Young Girl EIopes With Married Man.
A sensation was sprung in Martinsburg
Saturday, when If was reported that Miss
Elizabeth Stocker, the older daughter OF
Chris Stocker, the well-known baker and
confectioner, had eloped Friday night
with Jacob RymeI, a married man. The
girl is between l6 and II years Of age,
while Rymel is about IS years old and
has wife and two children living on
North High street Miss Stocker left
home Friday night shortly after 8o'clock,
it is supposed. When she did not appear
to help in the store in the evening, as
usual, the family naturally wondered
what had become Of her, but later more
uneasiness was aroused. When er bed
room was examined it was discovered
that she had taken all OF her clothing, and
then il dawned upon the family that she
had run off. When it was le9rned that
Rymel had also disappeared, the hasty
conclusion was reached that the two had
eIoped or were concealed somewhere in
town.
The police were notified of the affair,
and several houses were searched by the
officers where il was thought the pair
might be. But the search was fruitleSS.
About 3 o'clock in the morning Justice
Felker was called out of bed to issue
warrant for the arrest of Rymel. Mr..
Stocker and the police having exhausted
every means of locating the runaways,
he bethought him that they might have
gone to Harrisonburg, Va, where Rymel
formerly lived. When he called up the
chief of police of that place the latter told
Mr.. Stocker that Rymel and girl were
there. He was ordered to place them
under arrest at once, which was done.
Rymel has been a friend OF Mr.. Stock
er's for some time, the two being fire.
quentl' together on hunting and fishing
trips in times past. This accounts in part
for the fact that Rymel has often been
seen around the Stocker place, but it was
not suspected that there was any particu-
lar affection between him and Miss Stock
er. Therefore his visits to the premises
excited no suspicion on the part OF the
young girls father or stepmother. Miss
Stocker is known TO nearly everybody in
town, and nothing in her life or previous
conduct would have warranted the i'm
preston that she contemplated this step
downward. Naturally Mrs. Rymel is
much worried over this shameful act OF
her husband. and the sympathy OF the
public goes out to both her and Mr..
Stocker, who are the innocentvictims Of an
unfortunate affair fredericksburg World.
Officers went to Harrisonburg in an au-
tomobhe on Sunday, and finding the girl
there with Ryme'S sister, brought her
back home rYmel refused to return,
and as no offense under the law could be
proven against him, he was released from
custody. The girl is said TO be very sor-
ry for her eScapade.
Rymel's side of the story is that he did
not take the girl away with any wrong
intent; that it was out OF compassion for
her that he assisted her to leave home.
She has been Shamefully treated by her
stepmother and the stepmother's sister,
he alleges, and it was following recent
difficulty between them in which the girl
was kicked down flight Of thirteen steps,
that he decided that such cruelty should
not be brooked, even if it were necessary
to help the girl to leave home. RYmel
says he has known the young girl ever
since her birth, that he was close friend
of her father, and has time and time again
told her father he ought not TO allow his
daughter to be so mistreated. He says
that the girl had found life so unendura-
BILE that she had threatened to commit
suicide, and that he agreed to help her
find work in Harrisonburg.