The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-17
FOUND IN ST. JOE.
The Two EIOping Couples
From Topeka.
Mere Children-Girls IA and
10 Respectively.
GIRLS REPENTED IN TEARS
Doris Hawk and Gladys Burton
Were Romantic.
They Ran Off With Rufus
Hawk and Walbridge Boy.

/ The quartet of youngsters who elop-
| ed Wednesday from Topeka have been
discovered and brought home in tears.
Doris Hawk, Gladys Burton, Rufus
Hawk and Lorenzo Walbridge were ar
rested by city detectives at st. Joseph
| this morning. They disappeared Wed
nesday morning; their whereabouts
could not be ascertained: their par
| ents were frantic. Telegraph wires
| hummed, police were notified. Energet-
| ic enquiry by Topeka and Shawnee Of
! ficials resulted in finding the clippers
at the court house in ST. Joseph. 6.
G. Burton, of East Seward avenue, left
this afternoon for St. Joseph to bring
his daughter home.
The feminine participants in the ad-
venture were penitent to the verge of
hysteria. We don't want to get mar
ried," they assured the grinning de-
tectives, we're sorry We did it. We
want to go hOme.''
Gladys and Doris left home blithely
yesterday morning and declared their
intention of starting for school. An
hour later they were seen with young
Walbridge and Hawk at the Santa Fe
depot. Were going to get married"
they informed several friends whom
they passed. 1t was a good joke. By
nightfall it looked like tragedy. The
four had apparently vanished. Their
families We're distracted.
w nat ndo ndppSIleQ NdS lIIS. L hC
four boarded train for st. Joseph
clever scheme; their pursuers would
think of Kansas City; they arrived at
$50 o'clock and presented themselves
at the court house.
I'VE want a couple of licenses to get
married." said Hawk, in rather
doubtful tone.
what are your ages?" srnilingly in
quired the clerk of the probate judge.
Fourteen" admitted Gladys,
glancing down at her short blue dress
Twenty" said Walbridge, bravely-
Sixteen" murmured Doris, nerv-
ously digging one hand in the pocket
of long red coat.
Twenty" asserted Hawk, holding
out his hand for the papers.
I'm afraid 1 can't oblige you, the
clerk declared.
The four left the courthouse in
some bewilderment- What was to be
done? They engaged rooms at hotel,
and sat down to talk the matter over.
Gladys remained staunch. Doris
wavered. M
81 don't believed want to get mar
ried," she sobbeds
"Of course you want to get mar
RED" young Walbridge assured her,
in dismay at the thought of losing his
bride.
They parted for the night, and
tramped again to the courthouse this
morning. They were located there
and taken into custody by detective:
He examined their pockets, ana IOunO
they could muster S5.25 between them.
The girls denounced the youthful
state of matrimony, and declared they
wanted to return to home and high
school.
The affair is not the first to occur
among high school children, and is
causing a deal of disturb ance among
parents and teachers alike. Co-educa-
ton among sentimental young people
at the impressionab age does not
a success.
Wednesday was an anxious day for
the parents of the small clippers. Mrs.
Burton was completely exhausted. and
scarcely able to answer telephone in
quiries in the evening. The affair was
not supposed to have any particular
significance until late in the after
noon. The boast of the boys that they
were going to get married was regard
ed as a joke. After nightfall the QueS-
ton became serious.
T. J. Morgan, city policeman, an
nounced he had seen the quartet board
the train for St. Joseph. Sheriff L. L.
Kiene wired Immediately and located
the runawayS. He left this afternoon
to bring item home.
Walbridge and Hawk will be charged
with abduction, serious offense in
Kansas, punishable either by a term
at the penitentiary or state reform
school Warrants have been issued
for their arrest.