Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1913-01-23
Third District.

Spe1aI 20 kfe Nt1OS
There has been some very funny
happenings and doings up here in the
way of men swapping and exchanging
the feminine race. Lecta French, wife
of j. P. French, eloped with Jasper
Bowers last Thursday. Mrs. French
| forged heI husbands name to an Older
and took out of the Bank of Whitwell
| $50 90, and skipped out Missing the
morning traiu she and Bowers walked
to Jasper, secured rig and made their
escape into Alabama to Bridgeport,
The sheriff there was wired and in less
than 40 minutes both runaways were
landed behind the bars. Deputy sher-
if Cantrell, in company with Mr..
French, boarded the Jasper branch ac-
commodation train and we're soon at
Bridgeport, aud took the two runa-
ways in tow. They both agreed to re-
turn to the jurisdiction of Tennessee
with the necessary requisition papers,
and when the state line was reached
Deputy Condra served states war
rant on them, on Mrs. French for forg
ing her husbands name, and on Bow
ers for being accessory to the same
Within less than 40 minutes they were
landed at the county seat at Jasper be-
fore Sam Raulston, j. P, and they
submitted to the charge in the indict-
ment. Squire Raulston bound them
over to the criminal court, fixing Bow
ers' bond at $2,00 and Mrs. French's
at 81, 900, aud on default of bond they
both were landed safe, behind the bars.
Mrs. French, after spending two nights
in Jail, became very nervous and
finally broke down and agreed to
make a full confession and give a
sworn statement of facts as to how 1t
all came about. j. w. Morrison, no
tory public, was called to the Jail
and her statement was reduced to
writing. She stated that Bowers had
been lying around her house some 30
days tying to pursuade her to leave
and go west with him to Oklahoma,
ana further she said be had some
kind of power and influence over her.
She couldn't explain it, but alleged
Bowers dictated the forged order on
her husband to secure the $50 from the
Bank of Whitwell. She said that
Bowers didn't have a cent of money
and was only going to ride free wes-
tern ticket at hel expense. They cross
ed as to statements made on the day of
elopement. She swore he hadn't ever
done or said anything out of the way.
His written statement was he had
money on the day of elopement and
many times previous for two months
past, and that she went free and vol
unfairly, without any -compulsion on
his part, and he never furnished cop
per to influence her or hire a rig or
furnish transportation ticket. Each
one lays the blame on the other. Bow
er's statement in Jail was that he
would tell the whole truth from start
to finish, let it fall where it might,
and if he had to suffer and was the
guilty party, and his companion could
tell her tale after being caught, and
shift the blame on him as her access
ory, and escape the courts and get no
punishment at all, then he ought to
receive some due consideration, as she
was equally and jointly indicted to-
getber with him, and was guilty of
the same identical offence. 1t is said
that men up here are scattering ashes
around their houses at night. and ris-
ing early to go out and make tour of
the yard and see if there were any
men $ tracks, fol fear some one would
steal their wives. If any man is here
after caught sauntering around any
man & house after dark he is to be
dealt with heavily under the law un
less he can render lawful excuse.
J. w. Morrison preached at Hick' S
Chapel to ID good audience Saturday
night, ana went back to boyhooi days,
telling of many hardsuips through life
and how hard it is for a boy to wand
er through life without tno care of
mother. as he had to a. He gave the
boys fine lecture on pistol carrying
and the bad results tnerefrom. 1t was
an uptodate sermon. He announced |
that he would preach two weeks from
that date on Sunday at II O'Clock. Ev-
erybody is cordially invited to come
out on that date and hear Rev. Nor
rison. Representative.