Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1913-09-30
MILITARY
WEDDING
Young Man Forced to Take a
1O0-MiIe Trip To
Marry.
A GIRL WHO WAS BETRAYED
Protesting Innocence He is Say
ed By Quick Action of
His UnCleS.

What amounted to a case of forci-
bic kidnapping or abduction was
perpetrated Friday with Hopkins
vile as the storm center. T. F.
Cliff, a prominent hardware mer-
chant of Fredonia, KY, and his son,
Lonnie, overpowered and bought
Wayne Hammack to this city and
from here to c arksville in an auto
bile, for the purpose, it is alleged,
of forcing him to marry Miss Lala
Gift, the 19-year-old daughter of
of the elder Mr.. Cliff.
Young Hammack, who is proba-
bly, Fl years old. is in the train SER
vice of the Illinois Central railroad,
with run between Princeton and
Evansville. Friday about noon the
two Gifts, it is stated, accompanied
by Miss Lala Gift, quietly rolled in
to Princeton in their automobile.
Hammack, who was off his run for
rest, was asleep in his room over a
bakery, with no one to warn him of
trouble. Going to his room, it is
said after intimidating him with the
flourish of revolvers and threats of
instant death if he attempted to es
cape or give an alarm, they told him
he must go with them and marry
Miss Cliff. Young Gift drove the
machine, he andHammond occupying
the front seat while Miss Cliff and
her father rode on the rear seat.
Young Hammack's father is dead,
and his nearest male relative and
guardian is DR.. w. B. Moore, a
prominent citizen of Crider, in Cald-
well county.
Calling to his assistance his broth
er, C. C. Moore, and several friends
they busted themselves with mes
sages to the county court clerks in
all the Tennessee counties, which it
was possible for the Gifts to reach
within a day, notify g them not to
issue marriage license for Ham
mack.
1t was this timely action that pre-
vented the wedding. The party
reached GAINESVILLE Friday night at
II o'clock, driving to a garage on
First street, where they called Coun-
ty Court Clerk Sam Kelly, who ir-
formed them he had been instructed
to refuse a license. Upon an inves-
tigation of train schedules they
found the next available Tennessee
county seat which could be reached
before midnight was Erin, and teav-
ing the automobile they took the
8:46 Louisville and Nashville accom-
mediation to that pace.
The message from D.. Moore to
county court clerk at Erin was de-
layed, and it was not until after the
party reached the p ace that COM
munication was had. After the clerk
reached the court house he was call
ed to the telephone. At the same
time Sheriff o. B. Suggs Of Houston
county was instructed TO arrest the
Cliffs This he did, and after dis
arming the elder Cliff, a justice of
the peace ordered his release upon
a payment Of fine of So
Hammack was left in custody of
the officers and returning via Clarks.
vile the Cliffs came back in their
automobile Saturday morning. They
were arrested at the l.. & N depot
by Chief of Police Roper and PATROL
man MADDEN on a warrant from
Caldwell county, charging them
with assaulting and forcibly taking
Wayne Hammack out Of that coun-
ty and even out Of the state.
Hammond also came through here
with his uncles on his way home.
The elder Cliff claimed that Ham
mond had betrayed Miss Gift, but J
the boy stoutly denies the charge,