Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-11-28
coRNiNo MUSICIAN NOW IN
PRISON APPLIES TO STATE
PAROLE BOARD.
SAYS CASE SIMPLY WAS
ONE OF ELoPEMENT
Claims to Have Entered Plea Of Guilty
b Under Pressure From Girls Father
Interesting Affidavits Filed TO Show
Jones Did Not kidnap Miss Runyon
{ Ana That Girl Went A,ono wi1Iinolv.

49, DeS Mo1nes. NOV. 2S.-Cla1ilng that
there was a. miscarriage Of justice"
an the sentencing Of Earl Jones, OF
I Corning, Iowa, musician. to the peni-
Tertiary for five years, on the charge
of having kidnapped Miss Grace Run
yon. daughter of Corning banker. his
attorneys today filed a petition for his
release with the state board Of pardon.
Jones was sentenced on his plea OF
guilty but his attorneys allege that he
made the plea under pressure from the
girls father, and that his case was
simply an eiopment.
The alleged kidnapping took place
about month ago and in less than two
weeks Jones was in the penitentiary.
Accompanying the petition are aft
davits from many Of the important
witnesses in the case. The petition
AYERS that the sentencing Of Jones
to Anamosa was a miscarriage Of
justice.
A review Of the case Is sought on the
ground among others. that Jones does
not have sufficient knowledge to real
lize, understand or define the crime Of
kidnapping, and the petition declares he
could not tell whether the actions he
admits would constitute kidnapping or
merely eIopment.
Polios Chiefs Affidavit.
Among the afridavits is one by ]. ".
Simmons. Of Shenandoah. acting chief
Of police on the day Jones was arrested
He says:
"As I entered the homo Of DR.. OAR
ling, Mr.. Runyon, the father, told me
mot to let Earl Jones speak to the
girl, Grace Runyon,' and as I opened
the door. he said; Now don't you let
him speak to her. and when 1 got in
the house I went TO the room where
Miss Runyon was, and where she said:
well, I guess I am the one you want
II said: I do not know whether 1
want you or not I then said to her;
7 want to know what there is to this
kidnapping
"She looked around and said; Not
as much as you suppose I then said;
II don't quite know that there is any
thing to It: ask for Information. If
there is nothing to Il am a friend OF
the boy and will stay with him. to all
of which she remarked: You are no
better friend to him than I am. there
is nothing to 1t, and will stay by
him"
II. Clay Evans and Glenn Mccoy Of
yillisca, who operated the automobile
in which Jones and Miss Runyon went
to Shenandoah. both declared in affi-
ravits that Miss Runyon indicated in
no way that she was being taken by
force and Mr. Evans declares he was
"led to believe by her actions and her
jovial disposition displayed at all times,
thruout the trip. that If they were run
ming away 1t was at her pleasure"
Tho Abel Affidavit.
Miss Runyon requested Robb G.
Abel, station agent at Brooks, to tele-
phone her mother that she was goin g
to Clarinda, after having previously
told him she was going to Red Oak,
according to Mr.. Abel's affidavit.
About twenty minutes or SO before
Jones and Miss Runyon left in the
Taylor automobile. Miss Runyon told
me that her mother might be worrying
about her. and for me to telephone to
Corning and tell her mother that she
was safe and was going to Clarinda,
says his statement, but at the same
time indicted to me that she was ask
ing me to give her mother nisinforma-
ton to nislead her as to the place
where she (Miss Runyon) was going
because she had told me in advance,
that they We're going to Red Oak"
Sworn statements by DR.. j. H. OAR