Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-01

TO TAKE SEARCEY
BACK TO ALABAMA
Woman Confesses She Is Not
His Wife, Hurting Chances
of Resistance.
COULD HOLD ON MANN ACT
CulIom County Treasurer Detectives
Say Has Influential Rela-
tives and Friends.

| George II. Bodeker, president and
chief detective, and John Wreen, stock
holder and detective of the Bodeker
National detective association of Birm-
! ingham, Ala, arrived in Rock Island
this morning for the purpose of re-
turning. J. ID. Searcey, arrested here
on charge of embezzling $4,000
while county treasurer of Cullman
county, Ala.
Searcey, it is thought, will not re-
sist returning with the detectives, for
while they did not arrive here equip
ped with the necessary extradition
papers, yet it is claimed he can be held
on a charge of violation of the Mann
act. in case he starts habeas corpus
proceeding through his attorney, John
X. Scott.
Searcey has wife and family in
Cullman county and it has also been
learned is general manager of a large
cotton mill, and is a big land owner
in Alabama, and has influential rela-
tives and friends 1t is thought that
in case he returns an effort to set
tie the matter without resorting to
prosecution will be attempted and as
he is connected by relationship to
money and influence the attempt may
be successful.
The woman, who at first claimed to
be his wife, has confessed that she
is not married to him and thus should
he instruct his attorney that he is
not going to return unless the neces-
sary documents are secured when he
resists. and also instructs his attorney
to bring him to trial through a ha
beas corpus proceeding, the local Off
cials can prefer charges of violation
of the white slave act.
Drink Caused Downfall.
Searcey's actions previous to the
time he is alleged to have taken the
money and following are interesting.
The detectives attribute his downfall
to drink, it being claimed that his
love for the bright lights led to his
absconding the county funds. He did
not take with him any money of the
cotton mills, and the charge on which
he is wanted is for the embezz-
ling of the county's money.
Leaving Alabama he went to New
York city, where he met the wom-
an. She gave her name to the local
police after confessing, as Mrs. Jennie
Valley. Divorce of a weil-to-do Kansas
City, Mo. man.
Her story. too, like that of Searcey's
is filled with heart interest. She was
married young. has good relatives in
New York. but states that she appar-
emily was the black sheep of the fam
lily. She claims that even now should she
inform them of her plight that aid in
he Of would 40 at her /
disposal by wire in a short time.
Following her marriage, she says, I
her husband drank and treated her !
cruelty and that she secured a di- !
vorce and returned to New York city. |
where she first became a stenOgraph- |
er. later took training in a hospital |
became a graduate nurse and subse- !
quently took up employment in a no. /
tel as head waitress. She stated that
the compensation in the later posi- /
ton was greater than in any of the
others.
Love at First Sight.
After Searcey arrived in New York
he stopped at this hotel She met
him there and it being a case OF love
at first sight she claims that when
he submitted the proposal to accom-
pany him on his tour she accepted
and lived with him as his wife.
The woman has shown in many ways
her big-heartedness. Several of the
prisoners at the city Jail, since
she has been incarcerated there have
been the recipient of her kindness in
the form of gifts of clothes. Some
she entirely gowned with her own gar
ments.
When she left New York city with
Searcey she took with her 5000 of her
money which she claims she turned
over to the man.
The detectives and Searcey, with
possibly the woman and chauffeur
will probably leave Rock Island in the
big car in which the couple came to
the tri-cities, providing that Searcey
does not resist going back.