The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1916-10-10
WOMEN co TO JAIL
RATHER THAN SEND CHILDREN
TO PUBLIC SCHOOL.
Two Waynesburg Mothers In Jail
Here to Serve Seven Days Each
What They Say.

Having failed to pay the fines OF
So and costs assessed against each OF
them in the county court several
weeks ago for violation of the states
compulsory education law, Mrs. Mary
Tyree and Mrs. ]. E. Johnson, of the
Waynesburg section of the county,
were brought to jail here Monday by
Deputy Sheriff Monroe Thompson.
Each will be required to serve seven
days in Jail on the present fines, but
as each declares she will not obey
the law and send her children to
school, they will in all probability,
have other convictions and sentences
ahead of them. Both women declare
that they will not send their children
to school, as they are taught moth
ing but lies" in school"
Mrs. Johnson, who is step daugh-
ter of Mrs. Tyree, is daughter OF
Samuel Tyree, of the Waynesburg
section where they have lived Tor
about three years, having moved
there from Whitley City. Mrs. john
son calls herself an evangelist of the
Church of God and cenies the report
that she is holy roller. When inter-
viewed this morning by an |. j. repre-
sentative, Mrs. Johnson, who is the
evangelist of this church, called the
Church of God, said that they had
no creed, except Christ. She said,
"The law can compel US to go to
Jail, but cannot not compel us to
send our children to school, where
they are taught nothing but lies by
teachers who are not christian. and
the books that they study are
full of lies. 1t is against our be-
lief to send our children to school, as
they are given to US to train them
the way we think best and 1t is our
duty to keep our children at home
and teach them the Word of God and
not send them to school to be taught
by man, claiming that God is able to
make wise the simple" Mrs. john
son quoted, LET every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind" Romans
14-5, saying that she had right
to her belief as to how to train her
children.
Mrs. johnson is the mother of five
children from the ages of one to IL
years old. Her husband is working in
machine shops at New Castle, Ind,
and came here last week and wanted
to pay his wife's fine and move his
family to New Castle, but his wife
refused to go, saying that she would
.4oc 70 until after she had served her
time in Jail as it was her cross and
that she must bear it, as her Savior
had suffered the cross for her.
Mrs. Johnson has been going to
Rockcastle and McCreary counties
for several years as an evangelist OF
the Church of God, and holding
meetings. She says that she has a
call to come to Laurel county, but has
not had time to go. Both Mrs. Tyree
and Mrs. Johnson seem perfectly con-
tented in jail, as they claim that is
is their cross to bear and say they
are willing to bear with it trusting
their Master.
Jailer George Deborde did not in
carcerate the two women in the jail
proper. For one reason, it is already
full with men, of both colors, and
then. too he is able to keep them am
ply safe and secure in the jail office
room and to afford them a little more
privacy than they would have in the
main cell room. Mr.. Deborde's ac-
ton in this regard is being generally
commended, for it is felt that these
women are, probably the victims of
some sort of religious belief or hal
lucination, and not in the same cate
CORY with the usual run of malefac-
tors. Mrs johnson was not feeling
well Tuesday morning, so Mr.. De-
Borde suggested that if she thought it
necessary he would secure a physi-
clan at once. The woman indignant
ly repulsed his kindly offer, however,
declaring: "You know, we do not
believe in having doctors" The
accommodating jailer, says, however,
that she will certainly have one this
time, if she gets really sick while in
his charge.