The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-18
Dorothy Tracey and Tillie Pat
tersOn Held for Perjury.
Deny Stories About Relations
With Two Young Boys.
SAY ATCHISON COERCED THEM
Girls Said They Made Former
Statements Under Threat
More Evidence on Thirty-Six
Hour JOY Ride.

| Because Dorothy Tracey and Tillie
Patterson told one story to w E.
Atchison about their relations with
two boys and another story on the
witness stand, warrants were issued
for them today in the court of Topeka,
charging them with perjury.
TIL warrants were issued immediate
ly following a hearing in the case of
the state against Stewart Olson.
The warrants were issued imme date
of the thirty-six hour joy ride taken
a month ago by Dorothy Tracey. Title
Patterson, Olson and Earl Burns. The
case against Olson, who was charged
with a criminal offense against the
sixteen-year-old Tracey girl, was dis
missed today, because of the testimony
the girls gave. Burns was released
from the tell of the probate court
week agu because Title Patterson and
her mother testified she was past six
teen years of age, therefore no longer
ward of the juvenile court
When the two girls were brought
into the county attorneys office, fol-
lowing the joy ride to Manhattan and
back, they were questioned closely. Ac-
cording to County Attorney Atchison
and L. L. Kiene the Tracey girl adj
mitted having had criminal relations
with Olson. The Patterson girl denied
duct with Burns but stated that the
Tracey girl and Olson left the auto
mobile somewhere near Rossville and
walked awGy out of her sight. She
declined to state further.
Their First Stories.
1t was upon the statements made
by the two girls that the warra nts
were issued for the boys. Olson was
charged with a statutory offense and
Burns was charged with contributing
to the delinquency Of a minor caild.
When the Olson case was called to-
cay the Tracey girl declined to say a
word against Olson. She admitted that
she had made statements involving
him before County Attorney Atchi-
son but she declared she did it under
threats. She testified that County At
torney Atchison told her he would
send her to the Girls Industrial school
al Beloit unless she testified thai Oh
son had mistreated her. Today she
denied that there was anything i'm
Proper in his conduct towards her dur
ing the long joy ride involving two
days and a night
Tillie Patterson also went on the
stand. She backed up on the sworn
statement she had made to Mr.. Atchi-
sen. Today she declared that Olson
and Miss Tracey did not get out Of her
sight during the whole time they we're
away from Topeka. She also talked
or threats and coercion.
Nothing Else to DO.
Atchison was depending entirely
upon the testimony of the two girls
to bind Olson over. When they
backed up all there was to do was to
dismiss the case against Olson.
The warrants charging the girls with
perjury were issued before they had a
chance to leave the courthouse. They
were arrested, arraigned, pleaded not
guilty, were placed under $500 bond
each and gave bond. Their hearing
is set for August %.
Last winter when William Elliott
was charged with a criminal offense
mother testified that she was only Is
years of age. The other day in pro-
bate court when the state was trying
to hold Burns for contributing to the
Patterson girls delinquency, both she
and her mother testified she was 16
years old last January or February,
previous to the Elliot hearing. Elliot
was sent to the Hutchinson state re-
formatory because of the girls testi
mony.
Apparently both Burns and Olson
are out of their trouble because both
girls backed up on their sworn and
signed statements. They testified to
the contrary today after being sworn
as witnesses. But the two girls must
face the charge of perjury which is a
more serious offense than that charg-
ed against the boys.