Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1919-08-18
STONE GIRLS STORY
CONv|CTS JONES
= y -
Faced With Reform School Her
self, Girl Finally Admits She
Has Been At His Home

when county court was con-
vened Monday morning when
first she was put on the stand she
told such tale of her adventures
since she left the Black school
house two weeks ago and has
been missing from the home OF
her parents, VIM. Stone and
wife, near Shearer, that County
Judge w. K. Price not only re-
fused to suspend any of the
prison term fines imposed upon
Gardner Jones, who was charged
having taken her. from the
school, but the Judge also had
warrant issued for the girl,
and declared he would send her
to the Reform School.
With the prospect of the Re-
form School staring her in the
face, the girl finally decided to
tell the truth and admitted that
she had left the school with
Jones, had gone with him in a
buggy as far as Shearer, had
walked across the railroad bridge
to Ford, and down past Boones-
boro, where he met her again
with his buggy, and took her to
his home where she has been
since.
Not until the futility. of any
effort to shield Jones was shown
her, did the girl finally change
the story which she told when
first questioned about her where
abouts for the past two weeks.
That story was so weird and i'm
probable that not a soul in the
courthouse seemed to believe it.
The girl declared that she had
not left the Black school with
Gardner Jones, nor had she seen
him since that time two weeks
ago when several witnesses at
his trial testified they saw her
get into the buggy with him and
drive off. She further said that
she had been hiding in corn
field near his house, going into
the house to get something to
eat when he or his wife was out
Of the house. She said that she
had been sleeping in the corn
fields and in the hay in the barn.
Notwithstanding, she claimed
to have had such an outing, the
girl appeared at her home Sum
day afternoon about three o'clock
in clean clothes and looking as
fresh as a daisy, her mother
told Judge Price this morning.
Mrs. Stone said that she want
ed the girl sent to the Reform
school if she would not tell the
truth. She said the girl came
home, looking just as she did
in court this morning, when she
wore a clean dress, and silk
stockings. The father said that
Jones came to their home Sun
day and begged Mrs. Stone to
release the peace bond against
him Mrs. Stone refused. Later
as Jones went out, Mr.. Stone
says that he told his son, Price
Stone, that maggie will be
home this afternoon"
However, Jones still maintain
ed that he knew nothing of the
whereabouts Of the girl.
Although only II years old, the
Stone girl appears well developed
for her age. She was placed on
the stand after some discussion
Between the attorneys for the
prosecution and the court in
regard to suspending the so
days jail sentence imposed by a
jury last week upon Jones, for
contributing to the delinquency
of the girl. Attorney Wallace
argued that Jones has a family
and a large crop; that the girl has
come home, and justice would be
subserved by his payment of the
fine.
The Judge seemed on the point
OF suspending the jail sentence.
He declared that he wanted only
to give every man square deal
and do the right thing, but that
Jury had found Jones guilty of
taking the girl away and he felt
it his duty to uphold the law of
the commonwealth. He suggest
ed that the girl was in court, and
that there was yet a chance to
prove that Jones was not guilty.
The girl was then called to the
stand. Judge Price had to ex-
plain to her the nature of an oath