The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-11-21
MISTRIAL In PERRY
KIDNAPPING CASE
CUTHBERT LAWYER DEFEND
ED BY DAWSON ATTORNEYS.
TOOK STUDENT AWAY.

In Randolph superior court at Cuth-
bert last week Judge w. V. Custer
OF cambridge, presiding for Judge
Worrill, the jury made a m1strial IN
the case of George h. Perry, we'll
known member of the Cuthbert bar,
who was indicted on charge OF Elay-
ing kidnapped a young girl student OF
Andrew college. The girls father,
who is a stock dealer, was III Dawson
at the time, and the affair created a
sensation throughout this section. The
following account OF the trial IS from
the Cuthbert Leader:
AN interesting case that packed
the court room Tuesday was that OF
the state versus George H. Perry,
charged with kidnapping.
The case resulted from Mr.. Perry S
taking from Andrew college about
noon two or three weeks ago in his
automobile Ethel Gilley, a fifteen
vear-old student OF the college. They
were arrested two or three hours later.
I'm his statement in court Mr.. Per
nv said he had intended going to Ma
con the afternoon i'll question, ard on
passing the college campus IN his car
with w. {. Sawyer, jr., and seeing
Miss Ethel Gilley on the campus he
called to her that he was going to Ma
con and inquired, without stopping, II
she wished to send by him a message
TO her sister, who is attending a bust
ness college there. Returning by the
college Jew minutes later, Miss Ethel
Gilley waved to him and ne stopped.
She came toward the car, and lie eau
toned her not to leave the campus, as
that would be contrary to college
rules. but to deliver her message with
out coming nearer. She quickly sprang
into the car and refused to go back
when urged to do so both by him and
Mr.. Sawyer, saying she was going to
Macon to be with her sister if she had
to walk. Knowing that the girl was
then under restrictions and likely to
be expelled for leaving the college
grounds without permission, he allow
ed his sympathy for her to get the
better OF his judgment and drove off,
stopping at Zuber's garage and get
ting Cashed a check for $40. Here Al
len Sharley endeavored to induce the
girl to return to the college, he also
urging her to do so. On her refusal
he drove off.
LAS he was leaving town, Mr.. Perry
said, he realized that they would prob
ably be intercepted by officers Of the
law if they took the direct route to
Macon, so he decided to go to Al
banv for a circuitous route and pro-
coed to Macon by way OF Cordele and
Perry. Before reaching Albany, how
ever, realizing that it would be that
/ 1, 70
he decided to telephone Miss Jessie
Gilley in Macon, when he would reach
Albany, to take the train and come to
Albany and get her sister.
Mr. Perry's statement, III the nam
was corroborated by Miss Ethel Gil
ley and several other witnesses. The
room mate at Andrew college OF Miss
Ethel Gilley. who was on the campus
with her, testified, however, that Mr..
Perry asked Miss Ethel il she wished
to go to Macon with him.
The defense was represented by
Attorneys Yeomans & Wilkinson, OF
Dawson. and A. S. Perry, of Cuthbert,
Both Mr.. Yeomans and Mr.. Wilkin-
son spoke. They contended that while
Mr.. Perry may have used poor Judg-
ment. he was innocent of kidnapping,
the evidence having failed to show that
he took the girl away by force,
through threats or by persuation.
The prosecution was represented
bv Solicitor Castellow alone. He did
not impute to the defendant any base
motives, but claimed that the charge
OF kidnapping had been established
because he had taken the child away
without the consent OF her parents or
guardians and used inducements even
though he had not urged her to go.
The charge was given to the jury
late in the afternoon. They remained
out all night, and shortly before noon
asked the Judge for instruction. Judge
Custer recharged them. The jury re
NAMED hung until the hour OF ad-
journment yesterday afternoon, when
they were discharged, mistrial hav-
ing been declared. 1t is reported that
nine stood for acquittal and three for
conviction"