The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-07
Laws of God and Man Conflict
in Missionary Relations.
Religious Couple Facing a Seri-
Gus Charge in Topeka.
DIDN'T KNOW SHE DID WRONG
Lived Together as Man and
Wife in "GIOry of God"
Kidnapped Daughter Returns
With Couple From Lincoln.

A conflict in the laws of God and
man is responsible for her present
difficulties, Mrs. Leota A. York, mis-
| sionary, declared today upon her re-
turn from Lincoln, Neb.. to Topeka
Mrs. York and Henry Ostrander.
! also a missionary, and whom the wo-
man claims as her husband, were re-
| turned at noon today by Sheriff Rob
ert Miller to face charge of living to-
| gether as man and wife. Mrs. York :
15-year-old daughter, Mary, whom
| she kidnapped from Overlook school
| before her flight to Lincoln. also was
| returned. The girl was committed to
/ the care of Kate and Kilmaurs King.
| welfare workers, while her mother
} and Ostrander were taken to the
county Jail
! The couple assert that they were
| married in Ogden, Utah, in 1920. Mrs.
York said she had not lived with her
husband, Ed York, of Overlook. for
! nine years and had been informed
| that their separation constituted a le-
gal divorce for her She obtained a
legal divorce from York In the Shaw
nee district court two weeks ago She
and Ostrander were married. they de-
clared, in order that they might to-
gether devote their laws to the glory
of God and save souls" They said
they really believed that she was df-
vorced, and had no intention of doing
wrong.
Afraid of First Husband
A mortal fear of York was express
ed by the woman. York was in and
out of the sheriff's office three or four
times while the trio were there Mrs
York eyed him furtively and said sew
eral times:
Hes dangerous man. He would
shoot US. He said he would Kill all
three of us rather than give up Mary"
The girl. too, appeared to be afraid
of him. She jumped to her feet and
sought another seat when he sat down
beside her.
"In get you yet" said York. laugh
ing. The girl began to weep. She
nodded in the affirmative when asked
if she wanted to remain with her
mother.
Mrs. York declared she had been
compelled to leave York because of
his i'll treatment of her. For about
nine years after that, she said. she
travelled from place to place doing
missionary work, until she met
Ostrander in Nebraska. She said they
were married at Ogden and that they
went from there to the Hawaiian Is
lands. where they worked for six
months They returned then to Amer
ica, she said, coming subsequently, to
Topeka, where they had been living
for several months before the girl was
abducted.
Divorced 'In Eyes of Cod
Il understand now that ] made a
mistake" said Mrs. York. "I should
have raised the money some way and
obtained a divorce from that devil
But everyone told me 1 was free be-
cause / had been separated from him
so long, and because OF his treatment
of me and relations with other women.
] really was divorced in the eyes Of
God, but guess I wasn't according to
mans law.
York treated me terribly. He beat
me and made me work in the fields
Because of his treatment ] had to
undergo serious operation. Ny hus-
band (Ostrander) and 7 were married
for the glory of God. We felt that we
could serve Him better working to-
gether. He is good, pure man.
he would not have married
me, but would have found a young
woman who had not suffered such an
operation as L had. I tried for years
to get away from York before / finally
succeeded And after God had de-
iNered me from the pit I could 1st
rest until 7 had gotten my daughter
out of his hands. She is a Dur-, i1fc-
cent girl, and it was terrible the way
he treatc her
Daughter Is Abused Is Charge.
His other is an aged woman and
IN invalid. Mary had to take care of
Ter and sometimes of an aunt and
lad to do housework and go to school
when she got a chance. And they all
cursed and abused her. and lots cf
lines she was down sick fror1 over
work and nistreatment. So when ]
;ot a chance to take her away I did
t. intending to put her in a Christian
lome."
But why didn't you wait until the
,ourt had passed on the question:"
he was asked
We'll, 1 had told my story when I
,ot my divorce. 1 was afraid York
would come in and tell a lot Of things
hat were not so in order to keep her
With him. And besides, I was afraid
4 him and worried about Mary. so
wanted TO get her away from there.
ie threatened to kill ali three Of us
ather than let her go. He Is a dan
erous man. I'm more afraid of him
han any other man in the world"
Mrs. York and Ostrauder said they
ad received al offer 70 go to Aus
ralia and New Zealand IN missionary
FORK. with all expenses paid. and that
n emergency had been declared in
er divorce suit and the decree grant,
d ahead Of the usual time in order
hat they might sail at once. Their
ext step was to spirit Mary away
rom Cverbrook school. They then
rove in a mission truck to Lincoln,
fGnutfuwad m pz~r