The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-11-24
OLD, OLD STORY
REPEATED HERE
Unmarried Couple Lived Here
Two Years, and Then Were
Found Out in Their Sins

Found Out in Their Sins
An old, old story was re-
peatcd here Wednesday, when
II. A. Brownley, auto mechan-
ic, typewriter salesman, and
more recently reporter for the
Daily Advance, was appre-
hcndcd at the request of au-
thorities in Pennsylvania, and
taken to Allentown to answer
the charge Of deserting a wife
and child.
A handsome Soung woman who had
been living here for more than two
years, with Brownley, and posing as
his wife, left here too for Pennsyl-
vania, carrying the year and a half
Old Child that had been born to them
in this city.
Brownlcy had been away from AL
lertrwn, Pa. for three years or more.
According to the police of that city.
he called himself Robert Browning.
and had been known under the alias
of L. L. Bamford. lie is of medium
build, with dark hair and blue eyes,
ard is about 35 years old.
He worked as an automobile me-
chauic in the Traylor garage in Al
lentown. In this garage, a pretty
10-year-0ld girl named Hannah a.
Stroll worked as stenographer.
Hannah Stroll had black hair, black
eyes, she was about FIVE feet and
half tall, and had 4 winning smile
which showed q beautiful array of
teeth.
According to his own statement.
Brownley wasn't getting on well with
his family at home. He was a good
talker and soon got the pretty stem
ographer in love with hin 1t was
not long before the mechanic and the
stenographer had departed for parts
unknown, leaving Brownley's wife
and one child to shift for themselves.
In July, 1920, Brownley came to
Elizabeth City and got a job in q To-
El garage. Pretty soon be opened
a garage for himself. In the mean
time he had brought the Stroll girl
to Elizabeth City, where they estab-
lished themselves in 4 respectable
home. Brownley was a good talker.
he vas active in community circles
and his good voice won him the
presidency of the local choral society.
and q place in the choir of the Epis-
copal church.
He told people that he was na-
tive of Omaha, Nebraska. That his
wife was from a suburb of Allentown,
Pa, and that her name before mar
riage was Geraldine Stroll. He called
her Jerry and she called him Hobart.
Nobody here was able to find any
thing against Brownley except an oc-
caSional unimportant squirt of men
dacity.
About a year and half ago a child
was born to Brownley and Mrs"
Brownley. Dull business made him
give up his garage; he went in the
typewriter business, and finally about
two months ago he began reporting
! for the Advance. Just before going
with the Advance, he made a trip to
Pennsylvania in the interests Of the
Carolina Real Estate Co. of this city,
and it is said that he went to Allen
town.
When apprehended By the Eliza
beth City police, he first denied his
identity with the charges, but after
ward admitted them to be true, and
gave himself up to the law He said
that he had considered no possibility
of apprehension and had thought the
matter blown over; but it is recalled
that he always avoided being photo
graphed while in this city. The girl
who was staying here with him, was
quiet, well-behaved woman, and
had never excited the least suspi-
cion, but a change had lately come
over her and she told friends that
she wished she had her life to go
over again and that she had never
married Brownley.
The girl says they were married
in Philadelphia and she lost her we'd
ding ring a short time after they
we're married, but police say Brown
ley admitted before he left Wednes
day, that he never married this girl.
His readiness to return to Pennsyl-
vania at the request of NJ. II. Bern
hard, Allentown Chief Of Police, kept
the local authorities from pressing
charges of adultery, and violation of
the White Slave Act in this state. He
expressed regret only for the child
that was born to them here.