Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-01-16
KENT, FREE,
FLEES; SOUGHT IN
MERIWETHER
Officer Comess With Warrant AT
ter SchIey County Turns
Trio Loose

| schley county Is rid of ]. w. Kent
land the two women, one his wife,
iwho had been rhsing with him near
lacrosse, but another Georgia coun-
lty, Meriwether, is looking for them,
there being a warrant against Kent
charging kidnapping in carrying away
the two-year old child of farmer of
that county last February when he
eloped to Schley county with the
child's. mother, bringing her along
with his own wife and representing
| the two to be sisters. This is the
woman whom he passed off his own
Iwife during their residence at La
Crosse, and was the mother of three
weeks old child when the three were
arrested some ten days ago, the real
Mrs. Kent being represented as his
wife's sister.
Schley county happens to be rid
of the trio because Olin McElhaney,
the Lacrosse farmer who eloped with
and married the real Mrs. Kent, not
knowing she was already married, and
was later informed of the facts by
Kent, dismissed the warrants against
the three and the county authorities
decided it would be cheaper for the
county and better for all concerned
| to set them free and see that they
| left this part of the state. The news
of their being freed was not made
public at the time, Schley county
jpeople not relishing notoriety.
| Deputy Shows Up.
| 1t was not long after the trio had
been sent out of Ellaville when Dep
uty Sheriff Allen, Of Meriwether
county, appeared in Americus bear
ing clipping of the newspaper story
telling of the arrest of, the Kent trio
and announcing that the officers
there had been looking for them
Esince last February. At that time,
he said, Kent had carried away the
wife of farmer there and his 2-year-
old child, and had disappeared. The
farmer wanted his child back and
took the warrent charging kidnap-
ing. He was unable to locate Kent
lat last accounts.
Although an effort was made by
the, people of Ellaville, who interest
led themselves in behalf of the wo-
men and two children who occupied
1.-THE county Jail for several days, to
lseperate the women from Kent, it is
believed he has already joined them
lin Florida wtere they were sent.
While in Jail here the real Mrs. Kent
communicated with brother in Flor
Ida who wired her transportation to
icome to him. Citizens of the town
took up purse aud bought ticket
for the other woman, who still was
represented as the sister of the real
Mrs. Kent, and the two, with the
children, were placed aboard the
Seminole one night and started for
Ithe Land of Flowers.
keat Held Over.
Kent was kept in Jail until the
next day, when he was set free with
| the advice to travel. He left, walk
ing out of town toward Buena Vista.
Later a report came that at Buena
Vista he was heard inquiring the
route to Fitzgerald, and not long af-
terward secured man to row him
across the river near Oglethorpe. He
is believed to have headed south from
that vicinity, evidently knowing
where the women had gone.
The Kents were almost destitute
when arrested, and the ladies of the
Service section, Methodist church mis-
sionary socity, secured clothes and
other necessities for the women and
children. That Kent had money hid
den away, however, is the belief of
neighbors, who declare he made a
good crop and APPARENTLY spent little.
He resided as tenant on the farm of
James Reese, of Americus, and moth
ing whatever of value belonging to
! him was found when he and the wo-
men left before their arrest.
Deputy Allen, of Meriwether, re-
| ported that when Kent fled FROM
/ there last February he did as he at
| tempted to do here-disappeared
1 with the property of the landlord on
/ whose place he was living. This was
evidently disposed of, for when they
came to LaCross they had nothing
and Mr.. Reese supplied everything,
] including household furniture.
Schley people are congratulatine
!. themselves that they are rid of the
/ trio and disagreeable case.
R0y cCoITT SAVES TyEE OE