The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-02-18
WANTED TO FORCE GIRL
OF II TO MARRY HIM
Richard Weston, Street Corner Preacher, Held
Under 81, 600 Bond for Abduction of Helen
Mettrey; Hearing Set for Tuesday


walks and talks with God and
that nc is living without sin,
got himself in bad with the law
this week when he tried to
marry 12-vcar-uld Syrian
"irl. Weston took Helen Met
trey To Norfolk Tuesday night,
spent the night with her, and
next morning she escaped be-
fore he could carry out his
matrimonial plans.
Weston is held under 81 900 bond.
pcndiu. hearing before Judge
Sawyer in County Court next Tues
day. February 2., He is charged
with ab,lmrtius and inducing Il child
in leave its parents, the penalty Tor
which is IL years in prison. He
also faces indictment under White
Slavery charges in the Federal
courts.
The .irl. who iS the daushSer ot
Mike Mcttrcy. PoindcXter street
Syrian Shopkccpcr disappeared from
home Tuesday afternoon. She was
discovered i'm Norfolk Wednesday
by her parents. and brought home,
giving u colOrfnl tale of her adycn-
lures.
II seems that Weston. had been
han.in. around Il Syrian store on
North PoindcXtcr Street owned 10y
one Pete AZar. an uncle of the girl,
with whom lives her grandmother.
Mrs. Mary Mrttrcy. The girl spends
much Uf her time with her grand
mother. aud WcSton'S calls had in
creased frequently. until he WAS
bold enough To- gn back in the iiv'
iur uuarterS ut the rear of the store
and talk to the girl. The girl Is II
short. thick-set, OyerGrown, peri
child. who is considered little better
than moron.
According To the girl. Weston ap'
, pcarrd at her unclc'S store about
& 30 Tuesday evening. and asked
her to 20 for Il walk with him. She
SAWS they walked out by the SchO"'
grounds and Weston told her ht
WAS going To marry her, ami thai
she went with him for fear ht
would offer violence. altho she Oh
i,rtrd. They went To the home oil
his mother in the mill district
where Weston got Il boy named
Holt to drive them. and Mrs. WeS
ton accompanied them. weston ex'
plaining that they were going II
Norfolk to be married.
Twice, on the way to Norfolk
th. -irl SAYS she objected. ana WaS
told by Weston that she was only
..rttin- homrSick. and ought to he
ashamed of herself. She SAID MIS-
Weston told her her son w"lii"
make n nice husband ami wouiu
huy her many nice clothes.
When the party reached Norfolk
the Mcttrcy girl says Weston tooS
her 10 the home of Il Mrs. Rl"SS
where he secured Il room. and stat
rd they were man ami VIE. Sh'
said Holt and Mrs. Weston return
cd to Elizabeth City, and she want
cI to return to. but Weston hau
told her it was too late now tha'
her unclr would kill her. and she
WAS afraid Weston would Kill hc'
ANYWAY. if she returned.
The girls say Weston got lh'
room. told her to tell everybody
She was 10 years old. and went on
She says she went upstairs 10 pc'
and that shortly afterward, Weston
ram,. upstairs. but sat up i'll Il CHAIR
and offered no violence, and whei
She invoke next morning about foil
o'cIock. he was still sitting i'll til'
chair and asleep.
II was then she made her escape
from the house. and made her wa!
! I'm thc home of IN aunt who llrc'
/ in Norfolk.
I'm the meantime the girls par
cntS had Il number of cars securing
the territory in search of her. ant
"wednesday afternoon they diSc"r
cred Weston. walking to the ran
road station at BelcrOsS. NeStol
had ran short of money i'll Norfolk
land had returned TO Elizabeth Clt,
To- secure more. He was to tax
the train at Belcr0SS. to avoid ap
tprrhrnSiom ut the railroad station
When the Mcttreys pressed hin
for information. he disclaimed an,
knowledge of the girls where
iaboulS. saying he had not seen ne
but believed she could be found II
Norfolk.
When Weston was arrested. II
became frightened, and admltte'
taking the girl to Norfolk. but dc
clarcd that he never harmed hel
, lie said he got in the he'd with TN
girl that night after she had Son
to sleep. but declared that he ha
hardly gotten under the cOverin
than he was seized with such fea