Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-24
BLIND GIRL WIFE
|. TAKEN FROM MATE
Husband Sought on Charge
of Periury-Man's Sis
ter Arrested.

Fifteen year old Ruth Rcbecca Ka-
node. a blind girl. who lived at Oil l
street with her mother, Mrs. Eva Ka-
node, was induced, police allege, to
leave her home Tuesday and marry
Franklin Harry Acton, q years old,
of ass l street southwest. Today the
child has been taken from her hus-
band and police are searching for him
with warrant for perjury. The mans
sister Mrs Ethel Elizabeth Taylor of
GIL / street was arrested last night
by Headquarters Detective E. E. Thomp-
son and will be tried in Police Court
today for subornation of perjury.
The little girl, who does not appear
to be more than IL years old, is now
staying with her grandfather in Virgin
ia. recovering from the shock of her
experience.
Tuesday evening Mrs. Kanode went to
the Women's Bureau of the Police De-
partment with her story and declared
her intention of swearing out warrants
for Acton and Mrs. Taylor, who she
claims induced her daughter to leave
home during her absence.
Forced to Give Up Bride.
Policewoman N. K, Adams was i'm
mediately sent with Mrs Kanode to
Acton's home. Acton at first refused
to give up his young bride but when
threatened with arrest turned the
child over to her mother She was
lodged in the House of Detention for
about two hours and then sent to her
grandfather's farm.
Ruth has been blind since birth, but
is an accomplished pianist and remark
ably we'll educated. For the past nine
years she has attended the Overlea
Boarding School for the Blind, just out
side of Baltimore, and was home on her
vacation when the marriage took place,
Acton told Mrs Adams, Sergt. r. j
Milliken. Of the Women's Bureau, de-
clared today, that he had married the
child because he loved her and to give
her a safe place to live.
The charge against Mrs. Taylor is
the outcome of the securing of the mar
rage license. The girls age was given
as 10. and Mrs Taylor is said to have
supported the assertions of Acton and
the girl. She loaned them her wedding
ring for the ceremony,
Minister Questions Age.
The wedding was performed by Rev,
Henry w. Tolson of 8l7 c street south
west. He said today that he was very up
set over the whole affair" The girl ap-
peared TO him to be under the legal
age, he said, and he questioned her close
ly. but she insisted she was Is years old in
July. She told him her father was
dead and that her mother knew of her
intention to marry and had given her
consent.
There was nothing l could do against
statement such as that and in the
face of the statement of her age in the
license" Rev. Mr. Tolson declared.
Mrs. Kanode has announced her in
tention of having the marriage annulled
as soon as possible.
William James Kanode, az years old.
the father of the child, at present is
serving a term of two and half years
in Jail ss a result of a sentence In Police
Court May 4. He was charged with
assaulting his blind daughter and steal
ing his own sons watch and chain He
Is q former police informer.
Mrs. Taylor was released under $500
bond by Judge Robert E. Mattmgiy to-
day when the police failed to bring the
warrant against her to court. The case
was continued until tomorrow.