LED AWAY.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 696, 3 January 1922, Page 5

LED AWAY.

MARRIED MAIL’S ABDUCTION. An amazing story was told at Wem (Shropshire) when Leonard Charles Ansell, aged 27, a painter, was committed to the Shropshire Assizes carged with abducting Ethel Maud Evans, the 17 year old daughter of people with whom he lodged at Wem. Evidence was given that the couple rose at dawn on September 10th, to go mushrooming, and did not return. The % mother found the girl’s clothing and box and the man’s Sunday clothes were missing. A fortnight later the couple were found living together at Rhyl. The mother, in tears, said she warned the accused to . remember he was a married man with two children. She also warned her daughter that if anything happened between them she would send her to the work-house. Her -daughter only laughed and sniggered.

Ethel, an attractive and smartly dressed girl, admitted she asked the accused to take her away on several occasions though he reminded her of her age and that he was married. She planned everything, supplied the money, booked the tickets, and engaged a room at Rhyl. Accused re-

fused at first, but eventually yielded to her entreaties. He told her he would get into trouble if the police came after them, but she said, “I’ll risk ail that.” Accused wanted to turn back on arriving at Chester, r.nd she did not succeed in persuading him until the train steamed into the station.

Accused said that when they got to Rhyl he suggested they should occupy separate bedrooms, but the girl would not hear of it.

Police-Sergeant Birchall said that when he arrested the accused at Rhyl he found the couple had no money, and he had to pay their railway fares back to Wem.