Black Sheep Sunday - Part 7 (1944-1946) of From small town Georgia boy to notorious Texas (and beyond!) con man

 This post is the 7th in a series of posts about the life of my cousin and con man Elridge Solomon Price, Sr.  You can find the other installments here:  Part 1,  Part 2, Part 3, Part 4,  Part 5 and Part 6.

At the beginning of 1944, Elridge is 50 years old.  Things start out quiet that year, but he still has tax problems.

Newspapers.com, The Austin American, Austin, Texas,
Saturday, May 06, 1944, Page 11

Because this sale was never mentioned in the newspaper again, I do not know if it actually went through.  Elridge seemed to have some miracles stuck up his sleeve, so maybe he managed to pay the taxes before the sale was completed.  Again, I do not know.  

Then in December, it is "here we go again."  Edith filed for divorce... for the third time.  

Newspapers.com, The Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas,
Wednesday, December 13, 1944, Page 11

"Eldridge Price

Defendant In
Divorce Suit

Ten minutes after a jury in coun-
ty court had found him sane, Eld-
ridge S. Price, oil man of Austin,
was named defendant in a divorce
and injunction suit filed in 53rd
district court by his wife, Mrs.
Edith W. Price, and Wednesday
had been restrained by Judge J.
Harris Gardner from interfering
and annoying his wife and their
two children, Jeamisean Edith
Price, nine-year-old daughter, and
Sterling W. Price, 15-year-old son.

Also named defendants in the
injunction phase of the suit were
L. Novy of Austin and Mrs. Jane
Weller Hill of San Antonio, whom
the plaintiff asserted are holding
part of the couple's business prop-
erty in trust for them and also were
placed under a restraining order
against disposing of any part of
this property.

Price was acquitted by a jury in
the county court late Tuesday aft-
ernoon on a lunacy complaint filed
in that court on Dec. 7 by Mrs.
Edith Wynn Price. The acquittal
came after extended testimony.

Judge Gardner set down for
hearing the application for injunc-
tion on Friday at 9 a. m. Pending
that time the restraining order
signed by the court will be in ef-
fect.

In her petition for divorce, Mrs.
Price alleged cruel treatment. She
seeks monthly support of $100 for
the two children until they reach
the age of 16.

The petition recited the couple
were married in Jackson, Miss.,
Feb. 19, 1917, and that they lived
together intermittently as husband
and wife until Dec. 5, 1944. During
their marriage, the petition further
set out, Mr. and Mrs. Price ac-
quired certain real estate, leases,
stocks, bonds, oil field equipment
and supplies, automobiles and nu-
merous other items of property,
part of which is located in Runnels
county and in other counties of
Texas; a home at 1508 Enfield road
which Mrs. Price said is reasonably
worth $15,000, and furnishings in
that home reasonably worth $5,000.
Petitioner gave the value of prop-
erty other than the home at $100,-
000.

In her petition, Mrs. Price seeks
to require her husband to file un-
der oath an inventory and appraise-
ment of all property, real and per-
sonal, and asks the court to enter
an order partitioning the property
between her and her husband."

    - Transcription by Google Gemini

Newspapers.com, Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas,
Thursday, December 14, 1944, Page 14

The hearing was continued.

Newspapers.com, The Austin American, Austin, Texas,
Thursday, December 21, 1944, Page 6

What transpired on January 2, 1945 is unknown, but on January 11, it was noted that the temporary restraining order was continued in force pending hearing for temporary injunction.

A decision was announced in the newspaper on February 4:

Newspapers.com, The Austin American, Austin, Texas,
Sunday, February 04, 1945, Page 4

While I am trying to keep my personal opinion out of this, I am amazed that any court in the land at that time would award Elridge custody of a child.  Even without knowing what was coming next, it is unbelievable.  

In March, we find out that Elridge is in trouble with the courts again.

Newspapers.com, Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas,
Friday, March 16, 1945, Page 2

Newspapers.com, Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas,
Thursday, March 22, 1945, Page 8

Newspapers.com, Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas,
Friday, March 23, 1945, Page 18

Newspapers.com, Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas,
Monday, March 26, 1945, Page 2

Newspapers.com, The Ponca City News, Ponca City, Oklahoma,
Tuesday, March 27, 1945, Page 1

Newspapers.com, Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas,
Tuesday, March 27, 1945, Page 2

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas,
Monday, April 02, 1945, Page 1

So when Elridge is pulled out of a hotel room in Fort Worth and taken to jail, where is his son, Sterling?

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas,
Tuesday, April 03, 1945, Page 2

Newspapers.com, The Austin American, Austin, Texas,
Wednesday, April 11, 1945, Page 14

Newspapers.com, The Austin American, Austin, Texas,
Wednesday, April 25, 1945, Page 14

Newspapers.com, Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas,
Thursday, April 26, 1945, Page 2

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas,
Monday, April 02, 1945, Page 1

Newspapers.com, The Austin American, Austin, Texas,
Saturday, April 28, 1945, Page 1

Newspapers.com, The Waco Times-Herald, Waco, Texas,
Saturday, April 28, 1945, Page 1

Newspapers.com, Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas,
Monday, April 30, 1945, Page 2

Newspapers.com, The Austin American, Austin, Texas,
Tuesday, May 01, 1945, Page 2

Elridge has unlimited "tricks" up his sleeve, apparently.  

Well, this concludes years 1944-1946 in the ongoing saga that was Elridge Solomon Price Sr.'s life.  I must stop here because 1947 was a doozy of a year, and this part is long enough.  Until next time...

Black Sheep Sunday - Part 6 (1941-1943) of From small town Georgia boy to notorious Texas (and beyond!) con man

 This post is the 6th in a series of posts about the life of Elridge Solomon Price, Sr.  You can find the other installments here:  Part 1,  Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5.

At the beginning of 1941, Elridge has a warrant out for him for perjury and had disappeared.  The first whisper we hear about the situation comes in March 1941.

Newspapers.com, Kansas City Journal, Kansas City Missouri,
Friday, March 28, 1941, Page 26

The article states Elridge was at this hearing, but it doesn't say whether he was located and arrested or if he came to the hearing of his own volition.  What I want to know is why is he in Texas?

Then in June...

Newspapers.com, Miami News-Record, Miami, Oklahoma,
Friday, June 20, 1941, Page 2

Wait a minute. In 1940, Elridge was living in Kansas.  Then in March 1941, he was in Texas at a hearing.  Now in June, he is in Oklahoma??? And he was arrested in Oklahoma on the perjury warrant out of Kansas.  I guess Texas was going to extradite him so he fled to Oklahoma??  When he was caught there, I guess he gave up on the idea of fighting extradition to Kansas.  It was time to face the music.

Did you catch the part where he had his little girl with him in a hotel room in Oklahoma?!  Then when he was arrested, he was angry that three people came and took the child?  Well of course, someone had to take the child!! I don't even know how he took the child away from her sister, who had temporary legal custody of her.  Sounds like parental kidnapping to me. I can understand Broadhurst, the probation officer from Kansas who originally had custody of the child, going and retrieving her.  Elridge claims he and Edith were meeting in Oklahoma.  That would explain her presence there.  I do not know why she was meeting him.  The possibilities are endless when it comes to the Price family.

Newspapers.com, Miami News-Record, Miami, Oklahoma,
Sunday, June 22, 1941, page 7

Newspapers.com, The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, Missouri, 
Sunday, June 22, 1941, page 12

Just a couple of weeks later...

Newspapers.com, The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, Missouri,
Wednesday, July 2, 1941, page 6

What?! If Elridge was sentenced to 6 months in jail in Olathe on June 21, how was he on a highway at the state lines of Kansas and Missouri on July 2? The Feds got him again.  

If you are like me and did not know what the Mann Act was, I asked my friend Google Gemini for an explanation:

"The Mann Act, formally known as the White Slave Traffic Act (Pub.L. 61-279, 36 Stat. 825, codified at 18 U.S.C. § 2421 et seq.), is a federal criminal statute in the United States enacted on June 25, 1910. It was introduced by Congressman James R. Mann of Illinois.

Purpose and Scope

The primary intent of the act at the time of its passage was to address concerns over human trafficking, specifically the interstate and international transportation of women and girls for prostitution, debauchery, or other "immoral purposes."

Key Legal Provisions

• Interstate Commerce: The statute relies on the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, making it a federal crime to transport an individual across state lines (or into/out of the United States) for illegal or immoral purposes.

• Broad Application: For much of the 20th century, the statute's vague wording—specifically the phrase "immoral purpose"—gave federal prosecutors wide latitude. It was frequently used to prosecute individuals for consensual relationships that crossed state lines if the couple was not married, or in cases where morality laws were perceived to be violated.

Historical Context and Evolution

• Notable Prosecutions: In its early decades, the act was sometimes used selectively or controversially. A prominent early example was the 1913 prosecution of heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson, whose conviction under the Mann Act for traveling across state lines with his white girlfriend was widely viewed as racially motivated.

• Modern Amendments: Over time, the scope of the act has been narrowed and updated by Congress to focus squarely on modern definitions of human trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, and coercion, removing its application to consensual adult behavior. Today, it remains an essential federal tool for prosecuting sex trafficking."

Newspapers.com, The Suburban News, Merriam, Kansas,
Thursday, July 03, 1941, Page 4

Again, since I am not an attorney, I had to ask Google Gemini what is an alias warrant.

"An alias warrant is a legal order issued by a court when a defendant fails to appear, respond, or comply with a previous warrant or court command (such as a summons or initial arrest warrant). In legal terms, "alias" means "second" or "another"; therefore, an alias warrant is a subsequent warrant issued to replace an earlier one that went unexecuted or unanswered.

In the context of the clipping provided, the alias warrant from Missouri was filed against Eldridge S. Price after he was already facing legal actions (such as his sentencing for contempt in Kansas), signaling that a previous effort to bring him before the court or address the perjury charge had not been completed, prompting the issuance of this secondary warrant."

Newspapers.com, Kansas City Journal, Kansas City, Missouri,
Saturday, July  05, 1941, Page 4

It was no time before Elridge was on the road again but this time he has an escort.

Newspapers.com, The Suburban News, Merriam, Kansas,
Thursday, July 10, 1941, Page 2

Elridge's troubles keep growing...

Newspapers.com, Kansas City Journal, Kansas City, Missouri,
Tuesday, July 15, 1941, Page 2

Score one for Edith...

Newspapers.com, The Suburban News, Merriam, Kansas,
Thursday, August 14, 1941, Page 5

Elridge is sued again, but this time, Edith is also sued.

Newspapers.com, The Suburban News, Merriam, Kansas,
Thursday, September 4, 1941, Page 2

So Elridge was taken to Missouri and everything is quiet about that until September.

Newspapers.com, The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, Missouri,
Saturday, September 20, 1941, Page 3

The following article is confusing to me in that it appears Elridge is being held in Missouri on The Mann Act violation charge, but then it says "has been arrested in Kansas City and gave bond for appearance before the sheriff of Jackson County October 7." This would be on the perjury charge connected with the custody case. So I am confused - when was he arrested in Kansas City?  Before Missouri picked him up? The article is not clear at all.

Newspapers.com, The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, Missouri,
Thursday, September 25, 1941, Page 9

So dear readers, this is where I have to disappoint all of you.  There are NO more articles about the child custody case.  Nothing.  Nada.  Zilch.  I do not know why. What I can tell you, is that by late 1942, Elridge and Edith are back together. No divorce and child custody is no longer an issue.  

If you will recall, Elridge was sued in 1940 for alienation of affection.  The case was wrapped up at the end of 1941:

Newspapers.com, Kansas City Journal, Kansas City, Missouri,
Tuesday, July 22, 1941, Page 2

Newspapers.com, The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, Missouri,
Tuesday, December 9, 1941, Page 8

Newspapers.com, The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Missouri,
Friday, December 12, 1941, Page 2

So the jury found for the plaintiff, but only ordered Elridge to pay $1.  Hmmm...

Elridge had financial troubles the beginning of 1942.

Newspapers.com, Standard-Times, San Angelo, Texas,
Wednesday, January 7, 1942, Page 1

On May 25, 1942, a newspaper article appeared regarding Frank D. Hedrick, Jr., a former Johnson County, Kansas prosecutor, who had been charged with bribery and was currently on trial.  He testified that all of his actions responsible for the accusations resulted from his efforts ("acted like a detective") to find out who was protecting gambling in his county and stop it. He asserted that someone in the Statehouse was a "Pay-Off Man."  During his "investigation," he met Will Johns, who at the time was a special investigator for the attorney general's office.  Then lo and behold, Elridge's name was brought up during the trial.

Newspapers.com, The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, Missouri,
Monday, May 25, 1942, Page 3

Mic Drop.

I'm going to leave this right here.

By the end of the year 1942, The Prices are living in Austin, Texas, and Elridge has found something new to get excited about:  "mines representing huge potential war mineral resources, located in Mexico." Let the schmoozing and entertaining begin.

  

Newspapers.com, San Antonio Light, San Antonio, Texas,
Tuesday, December 15, 1942, Page 14

Newspapers.com, San Antonio Express-News, San Antonio, Texas,
Sunday, December 20, 1942, Page 52

Newspapers.com, Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas,
Tuesday, December 29, 1942, Page 2

On to 1943 and they are off to Washington:

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas,
Saturday, January 2, 1943, Page 3

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas,
Saturday, January 2, 1943, Page 5

Newspapers.com, The Marshall News Messenger, Marshall, Texas,
Wednesday, January 6, 1943, Page 1

That is all I could find on ole Elridge in 1943.  Stay tuned for 1944 and beyond.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - An Unusual Newspaper Article About Your Ancestors

 From Randy (my cousin) over at Genea-Musings:

it's Saturday Night - 

time for more Genealogy Fun!!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to:

1)  Have you found an unusual, chilling, amazing, or fascinating newspaper article about your ancestors?

2)  If so, please share the article and what you learned about your ancestor(s) from the article. Provide a source citation too!

3) Please share your post or information as a comment or in your own blog post!

(Thank you to Lisa S. Gorrell for this SNGF idea.)

Here's mine:

To be honest, when I read the prompt for this week, I burst out laughing.  Not because it is not a good prompt, but because I post so many crazy news articles on this blog that I had no idea where to begin! If you read this blog, you know I tend to write about the scoundrels, black sheep, crimes, and losses in my family tree. So I have seen some crazy stuff in newspapers.  

So the news article I decided to use is none of those things.  It is unusual and fascinating (and crazy) to say the least.  Especially to those of us who knew this ancestor.  

My maternal grandfather, Charles Morgan Tapley (1907-1973) was married one time before he married my grandmother.  His first wife was Gladys Ruth Van Cleave (1909-1987).  They had two children together, a baby who did not survive, and my Aunt Evelyn (1932-2022). (Mom and I sure wish she was still here because she may very well have been to shed some light on this news article.)  Charles and Gladys married in 1928 in Los Angeles, California.  They divorced sometime between 1932-1939; I have been unable so far to find the exact date. Charles married my grandmother, Ethel, in December 1939, so I know he and Gladys were divorced before then.  

Anyway, here's the news article:

Newspapers.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas,
Saturday, 28 Aug 1937, Page 5, Downloaded on July 21, 2020

Mom and I are just confused.  We have so many questions and no answers. I have never heard of a Love "Quadrangle."  Why did this story go national?  Were Charles and Gladys still together at this time?  The articles states, "...Austin had roomed in the house of Mrs. Gladys Tapley and that Austin's wife lived for a time under the same roof with Mrs. Tapley's husband."  What does that even mean?  Were they boarders?  Friends? Acquaintances?  We have no idea.  

What I am fairly certain of is that my grandfather, Charles, had to have been mortified.  He was a Christian man; a minister even.  For him to have this circulating all over the country; maybe even to a newspaper back home in Georgia and having to appear in court and testify in front of a courtroom of people would have been embarrassing for anyone.  But for a good Southern gentlemen in 1937? Humiliating.

So unusual is an understatement.