Charlotte, June 26—“I hope they hang him,” declared Loretta Lawing, 16-year-old daughter of J.T.A. Lawing today upon her return from High Point where she had been carried and deserted by Floys (Floyd?) Herman Bennett, Winston-Salem young white youth.
High Point, N.C., June 26—Miss Loretta Lawing, 16-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.T.A. Lawing of Charlotte, after having mysteriously disappeared from her home last week, was found in a local boarding house last night and taken back to Charlotte this morning. Authorities are searching for Bennett, Winston-Salem, white man, charged with abduction of the girl.
According to the story she told police authorities, Loretta Lawing was taken to the home of Mr. Vaughn, 400 Mangum avenue, Monday night about 10 o’clock and left there by Bennett, who did not return. Reading a dispatch in a newspaper about the disappearance of Miss Lawing from Charlotte, Mr. Vaughn suspected the girl, and communicated with police headquarters last night.
Chief Blackwelder telephoned police at Charlotte, who informed the parents that their daughter had been found. Her father and brothers came here today and took the girl away in a car.
The story of the whole affair was told to Chief Blackwelder in detail by the girl. Her story was as follows:
Miss Lawing was invited to accompany Mr. Bennett and Miss Mozelle Redfern, a girl friend of hers, on an automobile ride about Charlotte. When they returned to Miss Redfern’s home early in the evening and Miss Redfern got out the car, Bennett asked to take Loretta home.
Upon Bennett’s suggestion they rode about town a while longer, and Bennett began to make violent love to the girl. They rode toward Salisbury, and stopped within 10 minutes’ ride of the city, where they spent the night in the automobile. From Salisbury Bennett drove to Raleigh for a suitcase he is reported to have said was shipped there for him. Leaving Charlotte they came to High Point, securing lodging at the Vaughn home.
Bennett has a bad reputation, police say, and the father of the girl is offering $100 for his arrest.
From the front page of the Lincoln County News, Lincolnton, N.C., June 30, 1924
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