Two Runaway Flappers Put Into The Coop

Olean, New York, 1922

"Micky" Snyder, 15 years old and "Betty" Plunkert, age 17, Butler, Pa., girls, who ran away from their home in the Pittsburgh suburb late last night, are being held by police here for word from their parents.

The girls arrived in Olean this morning, registered at the Commercial Hotel, reserved a room for tonight and started out to see the sights. One of the first things they saw was Truant Officer "Jimmie" McCready, who also saw them and spotted them for strangers. Because of their age he talked with them and then took them to police headquarters for safe keeping.

Blonde and Brunette

"Micky," as she insists she was christened, is a bobbed-hair blonde with a roguish eye, while "Betty" is a brunette of more serious mien. They gave their fathers' names as George Snyder and Frank Plunkert, with no address but "general delivery, Butler, Pa."

Sergeant Richard Allen called the chief of police of Butler on the long distance phone and the parents will be sought. No word has been received late this afternoon.

"Betty came because I did and I came because she did," gigglingly explained "Micky", who also intimated that there was another reason but it was a "secret."

"We just saw the name of Olean on the map," she continued. "It was a funny sounding name and we came to see what the town was like." Betty financed the trip and the girls said they still had enough money to get back home.

Had Jobs at Home

What they intended to do in Olean they declined to tell but said they did not wish to return home. Betty worked at housework in Butler and "Micky" had worked as helper girl in the kitchen of a Pittsburgh hospital, she said.

Micky has a sister and five brothers and Betty has two brothers and two sisters.

They refused to eat their dinners because they did not get pie and ice cream and both insisted they "never, NEVER," would stay where they are for tonight.

—Olean Evening Herald, Olean, New York, May 11, 1922, p. 5.