Though Ehrich continued to work after school, he was earning very little. He wanted to earn more to helped his family, so he decide to Texas. He had heard it was a good place to find a job. Since he knew his parents would not allow him to leave, he ran away. This was not a very well planed escape. He took little food, clothes, or money. He also got on the wrong train, so that he ended up in Kansas City, Missouri.