The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-04-14
who, stanton Paper Says Of the
ususirg of Hodges.
cr,u, the Valley Virginian, la,h.]

.,,,,w IN AUGUSTA coUNTY-THoaas
'crs rtEgN FROM THE JAN AND HUNG
svrxSNowN PARTIES.
,rr... Tuesday morning between and
..rta, number of men rode up i'll front
~ :,,l in Ibis citv. and calling for the
,'.,, ~ Mr. Harlan. stated that they had a
"a. ,.." -,<- - deliver to his charge. Mr.. II.
tf.t.i Who the parties were who MADE Inc
MI tor entrance. The reply was
,".'L ..I. and that the prisoners name was
=, HH,..',,gar,tl6." Mr.. II. replied that he UNI
\ odd their object. and that they could
+" ~. emitted. The parties replied that
49,, vtntpi 10 GET in and intended to 90 IN,
~ persisted in his refusal. The men
o,snf ~, and shortly afterwards returned on
rhe demand for admission was repeated,
- - similar result to that just announced.
~. leader of the party remarked 10 ms
'',,,relas MEN, he refuses to open the
s.'r The response was. "Break 1t open,
,hcn" The captain started for the door,
t.r- IN, men hesitatcd, when the leader. HI
. ,,~yu and commanding voice, sald
d" Damn il. men. are you going TO falter nc
.,.s hnnr:'' Instantly the crowd moved
.awq-ds the door. Two or three strokes
o,i,h crow.bar soon sprung the lock, and
49, door few open. Tailor Harlan appeared
II The passage. The keys were demanded
md refused, the jailor remarklng, Cen
linen. YOU are here in violation OF
i,w and order, and | am an omcer
o, tho county. and you cannot GET me
h,y>." then. remarked one ol the
men. "vour wife can give them 10 US;
that will not lie your delivering them.
Mr.. Harlan replied, - No. neither myself
In, ~
"a. will break open the cell, for we came
T.. and intend to have that man." meaning
Hodges. They speedily broke off the hinges
T.. ,ao outer door 10 the cell, and then
~r.nrhad of the large iron staple and lock
a n fastened the inner door. and entered
;.,.u.,.. Geo. ". smiley was in the same
~uuIa with Hodges. Some six Of the men
uttered. Looking at Smiley, one remark
81. This j. not the man." but extended
Ii, hand 70 Smiley and asked, "How arc
VOL. George:' Smiley did not recognize
lie party, as the light was very dim. Turn
:ng t. Hodges. several said, "rhis is the
nan: we know YOU" Hodges replied,
+" no. am not the man." The answer was
II safher him up by tie feet and head and
tearing him ont place him in two-horSe
wagon filed with Old pots, Kettles, ana
crooks. which made considerable noise lie
nov drove out Of town up the Greenville
road.
,n Tuesday morning the intelligence
came to the city that Hodges was hanging
to Z tree about mile distant, by the side
ii the road. Oh the old plank turnpike. A
!sr.o number Of our citizens went out to
vi"w the ghastly sight. lie was suspended
RON a large limb by rope halter, his feet
about three inches from the ground. The
hobbies placed on him in jail were still on
h. feet. Iii, hands were bound behind
lin with leather strap. The rope WAS
around hi> neck in 4 slip-knot. he was
evidently stran.lcd TO death. He had On his
pants, socks, and shirt-iu>t as he was
found in the jail. 1t was sickening spec
'a,c. Thus ended the earthly career OF
Thomas Hodges. q recognized horse.thiet
and murderer.
Or. Ey.ter was called on by the proper
authorities 70 eXrmine the body. His
theory was that he had been strangled to
death. as there was no dislocation OF the
nick, ana that the struggle must have last
ri al least twenty minutes. The toes OF
HI. Stockings were worn by reason, it was
thought. of touching the ground, or in Il
.pa,m die effort to gain the assistance Of the
tee On which he was hung, as the bark OF
i Was somewhat broken.
4 iUrv OF inquest was held over the body
~ David iIinkle, justice of the peace, act
~ T. cnrcLer, with the following gentle
lH"n AZ iurymen: Philip Tutwiler. w. q.
Brown, ". 7. Funkhouser, B. L. Bagby,
John ;. Churchman, VIM. Andrews, NJ. Is.
smart. L. 3. Waller, Nm. Poindcxter, d.
L. Blackburn, d. ". Shott, and Elias Md
1Dny. The verdict was in accordance with
liz above statement OF facts.
Ii is estimated that about 200 men were
in the party at the jail, and it was stated
hy one of the party that 800 men were
w.'hiu few moments call.
When the passage door was thrown open
the }ailor was seized by the back OF the
neck By an athletic man, and his face
Pressed against the breast Of his captor-
the man remurking to MIR. H., as he did to
Mr.. McCutchen, eX-sberih, who was Sleep
Ing at the Jail and had come down into the
passage-that they did not intend to hurt
hair Of any ones head except Hodges, but
that they were determined to have him.
Hodges had not eaten anything since Sat-
urday morning--the time he was first incar-
ctFated. lie asked Smiley if there was any
way 10 get some arsenic that he was tired
al HE. smiley told him he could have
nothing to do with anything of the kind.
lie then rolled up his shirt-sleeye, and, eX-
aiming the veins OF his arm, asked if he
could not bleed himself to death by cutting
one OF them open. Smiley told him he
thought not that it was foolishness for
!'l him to take his own life. [Smiley was
not acquainted with the character of the
"il"nce for which Hodges was confined, and
having only heard his story, thought he was
i'll injured man.
When the banging at the door was first
head by The two prisoners, Smiley re-
marked to Hodges that he thought the
lutruders were after him. Hodges asked if
ne Smiley thought they would take his
lie. Smiley remarked that he did not
Know, but that he thought they were after
hlln. Hodges then commenced praying
quite teryently.l
hodges was recognized as q desperate
CHARACTER. 1t is said that he killed man
named Brotford in Rockbridge during the
var was placed in the Jail of that county,
nlt subsequently made his escape. That
~ Killed one Of Captain J. T.. Marquis's
men-kale by name-in the mountains of
Tue western part Of the county, and
in 1864. ~ '
N"ne OF the party who so summary sent
cue uianneaied soul Of Hodges to the grand
"'5,ze above were recognized. 1t is not
r,,T,'aihiy known where they are from.
hty seemed TO know Hodges; were ac-
tUa!iited with his antecedents, and had de-
tt"Fiiiined that he should never again pursue
"', w., VOCATION Of horse-stealing aud murder.
whatever may have been Hodges's Of
desperate and reckless bis