Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1879-09-17
THE WHEATLAND TRAGEDY.


soMR POINTS GIVEN BY VIRGINIA DETECTIVE.
Interest in the terrible outrage committed
in Wheatand, Yolo County, California, IN
May last, is again revived by the following
dispatch received by the Associated Press
last night
San Francisco, September ia Wheat
land dispatch says William r. Roddan and
his wife, Tena, at whose house the two girls,
Ida Dunn and Cora Heslep, were brutally
assaulted some months ago, were to-day
rested, charged with the crime The examin-
alton takes place to-day.
Cora He.lep is sister of Mrs Roddan, and
Ida is a niece of Roddan's stepmother. Cora
was living with her sister and making her
home there, while Ida managed to do enough
homework to pay for her board and lodging
| The two girls were very much attached to
each other. One night while they lay asleep
In bed they were assaulted by some unknown
person who beat them into insensibility and
dragged Ida from her bed to point about
| twenty -hve yards from the house. According
to the statement of Roddan, the first that he
or his wife knew of the terrible occurrence
| was when they were attracted to the girls
room by means. Cora lay there insensible
when they entered, and the other girl was
missing. Search being instituted, she was
aroused, but no clue could be obtained to the
perpetrators of the crime. Several persons
were arrested including negro
tramp, haf-demented Frenchman, and
three Cinnamon at work on neigh |
boring ranch. All were discharged |
after being examined Ia the meanwhile |
detectives were at work endeavoGing to fathom |
he mystery. 1t was a case which challenged |
the>r most acute powers, for the motive which |
could prompt the brutal beating of two mnO-
cent girls constituted the most singular incl
dent in the criminal annals of California.
The detectives found much in their way in
attempting to unrave the secret of the crime.
In the first place, the koddan family was not
only numerous But veil TODD IN the word,
and commanded much influence. Any hint
In the neighborhood that the Roddans had
anything to do with the commission of the
deed was met with a storm of indignation.
Nevertheless, certain circumstances directed |
he suspicion of the officers to Roddan and
his wife Cora Heslep Roddans sister-in-
law, receiving the attentions of a man
whom Roddan and his wife wanted her to
marry. The Dunn girl, however, seemed to
stand IN the way, as the man paid more at
tention to her than to Cora. Furt hermore,
the father of the Heslep sisters was hanged
in Colorado in 1859, which fact the family
was surmised that the intimacy existing be
tween the Hesep girl and the Dunn girl led
the former to tell the latter about the fate
which her father had met, and that In some
quarrel that ensued among all parties the
Dunn girl brought out the terrible truth, :
which made her the everlasting target of Mrs.
E ,ddans wrath-the latter being inclined to
tasume dignity equal to her wealth aud
station. The detectives still further
Encouraged by the uneXplain circumstance
that on the night Of the assault Mrs. Roddan =
went to neighbours house dressed in mems
;,othng to give the alarm, her husband fol
owing close behind her wish loaded shotgun.
Ten years ago the Heslep sisters lived
n Carson, and one of them who is now
married and living in the East, was on the
tage as an actress. She performed many a.
ines in Piper's old Opera House. An
lncle of the girls still lives III Ctrs1t. THIS
ed the detective firm of Harrison Il Gray.
# Sacramento, to employ a detective OF
his city to help them develop the case.
from him the foregoing details have been a
,alned He says he is in possession of in I
which he cannot disclose, but
which convinces him that the right parties
re now in custody. The fact that Mrs.
aoddans sister was an actress in variety
ARTS was thought likely to suggest to her
he idea OF dressing IN mems clothes for
he preparation Of the crime. Her APP
earance in mems clothes that night was
ever satisfactorily explained. The blows
Thieh were inflicted on her sister, Miss m.
feslep, were regarded as accidental, or i'll --
icted when she attempted to defend her n
ompanion, the Dunn girl. The latter was II
ably cut on the face and disfgured for
fe. The wounds were snch as might
ave been inflicted with a case knife.
The result of the examination will be
,oked for with interest by the people of the (.
hole oast.-Virginja Chronicle Of lost epe"-
g.
OBsTRUCTING THE SIDEWALK "A fact
hch has been the subject of considerable
nfavorable comment for long while, is