Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-04-18
THE HODGDON CASE.
Did He Attempt to Burn the 0sddes
& Bertrand Worksf

TesdimOny OF z. II. Denuison and
Harvey Carpenter-The Defense
make y Point Of Law-The Trial
Exciting Great Interest.
The case Of the State against A. p.
Hodgdon for attempt to commit arson in
the second degree was called for trial yes
terday in the District Court, Judge Rives
presiding. The proceedings were very in
teresting and there was q large attendance
Of listeners. Wren & Cheney appeared
for the defendant. and Lansing 4 Mitchell
were employed to assist District Attorney
CARRIER in the prosecution, Mr.. Mitchell
appearing for the firm. A jury was se-
cured In the forenoon and some testimony
taken. The charge is that Hodgdon ON
Feb. &c attempted to set fire to the Ged-
des & Bertrand hosting works in Secret
Canyon.
DENNIsoN's TESTIMONY.
Z. r. Dennison was the first witness
called. He testified that on the morning
Of Feb. 20, between 9 and Z O'Clock town
time), he was engaged ~ engineer in run
ming the engine. He had started . fire in
the engine about an hour before. 1t IL
not the custom OF the company to run the
engine ct night. Was hosting cage filed
with ore at hour mentioned from the 800
level. just - he started the cage up he
heard some one run upon the roof OF the
works. which is easy accessible from the
hillside. He rushed to the door Of the
works and saw Hodgdon descending from
the roof with q stick or something like .
stick in his hand, about 16 OF 20 inches In
length. He then rushed back TO look
otter the engine, which he had left run
ming. After landing the cage he went out
side upon the roof to see what Hodgdon
had been doing there. Hodgdon In the
meanwhile had gone at . rapid pace to-
wards his cabin in the near neighborhood.
Upon mounting the roof he found that
around the smokestsck tarpentine had
been poured upon the shingles in large
quantities, covering 81 area Of several
square feet, and that Giant OF Her.
cules powder, in all about five or
six sticks, had been cut up and
pressed under the shingles. These ex-
plosives also were saturated with turpentine,
and ct the same place he discovered pitch
pine smeared over with giant powder, this
also saturated with turpentine and scat
tered about within the area Of the roof sat-
urated. He found matches, also, lying
around among the pieces Of pitch-pine,
There is q sheet-iron protector surround
ing the smokestack where 1t passes through
the roof, and that combustibles were
jammed under it also. Upon making
these discoveries he Immediately went
down and notified the blacksmith snd one
OF the mon In the mine. A consultation
was held, after which . number of the
miners, with Foreman Atcbison, Harry
Carpenter and himself, went to Hodgdon's
cabin to see him and investigate tho mat
ter. Took . rope along, thinking il might
be handy. They accused Hodgdon Of the
crime OF trying to burn down the hosting
works.
At this point Mr.. Wren, judging from
the opening statement Of the District At
torney, that the witness would testify to
certain statements or admissions that
Hodgdon had made when accused Of the
crime, asked leave OF the Court to cross
examine the witness then, to show that the
| defendant was at that time under duress,
and that any confession or statement he
| might have made at that time for that rea-
son was not admissible in evidence against
him. Upon cross-examination 1t was
shown that the defendant, ct the time Of
making certain admissions, was greatly ex-
| cited, and In great fear Of bodily harm,
though no questions were asked him "a TO
his guilt or innocence. these statements or
admissions having been made BY him vol
unfairly.
The Court sustained the objection. and
no testimony ~ to his admissions or con-
fessiou was admitted.
After this witness wa put again under
redirect examination. and testified that
the defendant was taken by the men upon
the roof Of the hosting works and shown
the combustible material around the
smokestack. In the meanwhile Harry
Carpenter and another man had gone TO
Hodgdon's cabin 10 search for evidences
Of his guilt. They found 3 fuse made Of
Giant or Hercules powder, wrapped In .
brown paper and sewed with black thread.
with six or eight matches with the sulphur
epds protruding, stuck In one end Of this
fuse. Upon bringingit mp to where Hodg-
don WAS among the men. Hodgdon took II
from Carpenters hand. saying, "Whst d
this =, and breaking II n two be put thu
pieces behind his back. II was then taken
away from him. He was then put under
guard. and Carpenter came 70 town 70 gel
ont . warrant for his arrest.
CROSS EXAMINATION.
The REORGANIZATION developed the ex'
istence Of bad feeling between witness and
defendant, and in fact that they we're enc
mics, and some minor details upon which
the defense will claim the advantage ol
some discrepancies In the testimony Of Thu
witness.
witness testified also upon redirect q
animation that about ton days before Feb
20 the defendant had made the threat II
his presence that be would get ven with
the Geddss q Bertrand Company Il II tool
him 20 years. He had been employed b.
the company, but had been discharged.
Harry Carpenter wa the next wituesl
called. His testimony corroborased thai
Of Dennison. except hal he wss not pres
emit when defendant vas discovered on tn
roof Of the mill. He was rent for by Den
pison. He found the fuse described By
Dennison on . shelf In Hodgdon's cabin
Court adjourned until 10 O'Clock thii
morning, when . number Of other Wit
nesses will be examined, the case being y
yet only fairly opened. I.
The Jury impansled In the above case \
- lollows: r. ]. B~remenkampf, ]. b
Langstron, VIM. Thomas, VIM. Van Week
Zeph. James, Chas. vogle. Sam. Williams
O. W. Ladd, Michael Purcell. John God
frey. Michael Ksarnsy and WI. Richards
~
Another "Dead Camp Beviving
All old Cslifornians. and there are score
Of them here, will read With pleasure th
following from the ssorAmsnto Bes
"During the past year stoh and sxtsnsiv
developmepH have been made In th
quarts mines q 0rissly Flat, Eldorad'
County. Six quartz niils have bes'
erected q that place during the last iev
Mouths. and al are running day %,
night on rioh ore. The camp has grow
rapidly and today asum the proper