The Russellville Democrat., 1885-03-19
Il HUDGINs OF POLK.
Arrested on the Charge OF Arson

Arrested on the CnarScVt AfsVH
M
Al great sensation was created IN
Little Rock last Thursday by the
arrest of Hon. James q. Hudgins.
Representative Of Pcil.s ou1ty in
the lower HAnssvi the General As
sembIy, charged with arson and 9TH
er crimes in Georgia soon after the
close Of the war. The arrest was
made on, requisition from the Coy
erner Of Georgia, and the papers
were served by an officer from that
State. 1t is reported that in 1877
Hudgins was elected to the Legisla-
ture from Polk County, and that
then he heard officers wee after him
and left The State. A special cleo
tod was held and vacancy filed be-
fore the adjournment Of the session.
The charge agai, i him is said to be
an old one, to which he has several
times made answers by returning to
georgia for trial. Be that as it may,
his arrest caused a profound sensa-
tion. The report Is current that
Hudgins identity was established By
means OF an outline picture Of him
which appeared in the Gazette on
the 9th of last month. 1t is known
that Hudgins OF the close Of the war
was amerchant at Atlanta, Ca, and
that in 1857 he moved TO Polk Coun.
", this State, where he has since re
sided. He is . merchant and farm
er, and has accumulated consider
able property.
THE WARRANT REVOKED.
AS soon as the arrest Of Hudgins
became generally known to the leg.
islators they went in throngs to the
Shenff's office, and by 10 O'Clock
there were at least fifty of them
about the building. The judiciary
Committee had also adjourned, and
the lawyers had presented the case
to Governor Hughes, who, in the fol
lowing document, revoked the war
rant of arrest: . a
STATE OF ARKANSAS, EXECUTIVE
OFFIcE, LITTLE Rock, March 10, 1885.
To the Sheriff OF Pulaski County,
Arkansas. Greeting: Whereas, a
warrant was to day issued by me as
Governor Of the State Of Arkansas,
upon requlsition made by the
Governor Of the State of Georgia,
for the arrest of one Joseph Hnd
gins. directed to the Sheriff OF any
county 10 this State;
Whereas, Said warrant was issued
under misapprehension Of the facts
in the case, and was served upon
said Joseph Hudgins, and he is now
in your custody; therefore. SAID war
rant is hereby revoked and recalled
for the time being and you are here
by commanded to release said Joseph
Hudgins from your custody and re-
turn the warrant to me without de
lay.
In testimony whereof, etc,
(Signed) SIMON P. HUGHES,
BY K. B. MOORE. Governor.
Secretary " State.
After being released Hudgins was
escorted back to the hotel BY large
crowd Of Legislators, where Deputy
Sheriff Fstherly read the order from
the Governor to the messenger from
Georgia. The officer objected to
the proceedings, inasmuch as his
papers were admitted to be in prop
er SHAPE. The fact is, he had made
arrangements to leave at midnight
with his prisoner for Georgia, via
Memphis. In an interview ne stat
ed that Hudgins is charged with
arson at Marion, Ga. and that store
was burned, and further, that Hud-
gins partner at the time was con-
.yicted and sent TO prison for
ninety nine years, was pardoned by
Gov. Bullock and has since aied.
why he concluded, "Mr. Hud.
gins does not deny that he is tue
man l want-hs only denies the
crime"
As A INDICATIVE BROTHER.
One Of the reports in circulation
is that the arrest of Hadgins Is in
spired by a brother, who causes 1T to
be brought about every time the
prisoner runs for prominent posi-
tion; that there is a family feud at
the bottom of the whole matter.
1.-THE entire affair" says Hudgins,
''is stirred by swn brothers, through
Mr.. Howell, the young man who
brought the requisition, says he is
the son of the man whose store was
burned. Just after the war l had a
store in Atlanta, Ga, and about 1865
it burned down. | went to work for
a firm Of Jews, named Pethlets, who
sent me and one of the firm to open
a branch at Waldron, Monroe Coun.
tv. One Saturday the member with
me was called back to Atlanta by