New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1890-02-26
Both must Hang.

The Brown county jail is now har-
boring two Redwood county prisoners.
that are waiting to be hung. They are
VIM. A. Rose, who murdered Moses
Lufkin, and Clifton Holden, the MUIR
derer of Frank Dodge. The former re-
ceived his awful sentence some three
month. ago. and is now living in
dread of the day that must soon be
fixed. Holden was sentenced Tues
day. The court convened at 10 O. clock
and Judge Baldwin, attorney for the
defense, made a plea for leniency.
Holden followed, and in seventeen
minutes speech, scored the county
sheriff and attorney, proclaimed his in
nocence and begged of the Judge for
mercy. He spoke in clear tone and
although very pale showed very little
emotion. When he had finished. Judge
Webber addressed him. He told
him that he had fair trial, that his
conviction was sustained by the evi-
dence, and then, trembling with the aw-
full weight of his task, he sentenced him
to hang. The prisoner was brought to
New Ulm the same evening, and it is
said that during the journey he laughed
and felt very easy. He still believes
he will go free.
A Redwood correspondent of the St.
Paul News in summing up the two
cases gives the gist of their history in
an article nearly as follows:
1t was peculiar crime that Holden
committed. On Nov. %, 1888, he was
with his cousin, Frank Dodge, at Nor
ton, Renville county, a town nine miles
from here. He wanted to return to his
home at Rochester, Mimi, and asked
his cousin to take him up to Redwood
Falls where he could take through
train. Dodge consented and in the ey-
ening hitched up his horses and started
on journey that proved to be his
| last on earth.
His body was found in cluster of
weeds on Washington Street, just lit
tie way from the creamery, by a young
fellow named Birum, about o'clock
the next morning. There was bull
let hole in his head. Aside him lay
Dodge's faithful dog as if guarding the
remains of his master. 1t was dark
when Birum gave The alarm, and in
less than two hours the citizens of this
quiet little village were in state of
feverish excitement. Sheriff Mead and
Coroner Pease Immediately began an
investigation. Holden was ushered out
of bed at the Exchange Hotel, and told
what he knew some hours later. As
he was about to return to Morton to
notify Dodge's relatives, he was arrest
ed Blood was found on his clothes
and shoes, and trembling he signed a
statement that Dodge had shot himself
near the Mason farm, four miles from
here, and that he, in order to avert the
suspicion of murder, brought his body
to town and placed it where it was found.
He also told a contradictory story, stuck
to that for few DAYS, and then fell
back on the first one. This double
faced business went far to convict him.
He was thrown into the village jail. but
Morton citizens were SO enraged at the
untimely taking off of one of their citi-
zens that Sheriff Mead in order to avoid
lynching found it necessary to take the
prisoner to New Ulm. At the trial
Holden pleaded noe guilty. G. G. Will
son. of Rochester, and Judge Baldwin,
of Redwood, were engaged as his coun-
sci. A jury was hurriedly subpoenaed,
| the testimony taken, and owing to the
Renyille county term opening the same
day, Wilson submitted his case without
argument. After two days in locked
rooms, the jury returned verdict OF
murder in the first degree. An appeal
was taken to the Supreme court. but
that body granted no relief, and, unless
the governor interferes, Holden's doom
on earth is sealed.
The other Redwood county man now
! in Jail is w. A. Rose, who murdered
Moses Lufkin in Gales township nearly
three years since. The Governor ha,
not yet set bis date.
i The deed WAS committed near ehs
edge of Redwood county, on the evening
of Aug. 2S. 1888. Both murderer and
murdered had lived, near neighbors, in
MURRAY county for years. A bitter feHd
, existed bstween the Two families and
threats to shoot Lufkin we're frequently
ma4}e Matters erey worse until Inf.