The San Francisco call., 1896-11-17

whose charred body was found in the
ago. 1t is story of cold blooded MUIR
der, horrible in its frankness, though
the tlme-worn plea of self-defense is put
forward in extenuation of the tragedy. 1t
tells OF robbery and arson-the destruction
of the victims home that the flames
might incinerate his corpse and destroy
all evidence against his assassin. Thus
goes the confession of John Dodge, who
is now awaiting trial for taking Mudgett' S
life
Dodge and his wife, Ida Dodge. after
their arraignment at Usal, were brought
to Ukiah and imprisoned. Deputy Sheriff
Hart who escorted them, wired to Dis
trict Attorney Sturtevant, who was at
Fort Bragg, asking Sturtevant to meet the
party at Willis. Sturtevant, after an all
night drive, arrived at Willis in time to
meet Hart and his prisoner. Dodge had
made full confession to Hart on the road
and the latter desired that it be made
known to the District Attorney at once. y
On Saturday evening at Langland's
hotel at Willis, in the presence of Deputy
Hart District Attorney Sturtevant and
Superior Court Reporter William Held,
Dodge told of his com plicity in the mur-
der, and his confession was taken down by
Reporter Held.
Dodge stated that on Wednesday, Octo-
Der 20, he had been out deer-hunting, and
while on his way home passed by
Mudgett's place. The latter asked what
he was doing in that vicinity. Dodge said
he vas looking for some hogs he had left
running there. Mudgett then accused
him of having already killed the hogs, and
said he had no business running after
other peoples hogs. Dodge insisted that
| he could prove by hls brother-in-iaw,
| Rube Mobiles. that be had never killed the
| hogs; but Mudgett stated that Mobiles
was such notorious liar that he would
not believe him.
Dodge declares that Mudgett then re-
| ferred to a bull that he had owned. claim
ing that Dodge and Mobiles had strangled
it to death. He said that Mobiles had lied
in that instance. Mudgett then went on
| to say thatit would be better that Dodge
never again cross the river (meaning the
South Fork of Eel River, which separates
| DodGe's place from Mudgett's). If he did
| so he would be killed by some one.
Dodge says that Mudgett began to abuse
| him. They were sitting opposite each
other in Mudgetts ca bin. Mudgett raised
his arm in q threatening manner. Just
| as he did so, Dodge, without taking aim,
| fired one barrel of his shotgun in Mud
getts direction. Then he ran outside for
| fear that Mudgett might shoot at him in
| the dark. Not hearing the latter, he re-
| turned to the cabin and found the rancher
| lying on the floor breathing heavily and
evidently dying.
| Dodge then took a rife from Mudgett
and ran from there to his own home.
There he met his wife and related what
had transplred. They were living with
| Dodge Sr. at ths time. and to divert sus-
picion they retired to their room and
there planned means of hiding traces OF
the crime. Finally they agreed to go tc
| Mudge;t's cabin and set fire to it, destroy
ing the body and the contents of the
cabin. Both donned overalis, and wrap
ping their bare feet in grain sacks they
went to Mudgett's cabin.
After arriving there Mudgett was found
| outside the cabin, some fifty feet from the
| building. They first cut pocket out oi
| his pantaloons. in which he carried his
money, and which contained some 500.
| Then they carried him into the cabin by
placing him on two pickets and deposited
him on his bunk within. A can of coal
oil standing near by was opened and the
contents poured on the body and the bed
ding. They retired to the door of the
building and from there threw burning
wads of paper onto the body and when
the fire was we'll under way left for their
| home.
Dodge, when he made the confession, said
thai he would have done so at Usal. but
that his fear of being lynched prevented.
! He gave as his reason for desiring to make
| it before he got to Ukiah that he did not
want his wife to give the first statement
of the case. and thereby have any bene-
| fit that might inure to her. To-day in
the county jail both Dodge and his wife
| made another statement substantially con-
| forming to the first, with the exception
| that Dodge said he did not shoot Mudgett
until the latter had discharged his gun al
him, and claims that the bullet grazed
| his neck. Mrs. Dodge states that trace Of
the bullet was visible when Dodge re
| turned to the house.
| The generally prevailing opinion among
| the officers is that Dodge shot Mudgeti
outside of the cabin and carried his body
inside, and that Mudgets died instantly
| after being shot. Dodge claims he stole
nothing but some money and some gun
lead, and says the provisions il the CABIN
were burned. Dodge accuses Deputy
| Constable Nelson, who was guarding the
prisoners, of having at Mrs. Dodge's re
| quest relieved her OF q large bowle-knift
with which the oilcan at Mudgett's had
been opened, and which would have been
a strong factor in proving the guilt of the
Dodges. He also says that, although Mel
son was supposed to keep the prisoner.
separate so they might not communicate
with each other, he carried notes between
| them.
1t is probable that information for muir
der in the first degree will be filed against