The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-01-29
TRYING TO PROVE AN ALIBI
DEFENSE IN HoDGDoN CASE BEGAN
 TEsTIMONY YESTERDAY.

NcSAA.&
 tain Hodgdon at the Time Cook Said the
 Captain Was With Him-Housekeepe
 and Other Haines House Employes on
 the estand-Newspspers as Evidence.
 In the criminal superior court yester- day afternoon at 2:15 o'clock the state rested it's case in the Hodgdon arson trial and the defense began offering testimony. The court room was crowd ed as on previous days of the. trial, many ladies being in attendance. The first witness put on by the defense was James A. Wall, an insurance agent of Springfield. He testified that he saw Captain Hodgdon in the billiard room of the Haines house on Christmas eve from 6 to o'clock. Witness said that the captain was playing pool and he was watching the game. Cook testified Wednesday afternoon that Captain Hodgdon was in his bedroom all the latter part of the afternoon and even- ing of December "A except the time when Cook went for the oil and to the depot after his satchel Where Captain Hodgdon was at those times he did not know
 The second Witness called by the de- fense was Charles Donner, a bartender. at the Haines house. He testified that he saw Captain Hodgdon playing pool in the hotel billiard room from 8:30 to g o'clock on Christmas eve and that he saw him again at Il o'clock for fifteen minutes. He did not see Cook, how ever
 Charles w. Stuart of Springfield was the next witness for the defense. He stated that he travelled for brewing company. On Christmas even last he saw Captain Hodgdon in the Haines house and played pool with him there from SIS to 6:40 Witness had an en- gagement with his wife at GAO and re- l membered the time because he looked at his watch in order to keep the en- gagement. He returned between 2 30 and TAO and saw Captain Hodgdon then in the pool room. In cross exam ination witness said that he had been arrested in Springfield for receiving stolen goods. On redirect examination he said that he was arrested in 1887 In Springfield, but was not tried on the charge as the district attorney refused | to try the case. He pleaded not guilty Since then he had been for over a year | janitor and messenger in the police building in Springfield. The defense next called Mrs. Eliza Al Means, housekeeper at the Haines ho- 1 tel. After she had taken the stand, MT Barbour, turning to Cook, who sAt in I the dock, said: Cook, is this the wo- man who you said came into Captain Iodgdon's room on Christmas night when you were talking with Captain Hodgdon?" Cook replied that she was l the woman.
 l Mrs. Means then testified that she had been housekeeper at the Haines house 1 continuously from last May to October last. In October she went to Pennsyl- vania on account of the serious illness 1 of her mother. She returned to the l Haines house on Christmas afternoon to resume her duties as housekeeper. 1 MT. Barbour-"Wh time did you leave New York that day?''
 At 12 o'clock"
 "What time did you reach Spring I feld?"
 "The train was due there at 3:18.''
 Where did you go after reaching I springfield?''
 T went direct to the Haines house; I went in the ladies' entrance and up- stairs"
 'On your way did you go to the room usually occupied by MT. and Mrs. Hodgdon?"
 T went to that room and rapped, but received no answer.''
 l Where did you go then?"
 ''To the room of Mrs. Williams, the lady left in charge while was away. [ learned from her that Mrs. Hodgdon was not there. remained in the room until supper time and went to supper at 6 o'clock. After supper went to my room and stayed there until 9 o'clock, when retired.
 1 MT. Barbour then explained to the witness that Cook had stated that shs came to Captain Hodgdons room on Christmas night, and asked her if 10 was true The question was objected to, however, and withdrawn. MT. Barbour-"State, Mrs. Means, whether or not you were in Captain Hodgdon's room Christmas evening" l "No. sir: was not"
 1 Did you have any conversation wlth Captain Hodgdon in his room or at the door of his room Christmas evening?"
 "No sir."
 "When did you first see him after you returned2"
 "Next morning at the breakfast table"
 | On cross examina tion witness stated that besides Mrs. Williams, she saw several girls, employees of the house, I Christmas evening and enquired of some of them as to Mrs. Hodgdon. She said that Mrs. Williams room was on the floor above Captain Hodgdon's room. and that in going down to the | dining room she passed the captain s door. She had thought that Captain 1 Hodgdon was in New Haven as Mrs. Williams told her that Mrs. Hodgdon was quite i'll in New Haven. Mrs. Means then explained that the l duties of the housekeeper included 3 | general looking after the whole house 1 except the office She didn't know whether or not the captain was in his room at all Christmas up to midnight | neither did she know whether or moi there was any lady In Captain Hodg-