Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-11-29
DIXON BEHIND BARS.
Man Charged With Killing Lottie
Holmes at Thayer.
I'LL WAS ARRESTED IN BURLINGTON
Is Said to Have Confessed the Crime
to Burlington and Also to creston
offcials-Builet Intended for hn-
other.

Hugh Dixon, charged with the muir
der OF Iottie Holmes at Thayer, is
now under arrest, and he is III Jail at
Syreston. He was arrested by the Bur
lington police and it is said that he
has confessed his crime. altho he is
said to claim that the bullet he fired
was intended for another person.
Taken Thru ottunwa.
Dixon was taken thru Ottumwa On
a Burlington train last evening. en-
ltepta TO Creston where he was jailed.
t'5ysaer details OF the crime than
We're printed in the Courier yesterday,
are given by the Creston Advertiser,
~ fellows
Details Of the Crime.
Iarcsler Mckee held an inquest on
M; arrived at Thayer Saturday even
irg, and the iury's verdict was to the
c feet that Dixon was the murderer.
Che only two men Witnesses were
rslicents in their testimony and the
6Gproner had them placed under arrest
e, be held Tor further developments.
From Mckee it is ascertained that the
Ing the preparation of the evening
zeal. Dixon entered the tent and
q 4ked the Eolmes woman if She was
going to do what she said she was,and
replying afTirmatiyely he pulled out a
+ revolver and sent bullet into her
Heart, the ball going thru the body.
What Dixon had reference to is not
known. It is said, however, that he
we. in., 7fttS of 10 ar
colored men tell the officers that he
had threatened to XIII her. After
shooting the woman. Dixon fired
shot each at the two men who We're
just entering the tent when the crime
occurred, but the bullets did not take
effect He backed out of the tent and
made his escape. No effort was made
on the part OF the camp to detain him.
{ He is said to be bad man and the
other inhabitants of the camp We're
probably afraid of their lives.
"On his arrival here with Dixon the
sheriff was met by Chief OF Police
Hicks, Deputy Sheriff Scofield and
Officer Carlson, who assisted in es-
corting the prisoner safely to the
county jail. A curious crowd follow
ed the officers to the jail.
Dixon talked to- Sheriff Miller about
the crime and expressed regret that
he had shot the woman, declaring that
the bullet was intended for another
Dixon said: 81 shot the wrong person;
Explains His Action.
In his explanation of the crime to
the sheriff, Dixon said he intended 10
shoot Alex Johnson, another negro,
who was in the tent at the time, bat
in handling his revolver, an ugly lGoE-
ing Colt "A, there was an accidental
discharge of the weapon and the bull
let hit Mrs. Holmes under the left
breast killing her instantly. He then
took shot at Johnson The other
man in the tent was Albert Moxy ard
Dixon claims he did not shoot at him
That he would as soon have thought
of killing his brother as to kill McXy.
After the murder he left the tent and
told a colored man WHO was near The
tent that he had killed the woman but
missed the man and then walked TO
Murray, where he boarded stock
train on which he remained until he
reached Burlington.
Makes Escape.
At Burlington he got off in the yards
but boarded another train that was So
ing east but near Gladstone, or about
eight or nine miles east of Burlington
the crew PIT him off and telegraphed
to the Burlington authorities that the
man answered the description Of the
murderer. OfIicers left Burlington on
a hand car and captured Dixon il a
pasture. Sheriff Miller remarked to
Dixon that as he was in the shooting
business why did he not defend him
self, as he still had his revolver, to
which the murderer replied thathe had
done enough shooting. Dixon's ac-
count of the tragedy is similar to that
given by the two men, who We're in
the tent, at the coroner's inquest.
Hugh Dixon is 26 years of age. He
was born in Virginia but he refuses
to give the residence of his relatives.
He claims to have served three years
8 in the 10th cavalry and that he was in
Cuba during the siege of Santiago.
His service in Cuba covered a period
il two months. He was mustered out
in Alabama and since that time has
been making a living at day labor. He
has been working at the Foley camp
since last July"