The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-02

OF felonfous assault. She had been killed
| by blow upon the skull with some iron
| instrument, which penetrated the bone and
permitted the blood and brains to ooze out
on the ground. Looking about for the
weapon with which the crime had been
committed. I noticed something wrapped
up in the woman's shawl. It proved to be
half Of slide, such as is used on farm
wagons. 1t was made of wood. painted red.
and had an iron bolt in one end Investi-
eating further. found outside the lot, in
the ditch. at a point opposite the spot
where the body lay. the other half of the
wooden slide. containing similar bolt in
the end. When took my find back TO
the haystack and tried TO fit 1t to the piece
OF bloody wood I found that 1t fitted ex-
actly. / walked along the sidewalk on the
outside of the vacant lot until I came to a
place where three shade trees stood In such
close proximity that their branches inter-
laced at the top, and thus made the spot
exceedingly dark in the evening at
night. found indisputable evidences that
the crime had been committed here instead
OF at the haystack. where the body was
lying.
FOLLOWED BY THE MEN.
Continuing my investigation. 1 discov-
cred that Mrs. Hudson had left Mrs. Con-
ants millinery store the evening Of the
murder, and started for her boarding place,
about six squares away. Two persons, Mrs.
Nodine and Mrs. Jennie Donaldson, passed
her about eighty-five yards from the scene
of the crime. They said she was hurrying
along through the rain, which had just
fo fol NIT her oh oxyl ed
down over her face. Right behind her, close
enough to have touched her If he had
reached out his hand, was man of medi-
UNI size and still further back was another
man whom both women described as be-
ing tall. The last man carried under his
arm something which the women could not
describe. Within a few hours of the finding
Of the body succeeded in coming across
a farm wagon, with red running gear, close
to blacksmith shop which was only a
few squares away from the vacant lot. I
learned that Mrs. Reyes had, on the
evening of the murder, seen three men
one of whom. from her description, ap-
peared to have been Lane--standing near
the red wagon. This was about $50 p. m.
I observed the slide was missing from
this wagon and then I tried an experiment
with the slide which 1 had found near
where the body was discovered. The piece
of wood with which Mrs Hudson was slain
fitted that wagon to perfection.
'I also made a thorough search of Mrs
Hudson's apartments for any letter she
might have left for me. since she had init
mated that she would likely leave behind
her, If killed, confession which would
send T. NJ. Lane to the gallows or the peni-
Tertiary. In the top tray Of her trunk /
found long letter in an envelope, adj
dressed to me, but not stamped. Opening
it, found she had written out in minute
detail the confession which she gave me
that night across the l., B. G. w. rail-
road bridge. At the close of the letter she
said: L am watched all the time by some
of the clan and they have used unmerciful
threats if 1 ever betrayed him Lane) on
this business
at told Rittenhouse the whole story, and
we began search for Lane. We finally
succeeding in arresting him at Sardorus--
Mrs. Hudson's home. from which place
he was taken to Urbana and confined in
Jail. At the trial his defense was an alibi.
He produced several very fine looking peo-
pie who swore that on the night of the
murder he was in a house on North Car
penter street in Chicago. We brought evil
dence which showed that we had traced
Lane to Champaign on the evening prior
to the murder and that he had been seen
sitting on a pile of lumber cat-a-corner
from the house where Mrs. Hudson was
employed-evidently watching the poor
woman. We also produced the evidence Of
Mrs. Keyes and of Mrs. Donaldson and
Mrs. Nodene, in addition to the confess
sion of Mary Ann HUDSON. The jury. how
ever. which was average one, gave
Lane the benefit of every doubt and &C
Quilted the scoundrel.
after he was discharged Lane ap-
preached me and said, have been ac-
quilted by a jury and now I want to hear
you say that you think / am innocent
That will never do replied, for 1 know
that you killed Mary Ann Hudson and
you know that know it, oh WELL he
said with laugh, I will tell you all about
it some time Lane then left Illinois, and
next turned UP at Wichita, Kan. where
he was afterwards accused of numbering
a child, but his luck followed him still.
ciio AS was again dSQQllts-. i maven the
slightest doubt that he killed Mrs. Hudson,
and I am fully aware of his reasons for
committing the terrible crime. We left
no stone unturned to secure his convic-
ton and punishment. but justice miscarried
and we failed.
II found out another interesting and
mournful fact in my investigation of the
Hudson murder" said Captain Halls, as
he picked up book of photographs of
noted criminals and proceeded to look
for the picture of offender whom he
wanted 81 learned that about S o'clock
of the evening on which she met her cruel
fate, Mrs. Hudson made an effort to COM
municate with me. She had caught sight
of Lane watching her from some place
near the store at which she worked, and
wanted me to come and furnish her pro-
lection. She sent me note by a messen-
ger. but. unfortunately, I could not be
found at that time. If / had re-
ceived the message, I might have
prevented one of the most fright
full murders in the annals of crime.
But suppose it was fated that Mary Ann
Hudson must die by violence. Poor WON.
an. she was not altogether guiItless, but
she did make an effort to get out of the
fearful net Of criminality in which she was