The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1902-10-24
SPAHR IS IN CUSTODY.
Man Who Welded the Razor
Arrested at Wisner.
HODGES SYMPTOMS ARE GOOD
Prisoners viii be Kept in County
Jail, Awaiting the Preliminary
Hearing Spahr Says He Slashed
the Negro in Self Defense.

the Negro in Self Defense,
From Saturdays Daily
Spahr, the man who cut the
throat Of George Hodges, colored,
Thursday night, is now in costody, hav'
ing been overtaken by Chief of Police
Kane couple of miles this side of Wis
ner yesterday afternoon and was
brought back during the night, the Off.
Ger arriving with his prisoner about 2
O'Clock this morning.
Instead Of two men at large implic.
ated in u terrible crime, by the prompt
action of Norfolk's chief of.police they
are safely under lock and key awaiting
the recovery Of Hodges sufficiently to
appear against them. ]. A. Baird, was
taken from the switch engine at the su
gar factoty on which he was firing yes
terday morning, When he saw the Off
Ger coming his way he walked along the
side of the cars In the yard in an appar-
ent effort to disappear, but the officer
said he was wanted and he came.
The chase after Spahr was longer, but
quite as successful. The officer learned
that he went out of town on stock
train and got Off Mt Pilger. He secured
fast team and took up the trail. At
Pilger Spahr claims to have lost his hat
and bought knew one. Beyond Pilger
Spahr attempted to make his escape on
foot but the officer found it easy to fol-
low him toward Wisner. He tele.
phoned the Wisner marshal to be on the
lookout and that officer met him with
the man wanted two miles west of
town.
Spahr not only admits that he was
the companion of Baird and the colored
man OH the night of the crime, but also
admits that it was he who did the cut
ting, pleading self defense as the mo-
tive
His story is that in coming away
from the resort the trio had visited they
got into dispute, that Hodges struck
him over the head with whisky bottle
and that then they grappled Hodges
attempted to draw n razor on him and
that in the 'scrimmage he secured pos.
session of the instrument and cut the
throat Of his antagonist.
His story, 1t seems, does not tally
exactly with that told by Baird nor
does it accord with that of the victim,
Hodges. The latter claims that he had
no razor nor other weapon of offense
or defense. For Spahr to make clear
case of defense it may be necessary to
show that Hodges was the aggressor in
the fight THAT there was no effort to
take the money away from Hodges and
explain why he should have left the in
jured man without informing the Off.
GERS or others of his attempt at defense
Again 1t will be difficult to prove that
such rigorous measures as were resorted
TO were necessary for defense where
there were two men and but one to at
tack them.
Spahr gives his age as 24 years. He
states that he has been working in Nor.
folk about month. That his first ac-
quaintance with Hodges was in the
coal sheds at the Junction yards. He
says he came here from Deadwood, S.
ID. He is young man slightly under
medium build, of about 100 pounds in
weight, strong physique. His face is
rather ordinary, has light brown hair
that is inclined to curl. Altogether he
is not a bad looking man.
Baird is n man Of about the same age
as Spahr, but is of slighter build, and a
little taller, His pronounced character
istic is squeaky voice. He is of rather
mild demeanor and appears to have
been badly frightened following his ar.
rest.
There is said to have been an eye wit.
ness to the scrimmage whose testimony
will have an important bearing on the
case, but he has not yet been questioned
as to what he knows of the transaction.
County attorney Mapes has inter.
viewed both prisoners and has decided
to hold them for preliminary hearing,
which will be held after Hodges con.
dition has developed. The injured
mans condition appears to be improv.
ing, with chances of his ultimate re.
covery should no unfavorable symptoms
set in. Meanwhile Baird and Spahl
will be confined in the county jail
at Madison, to which place they will
be taken tomorrow morning.
DIR. Munson was down to see his
patient this afternoon. He has put &
bandage of adhesive strips about the
patients neck, that is serving to hold
the severed portions together and tn,
prospects are that inflammation will be
kept down and that the wound will hea
rapidly. Hodges is able to speak in &
whisper but the doctor fears that hi
will never recover his voice. owing n