The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-11
CORONER WILL
HOLD INQUEST
Report Made That MabIe
Hodg8on Died of lIItreatment
GOULD FIND NO EVIDENCE
NeighborS Accused of Causing
All the Trouble.

! Mabie Hodgson. aged y years, died at
the home OF her father. SIG North Wash
iLgton. ana il has been reported to the
police authorities that her death was not
due 10 natgral causes. IN fact, it vas
reported to the police natron that the
child had been severely whipped with d
stick several days ago and that she had
not been out OF the yard since that time.
I Because OF these reports the coroner went
10 the home this afternoon with a. II.
sutton 70 investigate Inc case. Neither
81r. StraIton nor Police AiattOn Snields
wele IN The city. The coroner ana Alr.
sutton made an examination Of the body
ana heard the testimony OF some Of the
reighbors. They could frd 20 marks OF
violence en- TIC be5s which could have
caused death. About the ankles were
burns winch were said 10 have been
caused b. not irons, which were placed
at the feet OF Tire CD ia LaesIa- n.sht.
After investigating IS far as possible
into the matter Coroner McCCllister de-
cided that he would hold an inquest tEis
afternoon. Air 5odsson sai1 that he
courtc1 an DE5e-is.2< on ard tna decision
ol the coroner seemed 10 satisfy him.
Mrs Shields. Hho left the city yesterday
that the matter had been reported 10 le-
just IS she was getting ready TO so 10 the
train. ne of the neighbors made the
report and saia that the cAild had oeen
heSten by its step-mCther IL a most bTu-
tai manner ald tnat II should be ilvestl-
gated rhe Informant said that he
thought that the death was due 10 beat
ing and that the matter should be in
vestgated.
l1rs. Sheldon said that there were many
complaints made 10 her about such mat
tiers, bat as she had taken one child from
the family ana as Ir. Stratton had taken
another. she thought there must be some
thing in the complaint that should be
looked into. II was this that caused the
investigation of the police and the cor
orer.
DR.. Taylor was called in Tuesday to
see the child ard found that it was very
low. He told the parents that it could
not live and said that it was. suffering
from diseased condition of the liver
" found no marks Of violence on the
child said DR. Taylor. 1T was in con-
vuIsions when l was called and was in
very bad condition. I did not think the
child could live. I did not ..ear anything
concerning an inquest until last evening.
when 1 returned from a call in the south
part Of the city. I made another exami-
nation OF the body and found only the
burns on the lower limbs which the par
ents say were made by hos no1s which
were placed to the feet Of the child. The
irons Were wrlpned but in the convul-
sions she probably kicked The clothes off
the irons. She vas unconscious when I
sew her and they say remained SO until
the time she died
Frank Hodgson has the reputation of
being a hard working man. He IS at
present employed al Doid s packing house
and has lived here for fifteen years. His
present wife had four children when they
we're married and he had four children
He says that all the trouble is due to
nejeh0ors who VIII insist on interfering
in The private matters of the family.
When the coroner and Officer Sutton
called at the house yesterday afternoon
Mrs. Hodgson was historical and after
they had been there q short time, she
ordered them from the house.
The mechanical department Of the Eagle
has had added to its lighting capacity a
new two hundred and forty light seuer-
ator of the newest and latest design.