The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-11
WASSHE MURDERED?
Miss Peltcn Burned to Death In
F. Dodge Center Hotel.
LANDLORD HARTLEY TO BE TRIED
Trajectory Statements Aroused
Strong Suspicious.

Trajectory Statements Aroused
Strong Suspicious.
Special to The Journal.
Mantorville, Mimi, April lie. C.
Hartley, late a hotel keeper of Dodge
Center, will be tried in May for the muir
der of Miss Bertha Pelton. On the even
ing OF June 8, 1901, Miss Pelton, having
finished her years work in the schools of
Kenyon. started for her home in Reeds
burg, Wis. She remarked she would
spend the night in the waiting room OF
the station, as she was afraid to stop at
the adjacent hotel, kept by Hartley, alleg-
ing that having stopped there before, she
had formed a bad opinion Of the place.
After much persuasion her friends got
her to promise that she would take
room there and secure some needed rest.
Miss Pelton had 500 on her person.
Arriving at Dodge Center she went to
the Transfer hotel and was assigned
room by Hartley. Three hours later the
house was burned to the ground, and Miss
Pelton's' charred remains were taken from
the ruins. The coroner, DR.. Harrison,
was summoned from West Concord, jury
was impanneled, and he began what
proved to be a sensational investigation.
Hartley was the subject of a severe ex-
animation for hours at the hands OF
County Attorney J. J. McCaughey, and
testified that he was aroused by Miss Pei
ton at 2:45 a. m, and took her to room
situated at the head of the stairs leading
from the first floor. He then retired, but
being unable to sleep, arose shortly be-
fore o'clock and lighted a gasolene
stove in a summer kitchen in the rear of
the house. Coming back to the office, he
seated himself, lighted a cigar and began
to read. While reading he fell asleep,
and was awakened some time later by
smoke, which filled the room. Ascertain
ing that the structure was in flames, ne
gave the alarm, and broke in the door
separating his own room, which opened
from the office, from that occupied by his
cook, Mrs. Marquardt and her four chill
dren. Part of them escaped through the
office and the rest through the window.
Hartley then started up stairs to alarm
the guests occupying the second floor or
the hotel, but on nearing the top OF the
stairs he was overcome by the smoke ana
fell down stairs, where ne lay uncoh-
scious. On reviving he went outside,
where towns people were awakening the
guests by throwing stones through the
windows. There were eight or nine guests
and all escaped but Miss Pelton.
Could Not Save Miss PeIton.
When the entire structure was in
flames Hartley informed some Of the
spectators that there was woman still
In the house. A ladder was brought and
the night operator from the station broke
in the window to her room and attempted,
to enter, but was driven back by the hre.
The walls fell in at a. H., and at o:oU
the remains of Miss Pelton were taken
from the ruins. Hartley made poor wit
ness at this time, contradicting himself
frequently. He admitted that the gasolene
stove was under shelf which must have
caught fire, should the flame have shot
up; that during the time he was alleged
to lay unconscious, he did not lose his
eye glasses or his cigar from his mouth.
During the inquest it was shown that
Hartley alone knew OF Miss Pelton S.
presence in his hotel, and that she occu-
pied room directly at the head OF the
stairs and Immediately over that OF MS
cook.
A son Of the cook, who was with Hart
ley denied that Hartley went up stairs
at the time he testified he did, and said
there was but little smoke in the room
from which the stairway opened, and that
it was possible to have gone up and res
cued Miss Pelton, had her presence been
known. 1t was also brought out that
throughout the time the hotel was burn
ing, Hartley acted Indifferent to the rate
Of the various occupants Of the second
floor and profanely told one who asked
him to help him off the porch roof, that
if he could not get out alone, he could
burn. At the time they were removing
the body of Miss Pelton from the ruins,
Hartley was soliciting business for his
other hotel. During the inquest great
Indignation was manifested by the cltl-
zens of Dodge Center and vicinity, and
many open threats were made.
Indicted and Arrested.
The jury returned a verdict that Miss
Pelton met her death through the criminal
negligence Of c. G. Hartley. This YER
dict appeased the public and the law was
permitted to take its course. After this
verdict no arrests were made, but Hartley
was kept upder close surveillance. At the
meeting Of the grand jury in October,
1901. the case was brought before it. The
cook, Mrs. Marquardt, made a very I'M
willing witness before the coroner's in
quest, appearing to be afraid OF Hart
ley. She was induced to give further tes-
timony before the grand jury, and the
grand jury indicted Hartley for murder in
the first degree. He was at once ar
rested, and not being ready for trial, 1t
was set for the April, 1902, term of dis
trict court at Mantorville, and Hartley
was committed to the Olmsted county
jail at Rochester, Dodge county having no
jail Appearing on April his attorneys
argued for a change of venue which was
granted and trial was set for Faribault on
May 7.
The trial judge will be Thomas S. Buck
ham. J. J. McCaughey assisted by Sen
ator Lord will prosecute. The defendants
lawyers are Lafayette French of Austin,
Hall Of Minneapolis, and Eckholt of Roch-
chester.
Hartley at one time ran blacksmith
shop at Hayfeld, after which he managed
the hotel at that place for time. Moving
to Dodge Center he ran the Transfer Ho-
tel and afterwards secured possession OF
the Zumbro hotel, small structure in
the village proper, which he ran in con-
nection with the one at the transfer. The
Transfer hotel was a cheap two-story
wooden structure. was heavily mortgaged,
and was insured for $4,000 which the un-
derwriters as yet refuse to pay.
rNnTRIr rND nDEcInEMT