The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-07-28
STORY OF AURORA HODGE.
WHO C0NFESSES MURDER
Woman Denies That She Had an Accomplish and
Claims She Was Protecting Herself
Ryans Body Will Be Exhumsd for the Purpose of Ascsang
He Had Been Shot.

uon mat nothing more than a Cursory
examination could be made IL was
apparent that the skull had kaeu
crushed with some Instrument and no
further Investigations as 10 the cause
of death were made
Now that Mrs Hodge claims to have
shot him, it becomes imperative that
the body be more fully examined. The
omcers do not disbelieve the story of
Mrs Hodge on this point, but i'm fact
are rather inclined Co believe it, AT
the time the body was found some of
them were of the opinion that Ryan
had been shot N the head and his skull
crushed afterwards.
That part OF thu womans story in
which she claims TO have been en-
ployed by Ryan as a bookkeeper and
was forced to shoot him to protect her
self is looked upon as a himsy excuse.
of person who realizes her hopeless
condition Yet is srasping at straWs To-
save herself
Part Of Story Untrue.
The fact that she remained with
Ryan at the Hot Springs for several
days and nights and stayed with him
near the Winchester ranch. the officers
argue, is sufficient proof that this part
of her story is untrue They further
claim that il viii be an easy matter TO
prove. if she goes TO trial. that she was
not employed by Ryan. but simply was
travelling around with him as a com
panion- A search OF the belongings Of
Ryan showed that ne had no books 10
be kept and it is we'll known that ped
dlers of his class have no need of az
count records.
The officers are puzzled to determine
whether or not the woman was aided in
the bloody deed. Some of them believe
hat oh a -ar-4 IL.
no man VINO contemplated an act OF
the kind would take a woman into his
confidence or trust her to assist him in
the act. On the Oihe. hand. there is
the statement of the farmer who
passed Ryan's camp but an hour or
more before the murder and who claims
TO have seen two men in the camp.
Man in the Case.
Others Of the officers believe that
there was a man in the case with the
woman and that the murder was com
mitted by the man. They argue that
the woman was used simply as a tool
TO afford an opportunity for the man
TO get into the camp and get a chance
to strike the fatal blow. These officers
believe that even though the deed itself
might have been committed by Mrs.
Hodge clone, there was some one who
induced her TO do il and directed her
in her actions.
They believe further that this same
person advised her tc give herself up
and drilled her as to the story 10 tell
about killing the old man to protect her
honor. They freely admit that If she
holds firmly to this story and no one
can be found who saw the deed com
mitted, it will be almost impossible TO
convict her of any crime at all unless
it be that of robbery.
1t is known to the officers that a man
going by one Of the names that Mrs.
Hodge was known by disappeared from
Utah about the same time that Mrs
Hodge did. Whether he had been in
any way connected with the confessed
mUrderess they do not know. but they
are making some Investigations along
this line.
Yesterday Captain Burbidge received
a message from Sheriff Emery at Oma-
ha. stating that he would go straight
TO Grand Rapids and take Mrs Hodge
in charge. ReGuisitiOn papers for her
return were made out in this city yes
terday and viii be forwarded to the
sheriff today.