The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-23
A WOMAN DEFIES THE GALLONS
AURORA HODGE REFUSES TO BE-
TRAY THE MAN SHE LOVES.
Persists In saying she IL Guilty Of Murder
II w Impossible she COmmitte''--Ap-
parcntiy shielding che Real Murderer
WHO'S the "Man From Everywhere"

dered James y. Ryan, n travelling mer-
chant. For several reasons II is deemed
impossible that she killed Ryan and 1t IL
believed that she is facing the prospect
of death ON the gnllows or long imprlSon-
meu rather than betray the man she
loves
Detectives of lhrce States are puzzled
by the ease In order to save the girl her
brother, Alfred Larsen, manager OF the
Iowa TceDhO'" Company Of Denison, Ia,
and the awy - he has employed are CO.
operating with the police in an effort to
induce her to tell who really killed Ryan,
or who her accomplce is.
SO far they have failed, The girl stub
bornly refuses even to admit that she had
an accomplice, and from her bearing
il is thought she will accept whatever
penalty the law imposes, and the secret
OF who murdered Ryan will remain locked
il Ner breast 1t seems a case of a woman
ii e'ing her lover even unto death.
on July IA two prospectors discovered
Ryan's body lying under cump of bushes
in the canon near Murray 1t was covered
with blanket and ten feet from il stood
Ryans travelling wagon to which was tied
Spot, Ryan's pet dog. The dog has de-
veloped into one of the important factors
in the case.
When the body was uncovered IT was
in such state that immediate lnterment
was ordered by the authorities 1t was
ascertained that heavy thongs were bound
around the legs and arms, and u handker-
chief had been tied in tight knot around
the neck There was big bruise and cut
on the forehead.
Not a cent Of money was found in the
mans pockets, but in a small memorandum
book was this entry:
NO fool like an old fool James X.
Ryan and Aurora Hodge
With this slight clue 10 work on, the
detectives set out to solve the mystery.
They discovered that three days before the
body was found, on July IL, Ryan and
woman had left Ogden. This woman
was identified as Aurora Hodge, who had
canvassed Ogden for employment from
July to IL.
The girl had disappeared after the muir
der. She was finally traced to Denison, Ia.
her home.
Before a warrant could be served on
her she disappeared again, but turned
up later at Grand Rapids Mich, where
police. confessed that she had killed Ryan
and asked to be taken into custody.
In her confession the girl declared that
in May she married man named Cornelius
Hodge, at Los Angeles, and week later
left him. after quarrel. and went to
Ogden, Utah, 10 visit relatives and seek
employment. She met in Ogden, the man
she murdered and he hired her to go
with him as his bookkeeper, They trav-
.lled for some time living at good hotels,
and all went well until they neared Salt
Lake.
When they were on a lonely road few
miles from the city, Ryan attempted to
assault her. She put up a fight and then
pulled n revolver and fired at him. killing
him Her confession continues:
We we're within few miles Of Salt Lake,
and decided to leave the brute in the wagon
and walk to police headquarters and give
myself up. When l reached the city my
nerve failed me. / thought perhaps that
no one could ever know that killed him.
l had left the revolver near him, and I
thought IL would look as If he had killed
himself.
With what money ] secured from his
money pouch before / left the wagon 1
purchased ticket to Denison, where my
brother and foster parents live. took
only s45 Of Mr.. Ryan's money, as this was
the sum he had collected at the Ogden
Post Office for me. 1t had been mailed
to me by Mr.. Lange, whom met at San
Jacinto in May.
while at Denison decided to 60 at once
to Grand Rapids and give myself up, for
GaI + nod
fessed and was punished for what l had
DONE
This confession was 80 at variance with
the facts that the police decided to exhume
the remains. Before this was done they
told Mrs Hodge that the body was bound
when found and was lying near the road
side covered with blanket She seemed
confused for a moment, but quickly replied.
why, after shot him bound him for
fear he might recover consciousness, but
never took the body out OF the wagon"
Then she became silent and refused TO
discuss any phase OF the case.
When the examination of the body was
made the police discovered to their surprise
that the only bullet wound WAS in the head,
near the apex Of the right ear. Experts de-
clare that the wound could have been in
fiicted only while the man was lying fiat on
his, back, and that the bullet came from some
one bbtluuluk Ddch Va Illb Inc SUIT
geons declared the wound must have caused
Instant death.
Further investigation showed that where
the arms and legs were bound they were
liberated, proving that Ryan had made
a desperate effort to free himself
These discoveries so puzzled the de-
tectives that they made another effort to
induce Mrs. Hodge to tell the facts and if
possible to compel her to divulge the name
Of tho murderer, for it now seemed evident
that it was an utter impossibility for the
girl to have killed Ryan.
The investigation proved THAI Ryan had
been overpowered and bound, that he had
made a desperate effort to free himself,
and that while lying flat on his back bullet
that carried instant death had been fired
into his head. Could this girl of 100 pounds
have done this2 Ryan WAS virtually an
athlete and weighed 1870 pounds.
But even her love for her brother could
not induce Mrs. Hodge to betray the man
who committed or aided her in committing
the murder. In her long conversation
with her brother and her attorney Mrs. |
Hodge repeatedly reaffirmed her former
story.
She once moro Contradcted herself by
declaring again and again thatsshe did not |
bind him hand and foot and knot hand |
kcrchinf around his throat. She declined
point blank to affirm or deny that she was
with any person other than Ryan on the
right of the murder
She told clear and concise story of her
acquaintance with Ryan up to the night of |