Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-06-30
FIND MURDERED MAN.
Fate of Peter johnson, Eccentric Re.
cluse, is Explained.

Ciu6e, lS Explained.
Sioux. City, June 22.--Four feet un.
der ground in the stall of the barn at
the Johnson farm, four miles south
OF Melvin, a searching party under
the direction of Sheriff Stevens Of
Osceola county at noon yesterday
found the body of Peter Johnson, the
farmer who disappeared a year ago in
February.
Fred Hokuff, Johnson's hired man
who took charge of the place after
Johnson disappeared, is in Jail at Sib.
ley, charged with murder. and persist
emily maintains his innocence.
The searching party was organized
by o. B. Harding of Sioux City, Sher-
| if Stevens and a couple of men EN-.
ployed for the purpose, and went to
the Johnson place to search the barn,
cave, shed and well.
With an endgate' rod the ground
was prodded in the back stall of the
barn and soft spot discovered. One
of the men bored down with a post
hole auger and when he withdrew the
ih''Ii lloll thC Elouhuy a plSIC
Of denim jacket was seen attached to
it.
Immediately the men set to work
with spades and after excavatiDg
four feet the body of Peter Johnson
lying at full length was discovered
The remains were in a decomposed
state, but were removed without diff.
Guilty. A hole in the side of the head
indicates death by bullet. Johnson,
an eccentric and wealthy recluse, dis
appeared Friday, February 10. 1903.
Fred Hokuff, residing not far from
Johnsons place. took possession of
the farm under pretended lease
which he claimed to have secured
from H. II. Hanson of Chicago. an al.
legged relative of Johnson Hokuff's
story was that he took Johnson to
Hartley twelve miles away, the night
Of February 18th. and from there he
went east, eventually reaching the old
country. At times Hokuff claimed to
have received letters from Johnson.
but his stories were conflicting and
the nelghbors doubted.
Sioux City, June 23.-Fred Hokuf,
who is prisoner in the county jail of
Osceola county at Sibley, confessed
yesterday to the murder of Peter
Johnson of Melvin, on the night of
February Is, 1903
After two hours of rapid cross ques-
tioning and sweating, Hokuf crnging
and trembling. broke into tears and
walled plaintively: Yes, I did it,
did it," He then related the harrow
ing tale Of the crime.
johnson and | had been in Melvin
together" he said, "and he wanted to
know if | would come out and help
him husk corn. I said would. had
been drinking some, but | wasn't very
drunk, and we quarreled little about
the wages l was to get. That night |
walked down the railroad track to-
ward JohnSOn's place, and | found a
long iron rod, which had dropped off
of some train. 1t was about eight feet
long and of good thickness, and it was
with this that | killed johnson.
when l reported at Johnson's
place the talk about the wages | was
to get was resumed, and we had some
angry words. Johnson met me out in
the yard near the barn, and we had
big talk before the blow was struck.
He finally became so angry he order
ed me off the place Then he turned
towards the barn door where a pitch.
fork was lying, and thought he was
going to pick it up and make for me.
So let him have it over the ear with
the iron rod / was carrying, and he
dropped. He didn't move after that"