Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1906-12-19
BAILIFF FOUND DEAD;
MURDER SUSPECTED
Lanlady OF Lodging House Is
Held by Coroner's Jury.
STORY OF THOSE IN THE HOUSE
Police eelIVe Dodgen Was Killed In
House and His Body Thrown Upon
Poreh-coroner's Jury Secures Sen
satlOnal Evidence from Witnesses.

sational Evidence from Witnesses.
Atlanta, Dec. 1S.--The dead body
OF John G.. Dodgen, baillff. who
lived at 12l West Pine street, was
discovered early Sunday morning ON
the rear porch OF lodging house at
5Ok Marietta street, with a bullet
hole In the back Of his head.
That a foul murder has been COM
mitted is confidently believed by the
police and detectives, who alleged
that there Is evidence to show that
Dodgen was murdered inside the
house and his body thrown out upon
the porch 10 mislead the officers of
the law
Mrs. Willie Stamper. who occupied
the house, is Under arrest, end she
admits that she fred one shot through
a closed door to prevent an Intruder
from forcing his way into the hall.
and that Dodgen was Killed by the
shot as he stood on the outside.
Two other women. Mrs. Bessie b.
Carr, OF 10 Bush street, and Addie
Goss. OF 90 Tennele street, were
also taken into custody, as they were
In the house at the time of the shoot
Ing.
Robert A. Jordan, who was also In
the house. and who admitted that he
knew something Of the killing. was
held by the police for the coroner's
inquest, which took place Sunday af-
ternOOn.
All four OF these people were or
dered held for further investigation
by the grand jury.
Outside OF the three women and
Jordan there we're only two witness
es who could throw any Hight on the
affair, and their evidence was contrer
dictory In several particulars.
According TO the story. told by the
inmates OF the house. Dodgeu and
probably other men went 10 the rear
door which opens on porch from
which leads a flight OF stairs TO the
street The lodging house is on
second floor over a vacant store. The
women say that when an effort was
made by the man or men on the out
side TO break down the door. Mrs.
Stamper called out 10 them 60 deBist.
giving a warning that II they aid not
she would shoot. As they continued
TO beat upon the door she secured a
pistol and hrcd one shot through the
closed door.
they thought they heard men run
ming away and not believing that any
body vas hurt they went 20 bed. and
knew nothing Of the dead man on
the porch until Sunday morning,
when they we're notified BY a negro
cook
The Theory % the police is tha, the
man VAS murdered Ia the house. and
they base this on tho testimony OF
the special railroad onleer who heard
two shots. and saw The lash - the
second and of a negro who thought
be heard three shots. and discovered
man running from the house
ncsldcs this The ofnsrrs say that
there Rad bctg blood freshly washed
from the hoor ~ oue - ne ruoma.
and a vomaR's garment was found
Which borc uumistakaaie cvidcaces %
blood.
n the theoy % the oacers % tAe
lAW n true. thea the hihug oucuFred
lu me folloviug say;
po1rrn seat % the hoate 30 80
o.e % tne Uomen Tie vas refused
adnittsnce. bat catered anyAow.
TbSre ocurrtt . aeht % torne kias
On ne middle room aad potEca ust
shgt 10 me bsck % ne hcaf The
dynr man vas ararEai 60 lhe war
tocy ana throsn oat uFcn ne porva /.
uaese ne soHu tlrt Tao oGcsre
Believe thni thia vas ne 49, socs
81 special rsiireaf oGceF go uaH
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