The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1906-12-26
A StubbOrnIy Contested Fight for Life
by the Attorneys for Defense
and Prosecution.
The Last of Two Famous Murder Cases
Tried Before Judge Weber
15.Years Ago.

DEAD BODY OF man ON Bridge
street near the old creamery. All
indications pointed to murder and
as no one could identify the body
many questions that no one could
answer were asked. The court that
tried the first Rose case which had
already cost the county large sum
of money was in session. Could it
be possible that our people must
again take up the burden and ex-
pense of prosecuting a nonresident
murderer?
The dead man was soon identified
by Clifton Holden of Renville coun-
ty as Frank Dodge, a Morton barber,
who Holden said he had seen on the
street the night before and told so
many conflicting stories that Sheriff
Mead followed him to Morton and
placed him under arrest.
The testimony before the coroner's
jury showed that Dodge and Holden
in the early evening of Nov. 23d in
a top buggy with two horses went
to Redwood Falls, and that they
met and talked with the Miller boys
at the top of the Morton hill and
that was the last time Dodge was
seen by anyone who knew him.
| Holden at first said he saw Dodge
talking with a stranger on the streets
of Redwood Falls the night before,
but finally testified before the cor
oner's jury that Dodge shot himself
in the buggy as they were driving
from Morton and that he brought
the body to Redwood Falls and left
it in the place where it was found.
Holden was indicted by the grand
jury and his trial commenced May
oath, 1889, with Judge Weber on
the bench and Attorney General
Childs and M. M. Madigan ( Il the
state and Judge H. D. Baldwin and
C. C. Wilson for the defense.
The jury was chosen with less
delay than was expected, the panel
being 7. L. Gilbert, Thomas Martin.
James Smith, W. S. Brewster, S. w.
Hubbard, Halvor Johnson, M. O.
Gimmestad, S. T. Porter, Thomas
Dennistoun, John Tabor, Henry Red
ford and George Johnson.
The theory of the prosecution was
that Holden murdered Dodge in the
buggy and brought the body to
Redwood Falls and left it where it
was found The conflicting stories,
blood stains on robe, lines and bug
gy all pointed to Holden as the
murderer. Absence as a motive,
however, was in favor Of the ac-
cused. The men were cousins and
friendly and surely the $50 or $50
found on Holden could not have led
him to commit murder, but how
explain away the discriminating testi-I
mony? 1t could not be done. The
evidence, the drive from Morton,
the dead body, blood stains, efforts
to hide his money, throwing away
his revolver, talk with he..Miller
boys and repeated contradictions in
his own testimony in the hands of
General Childs proved an avenging
nemesis pointing to Holden as the
murderer of Frank Dodge.
Judge Baldwin and C. C. Wilson
fought the case stubbornly for
Dodge, bringing out every possible
circumstance that might explain
away the testimony. The lack of
motive, that the evidence was en-
tirely circumstantial, that Holden
and Dodge were relatives, the
improbability of Holden's guilt I'M
der the circumstances, were most
skillfully brought out in favor of
their client. By agreement the case
went to the jury without argument.
The charge of Judge Weber was
a clear and succinct statement of the
testimony and the law governing
the case. The jury retired Monday
evening and rendered a verdict of
guilty of murder in the first degree
as charged in the Indictment Tues
day forenoon. Judge Baldwin,
Holden's counsel, asked for stay
of proceedings and made motion
for a new trial, for which Judge
Weber set the hearing in chambers
at New Ulm in July 9Th.
Holden was later sentenced To he