Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-21
Nebraska
BOYS CONFESS TO MURDER
Bloodhounds Do Effective Work in
the Stanford Case.
VICTIM SHOT AT SUPPER TABLE,
Accused at First Maintain Their
Innocence, but After Being
Taken to Jail in Alma
Confess.

ALMA. Neb.. March N~.-(speclal Tele-
gram)-The Beatrice bloodhounds did eff
fective work in trailing down the murder
ers of William Dillon, near Oxford. The
dogs took up the trail. which was several
days old, and as a result two boys. George
Criser and Ben Hattendorf, were arrested
and have confessed to the crime. Accord
ing to their story. Hattendorf did the
shooting. and in the division Of the plumber
Criser secured only $50 and a watch for his
share OF the results of the crime. Crlser
is only Is years OF age and Hattendorf is.
STANFORD, Neb., March 2o.-(special
Telegram D-George Critzer. aged Is, and
Ben Heddendorf. aged IS. were arrested to-
day on a charge of numbering William C..
Dillon, who was found dead at his supper
table Friday afternoon. The bl~oodhounds
from Beatrice were brought here and the
trail taken from the Dillon place to the
home Of the Heddendorff boy. a mile away.
Dillon was a bachelor, about 80 years of
age, and had lived alone on his farm about
six miles northwest Of Stamford, close to
the Harlan and Furnas county lines. He
was a man of considerable property, hav-
ing an estate OF $4,000, and had bank ac-
counts at Stamford, Atlanta and Holdrege,
When murdered ne was sitting at his sup
per table. His meal had been concluded
and he had been making some memo
randa. He was killed by a charge from a
shotgun passing through a window and
striking him in the head. The murderers
had afterwa-1 entered the room and the
body was searched and a watch and other
valuables taken, although 1905 was over
looked.
Mr.. Dillon was last seen Wednesday
morning by a neighbor who passed the
house. Not seeing him as usual fter,
he Investigated yesterday afternoon and
found the dead body. From appearance
Of the body he had been dead for at least
two days.
The bloodhounds took up the scent from
the murdered mans little shack and fol-
lowed 1t three miles to the home of the
Heddendorffs and the Harlan county off
GERS put the boys under arrest. The evi.
dence shows that Dillon was killed by 6
shot from a 12-gauge shotgun, and a gun
of that size and shells we're found at the
Heddendorff house and we're the same that
had been used by the boys on Wednesday
while hunting.
This community liz wrought up over the
affair as Mr.. Dillon. while eccentric, was
highly respected and was public spirited
He had arranged TO build three houses ir
Stamford this spring.
Sheriff Carroll of Alma experimental will
the gun used by the boys on Wednesday
and found that the hammer indented the
percussion cap of the shell in a peculiar
manner. the same as on those found about
twenty feet from the murdered man's door
The coroner's jury returned a verdict CT
murder by unknown assassins, but before
the bloodhounds had arrived or important
evidence had been developed
The boys stoutly declars their innceeroe
in spite of the evidence against them. A
search Of the Heddendorff house, where
both were staying. failed to reveal any.
thing Of Importance except the shotgJn and
shells. The trial OF the boys will be held
at Alma.