The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-05-03
History of the Case.

Aberdeen, Wash. May 2-wiiliam
Gohl is charged with murder in the
death. on or about December %, 1909.
OF Charles (Herman) Hadberg, or Hat
berg Gohfs name is also connected
with the Staying of John Hoffman, in
the sworn confession Of one Klingen-
berg, sailor, who is also under ar
rest in connection with the crimes.
Hoffman and Hadberg were jacks
of-all-trades about Aberdeen Gohl for
some time prior to his arrest was
agent for the Sailors union in Aber-
deem.
To gain an understanding of the sit
uation which appears to have led up
to the death of Hoffman, it is neces-
sary to go back to 1907, when the re-
peated finding of corpses in the wa
tiers around Aberdeen led to the ap-
pellation of ''floater fleet TO this ag-
gregation of drowned persons.
This floater fleet, composed of sail
ors in most cases. was generally pre-
sumed TO have been men who had been
"slugged" or drugged or shot and
robbed in the numerous dives which
infested the water front of the city and
afterward thrown in the Wishkah river.
The authorities tried TO fasten the
responsibility for these mysterious
deaths, but they could obtain no tan
gible evidence They did, however. viz
of dives. The finding of mysterious
dead men ceased with the closing of
the dives.
First Hint Given.
About a year afterward Mayor Benn
of Aberdeen was sojOurning at Green
River Hot Springs, near Seattle. An
other of the guests was an Aberdeen
SalOonkeeper. This man, in burst or
confidence, Benn alleges, told him that
he knew enough about Billy Gohl to
send him to the gallOws.
Benn associated the reference to Kohl
with the ''flOater fleet" and, when he
returned to Aberdeen, quietly instituted
an investigation
Benn with the assistance of George
6. Dean. chief of police, patiently pur-
sued the Investigations for over year
without obtaining evidence sufficient to
base a prosecution Early this year,
however. they gained the confidence
of a former intimate of Gohl, who goes
by the name of Billy Montana.
Mayor Benn and Chief Dean assert
that Montana told them GOhl had a
short time previously told him that
"Hedberg had an anchor for a pill
low at the mouth of Indian creek
Also that Gohl had said that Hoffman
had been put out of business" and
that EIEngenberg had helped to do it
Search confirmed MOntana'S revela-
tfons regarding Hadberg. His revela-
lions also caused surveillance Of King
enberg, who was on a schooner bound
for Santa Rosalia. Mexico. The master
of this craft was asked by telegraph
to bring Kiingenberg back to Aber-
deem, which he did, and the sailor was
arrested
One Man Confessed.
KIingenberg broke down under the
questioning of the Aberdeen police Of
ficials and made a sworn statement TO
Prosecuting Attorney Campbell. which
in substance asserted that Gohl had
shot Hoffman and sunk his body in
the Wishkah. and that, under fear of
death at GohTs hands and at GohPs
command, Klingenbe rg himself had shot
Hadberg to death and that the body
had been sunk with a fifty-pound an
Choir at the mouth Of Indian creek.
The arrest of Gohl was followed by
a tremendous reign of terror in Alb
erdeen. Persons who had been active
in the investigation received anony-
nous letters threatening them and their
families with death. Citizens were fol-
lowed on the streets by unknown men
and few had the temerity TO venture
forth after dark, and then only when
guarded.
Fearing violence against Gohl, the
authorities a day or two after his ar
rest moved him to MontesanO, the
county seat, where he has since re
mained in jail.
Gohl is a pleasant-appearing fellow,
highly educated, of quick wit and alb
sol1teIv fearless He is well read in
law. and previous to his arrest said
he intended to go to Germany to fin
fsh his law course Since his incar-
ceration Gohl has studied law almost
continuously. and WILL it is stated, take
an active part in the conduct OF his
own defense.