Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1910-02-10
SEARCH FOR BODY OF JOHN
HOFFMAN STILL CONTINUES.
Force of Men Still Dragging Waters
and Probing Mud Flats at Indian
Creek. GOhl Declares His lnnO-
CenCe of Hedberg Murder. Grand
81 Jury Needed.

Search for the body of John Hoff-
man, supposed to have been murdered
on Indian creek with Charles He'd
berg, has been going on for a week,
and still continues, the authorities
being fully aware of the Importance
of either finding the body or prov
ing Hoffman alive. William Gohl, ac-
cused murederer, says he is alive and
in Alaska, where, he said both men
had intended to go. Crews of men
are dragging the waters of the vicin-
ity of the mouth of Indian creek and
probing the tide flats on each low
tide, and hope of finding the body
has not been abandoned.
On Monday, a representative of
the Washingtonian had an interview
with Gohl in the county Jail, when
the prisoner protested his innocence
of the crime of which he stands ac-
cused, saying that the murdered man
was one of his best friends. He said
he had warned the police of Aber-
deem and the sheriff of cattle steal
ing on the Harbor and in other ways
tried to prevent crimes.
On the same day, the Washington
ian published an affidavit of A. w.
jacobson, made August 8, 1909, in
which he swearS positively to Gohl
having admitted to him that he start
ed the fire in the old Brunswick hO-
tel building, which burned out the
block on South f street, between
Hume and River streets. and in which
George Griswold was burned to death.
The confession goes into minute de-
tails, telling that GOhl had an in
fernal machine, which he told Jacob
son was patent invention of his,
which later was used to set this fire,
electric connection with the machine
being made from Jacobson's saloon,
across the street. This affidavit was
secured by Sheriff Payette last sum-
mer, and corroborative evidence has
been searched for since.
City Detective w. w. Anstie has
located Gus. Miller, erstwhile city
dogcatcher, and alleged tool of Gohl,
at Rainier, Oregon. In the multitude
of rumors that sprang into existence
upon the arrest of Gohl, was one to
the effect that perhaps Miller had
also been murdered, as having known
too much of Gohl's doings. Anstie
met step-son of Miller in Aberdeen,
who informed him that his step-fath-
er was very much alive, and was now
in Portland, where he had moved
from Rainier.
The many reports of crimes alleg-
ed to have been committed on Grays
Harbor during the past five years,
that have been circulated since the
arrest of Gohl-sOme of which have
been admitted by Gohl-has led to
a demand for grand jury to clear
up the various affairs charged. AS
matters stand, the police of Aber-
deem and the sheriff's office are work.
ing on the cases without a definite
plan, or authority to incur neces-
sary expense. With a proper grand
jury, a systematic investigation of
all the alleged crimes could be made
by body fully authorized by law,
and unhampered by fear that all
required service in unearthing crime
would not be allowed.
There has not been a grand jury
in Chehalis county in 26 years, ev-
cry attempt to have one called having
been denied, on the alleged ground
of expense. With all the crimes
known to have been committed with
impunity on Grays Harbor of late
years, surely the necessity for thor
ough inquisition cannot be denied.
Chehalis county cannot afford to give
out to the world that life and proper
ty are not safe within her borders
on account of the cost Of detecting
crime.