The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-12-30
W0MAN'S TRIAL MAY
SOLVE MURDER MYSTERY

Heath, painter, who was shot and
BILLED while at work in an upper
room of Mrs. Dodge's residence, ear
ly in September, the interest in this
mysterious case is steadily increas-
ing. The trial is to come up week
after next and, in the meantime,
Mrs. Dodge is at liberty, under S.
900 bail.
This case, apparently simple and
devoid Of sensational complications,
has baffled the authorities, the law
yers and detectives more than any
case in the history Of criminal cases
in this state and it would cause the
most general surprise, should either
the prosecution or the defense sue
coed, in the course of the trial, to
solve the mystery surrounding the |
death of William Heath.
All the men at the disposal of the
attorney general of this state have
been at work for several months,
gathering evidence and preparing the
case for the state. The case Of the
government is believed to be ex-
tremely weak, as there were no wit
nesses to the crime and, in spite
Of the most diligent search, the
prosecution is said to have found
nothing that could be construed as
motive for the deed.
The known facts in the case can be
summed up in a few words. One
day in the early part of September.
| William Heath, a painter who had
previously worked for Mrs. Dodge,
was engaged in painting the wood
work in one of the upper rooms of
Mrs. Dodge's residence. While stoop-
ing over his work, Heath was kill
ed by three shots from revolver
which belonged to Mrs. Dodge. No
one could be found who was In the
house at the time when Heath met
his death. except the owner. Mrs.
Dodge herself gave the alarm to the
lneighbors, saying that Heath had
committed suicide. She was arrest
ed and charged with the murder OF
Heath.
According to Mrs. Dodge's story at
the preliminary hearing, She was at
work ironing in her kitchen, when
she heard the shots. She admitted
that the revolver, from which the
fatal shots had been fired, was he
property and had formerly belonged
to her husband, but asserted tina
she had not touched the weapon
since her husbands death and hat
not even known that it was loaded
The utter lack of a motive seem
to be the weak point Of the theor.
that Mrs. Dodge committed the dec
with which she is charged. The de
PENDANT is by far the wealthiest AM
socially most prominent woman II
this town. There has never been
breath of suspicion concerning he
character, there seems to have bee
nothing in her previous career tina
even family suggested scandal o
= any ENHANCEMENT. Mrs. Dodge wa
not only prominent in society. bu
= also in church work and enjoyed
excellent reputation. On the othe
hand, Heath, the victim of the mul
9 der, was a hard working, sober an
5 industrious workman, quiet and inc
g fensive, without the slightest susp1'
ion against his moral character
n his honesty. He was married an
8 had several children. 1t is true, ths
s Heath and Mrs. Dodge had had SON
IS slight difference concerning the bi
"A for some work which Heath ma
* done upon a previous occasion II
IS Mrs Dodge. but the matter mad pee
smoothed over and Mrs. Dodge ne
;. again engaged Heath to work I!
IS her.
~ At the coming trial Attorney &c
50 eral Sargent will be assisted
States Attorney Hunt, while Harli
- B. Howe of St. Johnsbury and Sc
eral other distinguished laWye
q will be arrayed to defend MI
Is Dodge. An interesting legal battle
expected and it is believed that e
:, state will be seriously handicapp
by it's inability to show sufficient
w adequate motive on the part OF
90 defendant. Nothing definite is know
IN concerning the line upon which MI
Fl Dodge's lawyers will make the
fight, but it is believed they will
tempt to show that some strang
entered the house of Mrs. Dodge d
=. ring the morning, without the kno
r. ledge of the owner and, that
IN some reason he shot Heath. 1t
s. expected that the defense will
e. vance the theory that the strang
u who afterward killed Heath, m
ed have entered the house with the
as tention to commit robbery. In s,