The Wilson times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1896-19??, 1911-10-31
Races Victim on Railroad to Cover
Up Brutal Murder.

utGI
High Point, n. c.. Oct. 3O.-Satur-
day between and 8 O'Clock, as he
was bringing his two young daugh-
ters to town to go to their daily work
Ed. Hogin was arrested by Chief B.
c. Ridge and Deputy Sheriff J. l..
Parrish of this city on a charge of
the murder of John Lovett, whose
body was found in a terribly mangled
condltlon by section master on the
morning of the 18th near Menden-
halls crossing, on the main line of
the Southern Railway, several miles
northeast of High Point
Your correspondent knew for over
a week that Hodgin was under strong
suspicion and that circumstantial
evidence, it was said, seemed to
point strongly to his guilt. For some
reason or other the authorities were
a little slow to take the initiative in
the matter. This may have been for
want of evidence which they thought
was lacking when the mangled body
was found. Evidently Lovett was run
over during the night. But it was
also apparent that the man must
have been dead for several hours be-
fore being place on the railroad
tracks, as there was scarcely any loss
of blood. This, and several other
very suspicious circumstances, led
Chief Ridge and his assistants to the
conclusion that there was foul play
And, when all the evidence-circum-I
stantial and otherwise-is in, it will i
no doubt prove that they were cor
rect in their surmises
The motive for the murder of Low
EFT, if murder it was, was the rob |
berry of $138, which was known to
have been on the person Of the dead |
man, and which was missing when
his body was found.
Hodgin was brought direct to the |
police station early this morning by |
the officers, while his daughters |
drove on to their work. He is a |
widower, with five or six children, |
his wife having died three or four
years ago. He was a tenant on a |
situated not far from the Logan cot
ton mill, where John Lovett was do
ing some ditching other work for |
Hodgin on the preceding day
In conversation with the arrested |
man this morning, your correspond
ent was told that after being paid |
for his work, Lovett left his CHod-
gin's) place about o'clock in the
afternoon for his home, carrying sew
ora1 meal sacks and his shovel
Thursday these sacks and the shovel |
we're found at place somewhat re
mote from the place where the body
If Lovett was found. There was also
some evidence of a scuff1e near the
same place from the appearance of
he sell and grass.
The warrant for Hodgin's arrest
was issued by Magistrate J. Matt
5echrest Of this city several days ago.
Owing to the large number Of wit
1esses that will have to be summon
ed, both by the State and the de
fendant the preliminary trial has
been postponed till today at 10 O'CLOCK
n the meantime Hodgin is confined
lere in the police station, where
knots Of people are gathered all the
Tine discussing this sensational af
air. There are all sorts of rumorS
lf1oat. Some have it that marked cur
'ency, which the murdered man was
Known to have had, was found in
he possession of the arrested man.
other reports have it that when all
he facts in the case are known, it
will not only incriminate one but
several parties whose hands are
stained with the murdered mans
,lood. Not since the jamestown trag
,dy has this community been sol
trongly wrought up as it is over this
flair.
Great sorrow and sympathy is felt
lere for Hodgin's half dozen or more
some of whom are quite
mail yet. But, whatever the out
ome. the good people of High Point
nd Jamestown are not going to let
hese innocent ones suffer.