The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-25
KILLS FOR MONEY
Kansan Tells of Alleged Grimes
Of Woman Companion.
Leaves Second Husband to ElOpe
With Farm Hand.
SHE CHARGES SPITE
Suggests They Murder Rich Nan
Telling Him It's Easy.
Woman Declared to Have Plot
ted Two Deaths.
SHE CHARGES SPITE

Dodge City, Kan, July 25.-Harry
Hood of Dodge City. was arrested in
Pueblo for obtaining money under false
pretenses. He was a morphine fiend
and feigned insanity However, when
the morphine worked out of his system
he took on a. cOnfessing mood He told
Acting Sheriff Smith that he and 4
woman with him, whom he called his
wife had stolen number of horses
and property from the Mills ranch,
near Springer, n. M, and that they
had sold all in this county.
While the sheriff thought he was ~
ing, a message to Mr.. Mills brought out
the fact that he was telling the truth.
Smith then went looking for the wO-
man and found her in Pueblo under
the name of Alta Arnold and brought
her back here. Hood seemed much in
fatuated with the woman, but when
him. This made Hood angry and he
told the sheriff this story:
Il was working for her husband in
Dodge City and she and I skipped out,
coming to Lamar. There she became
acquainted with some man who had
money and wanted me to kill him for
his money. and to show that it was
easy said that she had done so before
She said that about two years ago, at
Custer City, Ok, she and a woman by
the name of Barton, while stopping at
the hotel met woman there by the
name of Jones, who had a little child.
The baby was sick and they took
care of it, and in this way learned
that the woman had some money The
Barton woman suggested that they get
away with her. and hired a livery team
and getting Mrs. Jones to leave the
baby there and take the money. The
Barton woman started for Weather
ford. Mrs. Erickson was picked up on
the way and they Vent up Deer creek
in a. thicket, they killed the Jones wo-
man and hid her in the brush, where
she was found some time afterward.
THE Barton woman went back to the
hotel, took the baby into the country
and gave it to a farmer, saying it was
her baby and that she was too poor
to take care of it. This led to an
inquiry and as a result the Barton
woman was arrested at Custer City.
She took poison and died before dis
closing the facts of the tragedy.
Hood says that Alta Arnold or Mrs.
Alta. Erickson, told him that three or
four years ago she was living on
homestead near Guymon, Ok, with a
man not her husband. Near by was a
neisllbor and his wife o. his mother
Hood was not sure which, but the Ar
mold woman discovered these neighbors
had money and getting friendly with
them, learned that it was concealed
near their house. That she and her
paramOur killed this man and woman
and got away with the money
The woman VIXEN questioned about
this. as about the other alleged muir
der, denies having had anything to 90
with it. and says she never was in
Guynlon. but says she did hold down
a claim with her father about 45 miles
northwest of that town. She further
saws she has heard of some murders,
the facts of which are about as Hood
has given them. She says Hood is tell
ing these stories on her for spite.
Mrs. Erickson is fairly good looking
and moderately well educated She
saws that she has been married twice;
mat when and where she will not sssA
Later she married Erickson and moved
to Dodge City. About year ago she
lief. Erickson to run away with Hood
The officers are commencing 10 be
lieve there is more in Hoods stories
than they had at first supposed, and
they are anxious awaiting details from
the Oklahoma officials