The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-08

Developments only tended to deepen
the mystery of this, he latest ak
mans crime. A stranger-a young
man wearing a blue serge coat and
straw hat-appeared at the Hudson
cottage early Wednesday night. About
him and the announcement that Mrs.
Hudson had a sweetheart clings the
only apparent thread to the murder
mystery. The. husband had been i'll
almost from the date of his marriage
in Massillon, O., two years ago, with
consumption. Once the wife had left
him because of this. That was before
the couple moved to Paola. She left
him again in Paola-this time for the
reason Hudson told a friend that she
was in love with another man.
But back of it all looms the strange
fact that the Hudson cottage stands
only block from the railroad track,
as did the Snowman cottage, and that
between the coming of one train and
the departure of another, like in the
Snowman case, a man stole into the
house and used an axe, or perhaps a
pick in this instance, as was used At
Ellsworth.
That it was the work of the mur-
derer of the Snowman family, a ma
jcrity of the officers believe; but who
ever it was, he has apparently disap-
peared mysteriously as he came
Testimony indicating that Mrs Rol-
lin Hudson had been on familiar terms
with q man other than her husband.
was given by w. Coe,. a fellow laborer
with Hudson, at the coroner's inquest
over the dead bodies of Hudson and his
wife.
This testimony has started the police
on a search for a mysterious letter.
shown to Coe by Hudson. according to
the testimony, and said by Hudson TO
contain evidence of the wife's intimacy
with the other man.
Coe first told of the separation Of
Hudson and his wife last week They
quarreled Tuesday, apparently he
said, about the payment on some pho
tographs of their home, Hudson re-
fustng to give his wife the money
Coe said that Hudson disappeared for
two days, when he met him late
Thursday afternoon on the Katy
tracks. very agitated. According to
Coe, Hudson cried:
Have you seen my wife? How is
she? God, this is terrible to be part
ed from heri" Coe told the excited
man his wife was all right, but wor-
ried at his absence.
Hudson then pulled letter from
his coat pocket, Coe said, and shook
it at him, saying: 'I am in a ter
rible trouble. You don't know what
this means to me. I wish 1 could
die
Coe asked Hudson what the matter
was.
His Wife Was Untrue.
"Oh, it's the old trouble" replied
Hudson, wringing his hands. MY
wife has been untrue to me- This is
the third time 1 have caught her
with another man. You remember
what I told you about her last year.
Well, it's ten times worse
Coe then told of his meeting with
Hudson at Centerville, Kan. Hudson
he said, had shipped out of Kansas
City and both men were employed I'm
the same extra gang on some all
road construction work Hudson
boarded with him, Coe said, and soon
told him of his marital troubles and
his later separation from his wife.
He told Coe that there was man
who would always be a shadow be-
tween him and his wife.
II urged him to tell me the mans
name,'' Coe said, but he refused"
Coe then told of the remainder of
his talk with Hudson Thursday.
Feared for Wife and Himself.
"I told him if he didn't want to
live with his wife," Coe said, Ito send
send her home. He said he didn't
have the money. but began to ex-
claim:
"'Oh, it isn't the money, it's some-
thing else that I'm afraid of. Look
and he drew out that letter, saying:
'Coe, if you knew half of what was
in this letter you'd know what's trOu-
bling me. I'm afraid to send my wife
back home. I'm afraid for her, afra.1
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