The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-06
BLOOD ON SLEEVES.
If Not Why Did Hedges Cut Them
on?

Kansas City, Feb. 6.-What was on
the sleeves of Charles Hedges's over
coat last Wednesday night that made
him try to clean them and failing in
that, cut off the sleeves2
And was Hedges at the home of Mrs
Lucetta Dorsett in Kansas City, Kans.,
two nights before the woman was muir
dered?
The story of the troublesome coat
sleeves was told the police of Kansas
City Kan, this morning. in a sworn
statement by Mrs. NJ. E. Dempster.
She said Hedges came to her house
last Wednesday night. two nights be-
fore the BODY of Mrs. Dorset was
out to Mrs. Dorsett's. She said he at
tempted to wash something from the
sleeves of his overcoat and that finally
he became discouraged and cut off the
sleeves
Mrs. Dorset was found murdered.
he- head crushed, last Friday. She had
not been seen alive sinca Tuesday of
last week. Hedges, who had borrowed
several hundred dollars from Mrs. Dor
sett, is a friend of Mrs. Dempster.
Mrs. Dempster said Hedges went 70
her house between Z and s O'Clock
Wednesday night, and asserts that
Hedges told her he had stopped at
LOUIS" (NIrs. Dorsett's) house. Mrs.
Dempster said Hedges told her his
overcoat sleeves had become soiled,
where he was working and that he de-
sired to wash them. The statement
says he went to the kitchen of Mrs.
Dempster's house and spent some
time trying to clean the sleeves of the
coat with soap and water.
Finally he said he couldn't get the
sleeves clean, so he cut them Off, Mrs.
Dempster asserted
The overcoat with the sleeves cut off
was found Sunday by the police in the
repair shop conducted by Hedges. The
police believed there might have been
blood on the portions of the sleeves
that had been removed. Hedges's only
explanation Of cutting off the sleeves is
that they We're too long.
Mrs. Dempster says Hedges told her
ne had stopped at Mrs. Dorsett's
Wednesday night merely to visit her.
Spots believed to be blood were found
or the tail of the overcOat from which
Charles w. Hedges, held in connection
with the murder Of Mrs. Luccetta Dor
sett, the dwarf, had cut the cuffs The
coat was taken to the laboratory of the
University of Kansas at RosedaIe and
Dr. w K. Trimbie will make an ana
lysis of the spots today to determine
if they are blood.
Mrs. Dempster said that Hedges came
to her home Wednesday. The statement
follows:
He came through the front hall right
into the kitchen with his overcoat on
his arm. I was getting supper and he
told Mrs. Fisher and I that somebody
sleeves. He stood at the sink and
washed his sleeves and cut OF both
cuffs. He said man got sick and
vomited on his sleeves
Mrs. Dempster said that Hedges cut
off the cuffs and threw them into the
waste basket. They were burned the
next morning with the other trash.
Hedges ate supper with the women and
during the meal told them he had been
to see Mrs. Dorset and she was expect
ing them to visit her.
Satchel Can Not Be Found
Miss Clara Cloud of Glen Cove, n.
z, a sister of the murdered woman.
has arrived in Kansas City. Kan, and
was surprised to learn that her sister
had been murdered. The telegram she
had merely told her that her sister
had died.
The police have been unable to find
the satchel in which Hedges carried his
tools. This satcheI contained a ham
mer and chisel, according to his state
ment.
Funeral services for Mrs. Dorset
were held at Longs undertaking rooms
in Kansas City, Kan, at o'clock this
morning. Burial will be in Topeka.