Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1942-12-10
Advance
Information
By CARLTON JAMES
Associated Newspapers.
WNU Features.

y suspect for the crime. Sam had
borrowed $4,000 from old Mrs.
Hodges, and had given her note
for the amount. Mrs. Hodges was
real estate operator and maintained
an Office on Fay street in Bridge
water. According to the secretary,
she kept all her business papers in
a safe at the office, but according to
the secretary, she had taken Sam
Shepard's note home with her on
Tuesday night.
Mrs. Hodges lived out in the coun-
try in Barstow.
Wednesday morning she was
found dead in bed, killed with
knife. The $4,000 note was
missing.
On the Monday before, Sam Shep-
ard had left the distant city of Hay
den and driven by automobile to
Barstow, arriving Tuesday afternoon
about four o'clock and registering
at an inn operated by lyrs. Bean.
He had gone directly to his room
and retired, first telling Mrs. Bean
that he was terrifcally tired after
his long drive. At eight o'clock that
evening he had walked, dressed and
set out for a walk in the country,
returning to the inn about midnight.
He admitted being in the vicin-
ity of Mrs. Hodges house.
Inspector Otis Jackson, assigned
to the case, learned these things be-
fore he called on Shepard. Mrs.
Saunders, Mrs. Hodges housekeep-
er, gave him the added information
that Mrs. Hodges had pleaded
headache upon returning home on
Tuesday, and had gone Immediately
to bed, without eating any dinner.
Inspector Jackson got in touch
with authorities in Hayden. They
and Mrs. Hodges Office secretary
provided him with this information:
Sam Shepard's affairs were in bad
shape. He hadn't been able to keep
up interest payments on his note.
If Mrs. Hodges foreclosed he would
be ruined. He had no particular
reason for visiting Barstow in the
middle of the week.
jackson assembled all this infor-
nation, sorted it out, thought about
it and then went to the inn where
Sam Shepard was staying, and ques-
toned him.
"Why did you come to Barstow
In the middle of the week."
"FOr two reasons. First, my
health was in pretty bad condi-
ton as a result of financial wOr-
ries. Second, I wanted to have
a talk with Mrs. Hodges. 1 owe
her SIS, 200. was going to ask
her to extend the note for three
months"
"Did you see Mrs. Hodges on
Tuesday night?"
mo. I retired the minute l ar
rived here. Iwaked at eight o'clock,
dressed, walked out to the Barstow
place, found it dark and so returned
to the inn and went to bed"
Inspector Jackson looked at the
young man thoughtfully. You're
pretty frank about all this"
''Why shouldn't I be? l have moth
ing to hide"
ibid you contact any one at all
before you retired, after reaching
here Tuesday night"
eyes. I called Mrs. Hodges Of
fee in Bridgewater. Her secretary
answered. She said Mrs. Hodges
hadn't been feeling well and had
gone home early"
''Is that all?"
eyes"
Inspector jackson didn't arrest
Sam Shepard Instead he had q
talk with Mrs. Hodges secretary.
"When Shepard called did you tell
him Mrs. Hodges had taken his note
home with herr"
''Why, no. Why should II"
THAT'S the point. You wouldn't in
the general course of things"
Jackson next day visited Mrs.
Saunders, the housekeeper. Ibid
Mrs. Hodges tell you she had
brought Sam Shepard's note home
with her from the Office before
she retired on Tuesday night?"
''She didn't tell me nothin', except
that she had a headache and was
going to bed without her dinner"
Were you here all EVENING""
''Nope. Mrs. Hodges told me I
could have the evening off, so went
over to see my sister, Minnie"
''And what time did you get
back?"
about seven o'clock this morn
ing, in time to get Mrs. Hodges
breakfast" The buxom lady shud-
dered. 1T was me who found her,
y'know."
eyes, I know"
jackson returned to police head
quarters and explained his findings
to the chief.
"Of course" he said, "the one who
killed Mrs. Hodges was the secre-
tary. I've sent man out to pick
her up"
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