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Show WOMAN KILLED HYAN MRS. AURORA HEDGES ADMIT8 KILLING PEDDLER. Declares Ryan Attacked Her and She Killed Him Unaided, After Which She Feared to Give Herself Up. On Sunday, Mrs. Aurora Hodgo, a woman, 19 years of age, whoso homo Is In Denlson, Iowa, walked into tho police station at Orand Rapids, Mich., and declared that sho wished to glvo herself up, saying that on July 11th, sho had shot nnd killed William X. nyan, a peddlar, near Salt Lako City. Mrs. Hodgo, who claims to bo 19 years of ago, says that she had loft hor husband In California and camo to Ogden. Hero sho met Ryan, who engaged her to accompany him In his travels over tho country nnd act as his bookkeeper. Whon near Salt Lako City, sho claims, ho mado an assault upon her, whon sho shot him in self-defense. self-defense. Sho intended to glvo herself up to tho police, but her ncrvo failed her and sho- took what monoy sho could find upon Ryan's person and bought a ticket for Denlson, Iowa, whoro her brother and foster parents live. Sho claims sho told her brother what sho had dono and ho advised hor to surrendor herself to tho authorities au-thorities or ho would tell them himself. him-self. Sho then loft Denlson and went to Chicago, whoro, through un employment em-ployment agency, sho secured a position posi-tion as waitress at a hotel at Spring Lake, near Grand Rapids, Mich. Thon Sao made up hor mind to surrender and went to Grand Rapids for that purpose. This is the woman's story, but It Is not credited by tho polico, although thoy belloTO she was Implicated In tho murder. Ou tho aftornoon of Tuesday, July 14th, tho body of William X. Ryan, a spcctaclo vendor, was found in a willow wil-low thicket two miles east of Murray. Tho body was in advanced stages of decomposition and presented a horrible horri-ble sight. It had beon carefully wrapped in blankots, and investigation investiga-tion showed that death had resulted at least forty-eight hours beforo tho discovery was made. That murder had been committed was apparent Evidences of tho crlmo wero found In profusion. Tho peddler's ped-dler's dog was fastened to tho tonguo of tho wagon; bis horses wero tethered teth-ered near by. Tho body was found lying faco downward. Whon tho blankets wore removed a deep gash was found in the man's head. The physician, however, Bald that this wound did not causo his death. His legs were bound with a whipcord. His hands wero fastened rigidly with a cord, while a strap encircling his body was bound tightly around his neck. It devolopcd that the crime was committed at midnight July 11th. Neignbors Mi the vicinity of the corpse declared that they had seen a woman with tho wandering merchant on the day before the crime was committed. com-mitted. It is bolloved Mrs. Hodge had assistance assist-ance in tho crlmo and further developments devel-opments are expoctcd. Sho will bo brought back to Salt Lako City at once. |