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Because it seemed the murder of Romy Hodel was going free due to laxity of public officials,

Goodwell Township citizens had adopted the lynching party method

to collect the evidence. That is the explanation given by Paul P. Andrews, former superintendent

of schools here, and Gail Hodel, brother of Romy Hodel and son of David Hodel, alleged murder

victims, for the organization of the gang which

exacted a confession from Leo and Herman Dugent as they stood beneath a tree with a rope about their necks.

Andrews said, quote, it was almost three months after the death of Rie Hodel that we decided to go to the

James farm where Robert Bennett, the Dudgeons farmhand, then was staying and forced him to tell

what he knew about Hodel's death. We were all set to go on the afternoon of July 30th when

we heard Bennett was sick. We went to Dr. Waters of White

Cloud and asked if it would be safe for us to haul Bennett out of bed and frighten him

into telling us what he knew. The doctor said no, so we gave up that plan. Then we learned

the Dudgeons, Lee, and Herman, had driven to a farm some distance from their own to get a grain separator, so we met them as they were returning.

We ordered them to get down, but they refused.

Then a couple of men climbed up on the separator, and one of them gave Herman a shove.

He lost his balance and fell against Lee

and both jumped to the ground to save themselves from falling. Separating the brothers, we put a noose over Lee's head and told him he would swing if he didn't tell what he knew about Hodel's death. He refused. We told Herman the same thing,

and in less than five minutes, both had made confessions and said they would swear to their story

before a justice. We gave them immediate opportunity by summoning Justice W.H. Reed from

White Cloud, who took Lee's confession.

Reed then went back to town as he is an undertaker and had to conduct a funeral that afternoon.

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