A Child's Accusation Sends a Centralia Handyman Fleeing

CENTRALIA, April 20.-On Tuesday afternoon a warrant was issued by Justice M. D. Wood for the arrest of H. J. Ogden and placed in the hands of Deputy Sheriff Blackwell. The warrant was issued on the complaint of Minnie May Stockton, a girl of fourteen, who had heretofore passed as Ogden's niece but who, it transpires, was in no way related to him. She charged that Ogden, on or about the 15th of October, 1890, sexually abused her when she was a child under twelve. According to her account, the abuse had continued at intervals during the past two years and more, and she now found herself in a condition to become a mother. Ogden had her go before Prosecuting Attorney Rice to make complaint against a young man named Blackwell and charge him with being responsible for her condition. But the girl disclosed more than Ogden desired, and the prosecuting attorney refused to proceed against Blackwell. Ogden then called on Henry Shields, a well-known merchant and a brother member of the G.A.R., and asked him to accompany him as a witness, not informing him of the nature of the case. At the house where Mrs. Stockton and her daughter lived, Ogden asked Mrs. Stockton to say in Shields's presence that he was not responsible for Minnie's condition, but that it was due to young Blackwell. Mrs. Stockton refused and asserted that Ogden was the cause. Ogden next tried to have Minnie make such a statement. The girl seemed frightened, but on being assured by Shields that she had nothing to fear, she refused to make the statement Ogden desired and declared that he was the cause of all her trouble. Ogden then admitted to Shields that he had been sexually intimate with Minnie and asked what he should do. Shields told him he had better take a walk, and do it quickly. The following morning Ogden left town. Shields found a letter from him asking him to procure money enough for Minnie to take her away. The same afternoon the warrant for Ogden's arrest was issued. Ogden is a man over sixty. He came to Centralia about three years ago and did odd jobs about town. Mrs. Stockton and Minnie later joined him and kept house for him. Minnie was then less than twelve. Ogden was known to drink, but no one suspected the truth. Since his departure, other details have come to light, though no charge against Mrs. Stockton is described in the report. Every effort has been made to keep the matter quiet in hopes Ogden might still be lurking around the neighborhood.