198 Page – American State Trials 1918 Volume X Leo Frank Document

Here is the translated text as follows:

X. AMERICAN STATE TRIALS

THE WITNESSES FOR THE PROSECUTION

William Caton

Last August, I was sent by the governor to Queen Anne on business. There, I saw John Randall guarding some prisoners and a deserter. The two Hodges, the prisoner and his brother, rode up and demanded the prisoners. They said that a detachment of the British army had entered the town the evening before and required the prisoners. They had declared that unless the prisoners were returned before 12 o'clock the next day, they would lay the town in ashes. I told the prisoner that if he surrendered the deserter, he was no American—he would stain his hands with human blood. He replied that he knew what he was about and wanted none of my advice. He was very much agitated and appeared to have ridden very hard; he said his wife and children were held at stake.

Jno. Randal, Jr.

On Saturday, after the engagement at Bladensburg, General Bowie brought three prisoners to Queen Anne and asked me to stand guard over them, which I did. During the night, Mr. William Lansdale brought another—the deserter. Early in the morning, the two Hodges appeared and demanded the prisoners; they said that the British had threatened to destroy the town unless this requisition was obeyed before 12 o'clock, etc., and that they would hold their wives and children as hostages. I sent for General Bowie, who at first refused to let them go; upon an explanation of the threat, he said it was hard, but he supposed they must be returned. Nothing was said particularly of the deserter in the presence of Hodges, that I know of. It was not until the next day that I heard one was a deserter; I delivered all the prisoners to the two Hodges and Lansdale. It was agreed that Holden, the deserter, should not be taken further than Hall's mill, which is about a mile from Upper Marlborough.

General Bowie

On Saturday, while the enemy was retreating from the city, I was at my son's farm, seven miles from Nottingham. I sent my son and Mr. Oden to reconnoiter the enemy; they went to Dr. Beane's farm. In walking over it, they met a British soldier whom they compelled to surrender. Three others were afterwards captured by these gentlemen and sent to Upper Marlborough. The people of that place were alarmed at their being kept there because the enemy were in the vicinity. Fearing that they would release the prisoners, I called on the two Hodges and requested their assistance in removing them further into the interior. They immediately complied and departed with three, one having previously been sent away under the care of Robert Bowie and Oden. They were taken to Queen Anne and put under guard.

I wrote to the governor at Annapolis informing him of what I had done; I remember particularly in this letter I said, in allusion to the cooperation of the two brothers (Hodges), that if it had not been for their promptness and patriotism, I could not have gotten the prisoners out of Marlborough. The next morning, after they had been conveyed to Queen Anne, I was informed of the demand and threat made by the British.

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