Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-05-22
b EsTRUCTIvE TIRE
I've ND.I.aR-IS n.
a Merchant .7tincked, Gagged,
and almost Murdered ~
his OlCM Store
= BURNED : IS
Escape Of tho R.6sans- Grea, Excitement


from the "Daily Journsl''o Of wcdussday.]
The double crime Of arson aid attempted
murder was perpe,ratsd IN this city last
night under the meet daring and diabolical
circumstances that We have ever recorded.
The loss Of property BY FIRE WIS not a. great
as at some previous confagrations, but
the desperate aud co,d-blooded attempt to
conceal the evidences Of robbery by setting
Ore to the building AMI leaving the robbed
man in II in state Of insepsibility or sup
posed death, to be consumed in the flames,
is the most shocking evidence Of moral tur-
pitude and black-hearted villainy that has
ever occurred in our midst. The particulars
Of the affair are substantially as follows:
AT about II o'clock last night, the whole
sale grocery establishment Of J. T. Brown.
at ITO Second street, was discovered to be
on FIRE in the inside. When an alarm was
raised, the persons assembled broke i'm at the
front door and commenced removing the
goods. Mr.. Dan. Bryant went to the rear
Of the building, thinking he could be of more
service there, and to his surprise saw the
back door OPEN aud heard groans from the
interior OF the store. The smoke was issu-
ing in sufocating volumes from the door, but
he got down on his hands and knees and
crawled about Ave feet into the room, when
he felt the body of q man, and at once pro-
ceeded to drag him out. The smoke was so
sufFocating. however, that he had to retreat
to the door to get fresh air before getting him
out. When he had finally dragged him out
of the building. he called tor help; the
wounded man, who seemed almost dead, was
carried to the Boston House, when it was
ascertained that he was Mr.. Brown himself.
The tip of handkerchief was discovered
protruding from his mouth, which, upon
being pulled out, revealed common. sized
white handkerchief, that had been stuffed
down his throat. Tho wounded man, a.
soon as he recovered his strength, was delir-
ious and had to be restrained from striking at
his friends or any one within his reach. He
struck Dr.. Schock, who was summoned to
I give him medical attention, a hsayy blow on
the nose, wounding it severely. From his
incoherent rawlings and gestures, he seemed
to imagine himself in desperate conflict with
his late assailants, but after being bled by DR..
Risley and having his wounds dressed, lie
became quiet and more rational.
The fire, which originated in Browns
store, as already intimated, soon communi.
Gated to the adjoining lager beer saloon kept
by George Hartmann, which was also con.
sumed. By the almost superhuman exer-
tons Of large number of our citizens, Gn-
clnding several ladies, who nobly assisted in
carrying waterD the flames were confined to
these houses, although WIN. McCormick's
three-story brick building, Immediately ad-
joining on the west side, and J. A. Wilson's
grocery on the east, were in imminent dan
ger. Fortunately, there was but little wind
blowing at the time, otherwise the entire
block might bave been consumed. The
goods in McCermick's building, Wilson's
grocery store, Slnalley's jewelry store, and q
portions of Burnett's stock, were removed in
anticipation that these buildings would also
be destroyed.
As usual on such occasions, where there
is no regularly organized fire department, the
greatest confusion and excitement prevailed.
Men were running hither and thither, and
seemed at d loss to know what to do, but
bent on yelling all the while. With but few
exceptions, however, all worked nanfully,
and did good service with buckets. But
how some bipedk, m SCALED men, could
stand around with their hands in their peck.
cts and see the ladies at work carrying water,
without even Offering to take their places, is
beyond our comprehension Of mdnliness.
Some Of these were men Of property in the
city, but as their property was not in danger,
they probably suppose their indifference was
excusable.
The buildings destroyed were two-story
bricks. Tile one occupied by J. T.. Brown
was owned by II. II. lline. 1t was valued at
$500 or $500, and Was insured for $1,000.
Browns stock Of goods is supposed to have
been nearly covered by insurance-$ $4,000 in
the Etna Co., Of Hartford.
The other building belonged to Sherman
Brooks, and was valued at $500. Hart
mann's stock Of liquors and furniture were
all consumed, and lie and his family barely
escaped with their lives. His loss is, per-
haps, $1,000. No insurance on either the
building or its contents. IIartinann's loss
we understand, includes MI he possessed.
Thelo BY removal Of goods from adjoin-
ing stores was considerable, but nearly il not
quite covered By insurance. Weestimate the
total loss If property at SIC, ooo-about hall
Of which was covered by insurance.
Later.-At the time Of going to press, Mr..
Brown was slowly recovering from his inJu-
ries. uehas at intervals had lucid moments,
and states the circumstances Of his assault in
substance ~ follows: Having been at
church last evening, lie went home about
llaff-past ten O'Clock, and was surprised to
find hif dog at the hons. which he had locked
up in the store. He proceeded at once to
take the dog bnck, and whom he reached the
store, unlocked the front door, and prpceeds
to the back part Of the building, when lie
suddenly stumbled against some object or
was tripped up, at the same time receiving
severe blow on the head. He then knew
that be was inth hands IT two de<I era.loes,
and he fenght them brase,y. They succeed
ed, however, in throwing him down, gapging
Iii n and tying his feet together. He ttrug'
gled and released his feet, pulling Of one Of
his boots in his efforts, and alss removing
the gag from his mouth, Int the rufians
again assailed him, and one Of them showed
handkerchief down his throat with n