Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-08-20

! comes an imperative Necessity tiat tnee'
small amounts should be promptly paid
Tho-e in arrears will please settle with Mr
g. Immediately. as those small amounts il
the bulk make quite a large sum. Those
who have the paper left at their houses vii
please leave the dimes with their wives.
August 20
Preliminary Examination ofC Buckhol.
t.r
In Justices Co,e-t betore &. q. Blood, j. p
STATE OF Iowa versus CHRISTIAN BucKlIoLTER
Defendant accused of being accessory 10
the setting on fire the stable Of J. ID. Mason.
in January last Geo. ). G. Dow and Geo.
T. Hubbell for State; James Grant for De-
fehdant.
Larrison Mann &norp-I reside in this
city was here in January last when Ma
sons barn was burned
Dom-Do voI know whether or not a fire
took place at Masons stable last. January
and if so please state what you know
Wjtaess-I have nothing to say about a
fire which took place at Masons stable last
January.
Dop-Do you know whether ana fire
took place at those premises at that time i?
Objected TO by defts Counsel. Overruled
Uttne.s-i know there was u fire took
place it was in the alley, somewhere in
the square. am acquainted with c. Buck
hotter
Do~-Do you know Of any fact tending
to show that Euckholter was connected
with causing that fire.
Uitness-I know nothing about it.
Do'o-Did you have any conversation
with Buckholter before the fire 2
IVitnesS-I had
Do~-Did you have any conversation
with him after the fire.
W,tness-Believe did he went away
soon after the fire.
Doe-lmmediatelv after?
Witness No: not Immediately.
Do~-Did Buckholter ever admit to you
that he set fire, or caused the same to b.
set
Grant-I advise witness not to answer
the question; if it be the opinion of the
Court that he should do so the Court may
send both him and me to Jail and keep Us
there as long as he can.
After which the question was put in this
form.
Uo.o-In any conversation subsequent to
the fire. did Mr.. Buckholter admit that
either directly or indirectly, he had any
thing to do with setting that fire
Grant-Dc not answer the question.
Court said that witness might answer
if ii would not involve himself.
Question was then repeated
Graat-Do not answer It.
Dom-Will you answer the question.
li'UnesS-No sir
DOW-Why not?
UitneSs-Because | wont.
Court think the witness should answer
the question, unless the conversation was
Of such character as would tend to involve
him.
Dow-Can you give no answer but which
if given will tend to involve yourself!
UftneSs-l cannot.
Dom-What do you mean by inv diving
yourself.
lIttsnsS-I suppose you know. mean
that shall. make myself liable for that
crime.
Do,c-Do you know of any fact in rela-
tion to the fire which if stated, you would
not he inv olved,
H1tness-I do net know of no matter
in regard to the fire which if stated would
not criminate me.
+ Iichenor, Jr, slrorn-I know Mr. Buck
hotter; knew him last January; he was in
this town. There was fire at the stable in
rear of the Presbyterian Church in January
last; have no knowledge of Buckholter
teing connected with the fire in any way
and never had any conversation with him
about it previously. might have heard him
say at the Engine House that there may be
a fire so and so might have said as much
myself never had much conversation on
the subject; have no reason to suppose who
caused the fire and no reason to think
that Bnckholter did it, or knew anything
about it. Saw Buckholter on the morning
before the fire; | was at Sickels Flour
Store when it broke out went to the Ferry
landing; don't know that any word was CIV
en- to any one that the Rock Island Engines
should not be brought over. Had conver
sation after the fire: and made no boasts
about it did not work at the fire because
the City Council We're too amiable in re-
gard to the Firemen at that time. belonged
to No. /. was assistant foreman; Buckholter
was foreman. | have no facts or circum-
stances to show how the fire was set
l. II. Sears, s,rOrn.-I was living in this
city last winter, when the fire took place
I'm a member of City Council, and know
Buckholter; know of stable baing burned
| know Of some facts which came out at the
investigation Aade by the City Council at
the time. | have the written evidence Ia
ken at the time: they were some remarks
made by Buckholter at the time, which he
admitted that he made lie said he was in
ROca Island night or two before the fire,
and told the members Of the Western Fire
Co. thai the City Council had passed an or
dinance that the fremen on this side did
not like; that they would not run under it;
and told them also tNat we are going to
have fire this side before l2 O'Clock on
Thursday night; that they might bet their
boots on it | was one Of the committee
of investigation, and took b. testimony at
the time it was given; the same have here
in writing There are no other facts to nv
knowledge of other testimony corroborating
it. The City Council were warned by the
people of Rock Island that there was to be
a fire here.
Gross Eramin ed Word was brought from
Rock Island of the forthcoming fire. Saw
a man who came from Rock Island; had q
talk with him between the Terry and Sec
ond street; told me there was report cur
rent in Rock Island that there was to be
fire over here Aid. Cannon was with mt
at the time
| Judge Grant asked to read the evidenc,
taken by Mr.. Sears, which privilege wa,
granted
Buckholter told the committee that it wa
a common practice for tiremen to predict
fires; but did not admit that he knew any
thing about the firing of Mason's barn, o.
that any one else did; said he had heart
other persons say the same thing, that i
was O oou mon thing to predict fires. an(