The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-07-09
THE MARSEIllES ARSON CASE.

ants in the case. he testified substantial tlIi
He knew Howell-saw him after the fire wa,
sent for by him, and called into a room in the
Beckwith House, and interrogated about the
burning of the stainery. Another man. str lie
ger, was with Howell. Howell asked me il
didn't know Morris D. Smith to be grand
scoundrel or a rascal. He told me Brugkel
that he calculated to collect a certain AMOUNT oi
money as city collector Of Ottawa, and then ran
off with it, and he was watched by his sgcuri-
ties Howell wanted me to tell what stlt.iaa-,
had made in an affidavit had given. %
if would help Felix out, it would be a new cap
on my head. l was in st. Louis when the grand
jury were in session-Geo. Hollenbeck took nae
there; was gone three weeks. The grand jury
had adjourned before we returned.
John Liter sworn: Know Howell. He once
approached me on the subject of testiiyina: /.
was in December last. He wanted To hlla.
whether the insurance men had been after nae,
or whether could tell whether any of the in
surance men had paid money to get men 10
testify for them in his case. He said if | could
got that testimony he would pay me money, ont
didn't say how much. He said he would make
me we'll off. Am 30 years old. Wasn't active
in getting up stories about Howell burning lis
mill. Howell never spoke to me since. lie said,
providing l could get some one to swear that
the insurance companies had bought up witness
es, he would make me we'll off.
Seth Lockwood sworn: Am boat captain
Brought down Howells goods from Chicago on
my boat. There were 81 IONS of it. heard the
story that he tried to bride me to sink my boat
with his cargo coming from Chicago paper
staining machinery, but it is not true-nothing
whatever in it. He never made me any offer to
sink my boat took the cargo from q schooner
at Chicago. It was in barrels, boxes, &c. No
kerosene, either in cans or barrels or any other
way in the cargo. Some printed paper was
shipped on the cara No insurance on the canal
on the goods. helped unload the stuff at Mar
settles and did not notice any kerosene or any 9TH
er dangerously infammable thing, and think
saw every thing. Nothing of that sort was TAX
en- off or delivered at Marsslles. Howelrs clerk
came down to the boat at Chicago with the bills
of lading and said he wanted to come along to
Marseilles with mo. I objected He insisted
on going, when I told him would rather pay
his way on the cars. That was because had
no accommodations for him. That may have been
the origin of the story about sinking the canal
boat.
Chas. d. Northup; Live at Marseilles ANA
constable there. Met Felix Zigler the night of
the fire. was going down to the lower town
and he was coming to the upper town, where he
resides. saw light and asked him where's
the FREE" He replied, "The stainery is on ire"
This was about Is minutes after the alarm of
fire. went to his house some days after and
got two cans from his wife, one had Kerosene in
it and the other lard oil.
c. II. Case called: Live at Chicago Am an
insurance agent. Howell gave me specimens of
paper, in the staiuery. Here samples of differ
ent kinds shown to witness and identified
Howell marked prices on the samples, the cost
alma rs tha Y To-
getting up this Case. Dierand has worked too.
I have been east and here different times and
several times at Marseilles about it for the n.ur-
ance companies. have made efforts to find out
the value Of the machinery Have been IN New
York, New Jersey. and other places Have not
paid or promised to pay money for testimony ex.
cept witness from n. Y, Elijah Cropley Gave
him $50, but not cent to any one else
Witness here identified proofs Of loss filed by
Howell, made before AN insurance agent at Chi.
cago. The first Is dated Oct 3D., 1869, the day
of the fire. The defence pronounced the date
forgery-no affidsvits had been made on that
day.
The attorneys for prosecution, on examination
discovered the date was an error of the notary
public, who should have dated the papers No.
vember Sd instead of October Sd, and withdrew
them.
Arthur f. Allen paper salesman, testified
as to the value of the wall paper by the samples
shown, and marked them much lower than How
ell did. The letter signed Foster was shown
Allen, and the witness asked to examine il and
see whether it was Howells handwriting. The
witness found what he considered some similar
ity in certain letters Have no feeling against
Howell. Owe him. probably, $150-but a note
of SlS2 and interest for several years, due from
witness to Howell. Witness corrected his state.
ment. Howell told me at Chicago, he had no
hope OF the insurance, and must now try to keep
out of the states prison walls.
Mr. Barnun9, one of the insurance agents, was
called, and pronounced tho "Foster' letter, and
one acknowledged to be Howell's, to have been
written by the same hand.
Chas. Melaisc swore he never had talked with
Norris ID. Smith about the burning of the stain.
cry, and denied ever having seen an affidavit
duplicating Smith. affidavit unsigned, written
by Howell, was referred to- .....
r.. b. Beckwith, Esq, of Marselles, was ex-
amined ut length. Eo detailed the discovery of
the fire, ut length. Smith for some time before
and after the ire talked of going to Texas, and
adyised0 him to 60. Howell didn't say 10 me
that Smith was an old man. and he didn't want
to prosecute him. I also advised Siyler to 20
away Rememher Shaws affidavit. He made
it before me. II was read twice to him, and full.
ly explained. I asked him if he knew the mean.
ing of it, and he said he did. Boyle and an Iu-
surance man were present when Shaw made the
secoud affidavit retracting The first didn't read
it; they said il had been read Smith made AN
affidavit before me Howell wrote 1t and Smith
swore to it, remarkiug, 1t is very strange any
one should SUSPECT me about burning the stain.
ery-who in HI would 'suspicion me Four
dollass were given him at that time. Howell
asked ma ii had 50. i looked In my drawer