The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-07-02

| was shortly. He came over with two gentlemen
who came to look at my farm. They had Just
left when got him followed them. Howell
lett them and came back with me. gave him
the key. He said he didn't think had nerve
enough to do the job: objected to my not putting
'Jr" to his name and said his father came near
getting letter. He proposed other parties-Felix
Higler, Dan Nicholson, and another whose name
have forgotten. Asked what thought Of Sig
Ter. said Zigler was "damn.your-eyes sort of
creature Asked me to see Zigler. promis-
ed to find him did 60; took him down town !:
left him with Howell at Beckwith House, in bar
room Let them have my horse and wagon to go
hunting at Goose pond. They retained before
dark, and Howell took me a walk down street to
hear post office. He thought We had better keep
out of sight much as possible. Then we went
around to bridge. He said he thought Zigler
hld sense enough. but wanted me to see the
thing put through. Said he had given Zigler
some clothes, or would give him some, and he
was to be Waterman. Said he had sent for an oil
lamp to come by express; it would explode with
Kerosene. Then were to get two cans-oil can
and kerosene can both alike, Ziger's wife TO trim
tho lamp and to be understood she had trimmed
fhe lamps with wrong oil by mistake.
Zger was to burr his clothes little, scorch his
eyebrows, hair and his face a little, and then
Liglcr to do this at any time, all except eyes and
hair. He was to saturate the interior of the
building everywhere with varnish After doing
all this he was to set the fire, run out with his
clothes blazing, Jump into the canal and hollow
fire; and was to be there and see him, so that
l could swear to it. I met him one evening
when / had been there on the night appointed.
L procured the can containing the kerosene; got
it at Adams; Adams couldn'. change the bill.
l state thistle refresh Adams memory. Howell
told me to furnish Ligler anything he might call
tor. He didn't like to give money to Zigler, as
he would show it around. think Howell gave
me $25 Zigler came to me for kerosene, and
also for some fuse; that was on the Sunday, the
day when the building was burned. He said,
''the damned scoundrel intends to burn me up
l found in the stove that l was to set fire to
lot OF powder, and weuld blow and burn me up
rs soon as throw the fire int it, I didn't see
the fire; was at home; go to bed very early
nights; was there next day. Saw Zigler next
day. Howell was not there, but came on soon
afterwards Howell came to me the day or next
day after he returned. He said "he should have
to arrest Zlgler, to make decent show, but for
Zigler not to be scared, he would see him ont Of
it all right, and he is very badly scared any
how" l came to Ottawa soon after. l saw
Howell at Brunker's shop-in q bed room in the
shop. Brunker called me to the shop Presume
Howell was there. Howell told me he had to
pay attorneys fees to defend Ziger. Howell
sent $50 or $25 by Brunker to Avery. Avery
had refused to defend Zigler without pay. Gray
prosecuted They were not partners in business.
Howell said he would pay Zigler $500 when the
building was done. Howell gave me IS here
on the day of the trial. Don't know ii Zigler
went home that night Howell went away and
afterwards returned. I went to Chicago to set
Howell couple of weeks after the fire. He of.
fered to pay me the same for assisting in burn.
ing the stainery as originally proposed. How.
ell told me at Chicago he paid Zigler $500
Zigler denied it. l went to Chics 20 to get money
out of Howell. When saw him first he looked
as if he didn't want to see me. He took me out
the back way on to street. He said the eyes of
detectives were on me and himself, and was
sorry came, and that we couldn't make move
without being watched. He wanted me to stop
one minute. He gave me $50 and told mt to 60
to Gardner, place on the G. A. &. st. L. X. R.,
aud said for me to wait there for him ; then he
would come with plenty of money, and he want
ed me to leave the country. He got on the cars,
he came to my seat and begged me to 20 to
Gardner. declined He wanted me to 20 then
to Marseilles and make affidavit said had
an engagement to get of at Morris. told him
would make an affidavit that when we had met
we had always talked about horses, nothing
about the stainery. The affidavit was already
drawn. When got TO Mar.elles saw him at
Beck House, he read affidavit to me. Here
affidavit was shown witness and identied.)
Howell then promised to pay me money. Don't
know how much He must go east. I asked
him for ). He said he hadn't, but Beckwith
had 4, which be told B. to give me- I wrote
him, but got no answer. He said he wanted my
affidavit and two more before he could get his
money, and then he all right. He said he
heard had "eone back on him." had told
the insurance men all about it. half q dozen
knew it. I told him hadn't seen any insurance
men. / had confded in man who had asked
days before went to Chicago. don't known
whether before or after-near that time. wrote
to Howell for money after had made the affida.
Wit. left Howell there. Had no conversation
with him after that. Then he began his TRADE
against me. He took Zigler away on voyage,
and Wien no came back he began hostilities
against me. He made arrangements to get Zig.
ler's bail. gave Zigler Is or 90 feet of fuse. I
got this to blast logs. Gave it to him no no could
burn the building safely. Howell told me that
if Zigler had followed his instructions there
wouldn't have been trace of anything left
Gross ELumiAed--Howell never TOLD me the
to have "a 600 when the insurance money came,
and honors easy as long as lived. He said he
was FULL Of money, his wife had plenty of money,
and Iwould get it whether the insurance money
came or not. have five legitimate children liv.
ing. You can put any construction you please
on my acts. l never committed crime in my
life. l may have stepped out Of the statute in
ssme cases. Laughter Zigler sworo before
Lockwood he did not know who burned the
Stainery; and so l swors didn't know any
thing about it either. ! swvre to that because
it Zigler didn't know, of course didn't. I was
not excited. but got tight when the trial VIVA
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