Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-03-05
TRIAL OF 8. L. SAUL.
Investigating the Matter of the Re-
cent Store Burning At Loudon.

on the charge of burning his store and
goods in Loudon, TO defraud the in
surance companies. The fire occurred
on the night of December q, 1873,
aud on the 3fd of the same month
NJ. Saul had been at Knoxville and
s., 900 on his stock Of goods. $500 was
taken in the Knoxville Insurance
Company, $1,000 in the Home,
nd $500 in the Phoenix.
The building occupied by
Mr.. Saul was the property
of Cowan, McClung & Co., of this
city, Saul was arrested on State war;
rant in Knoxville, on the 18Th of Feb
ruary, on the charge above stated, at
the instance OF Major D. A. Carpenter,
| President of the Knoxville Fire In
| surance Company. Saul not being
ready for trial, hearing was contin-
ued, and Saul gave bond in the sum of
81 Goo for his appearance.
Yesterday the defendant, accompa-
MED by his father, s. l.. Saul, sr., of
! Bristol, appeared promptly for trial,
and at 10 O'Clock the case was called
before J. NJ. King, Esq in the Crimi-
nal Court room, at the court house.
The trial attracted quite large crowd,
there being a great many in attend
aDCe from Loudon, as witnesses and
! spectators, interested and otherwise.
For the prosecution there appeared
the following counsel: Maj. w. 8.
! Webb, and Messrs. G. E. Luckey aud
S. T. Logan, of this city, and E. P.
/ MCQdeen, of Loudon, while Messrs.
w. A. Henderson, of this city, and
w. j.. Welcker, of Loudon, appeared
for the defendant
Toe warrant aud other papers in
the case having been read, the follow.
iGg witnesses were called by Mr.. Me.
Q lee1 for The State: w. B. Foun-
tain, J. T. Lowry, J. L. Simpson,
Walter James, Jas. II. Johnston, J. J.
Harrison, John s. King, Robt. John-
ston, NJ. l.. Mourfield, ]. g. Mizs, w.
J. Guice, T.. II. Bell and Geo. Henson.
And the following were called by Mr..
Welcker for the defence: B. F. league,
John S. Miza, John Tiptcn, Henry
Johnston, colOred, d. "A. Carpenter,
G. o. Ward Henry Bell, Jas. Ma
honey, s. A. Porter. Jas. Miller, E. G.
Sylvester, VIM. HarV ell and VIM.
Hall.
Before getting started into the case
there was some equabble Is to whether
Maj. Carpenter, a. prosecutor, wa
subject TO the rule with the other wit
nesscs The defense also had Mai.
Carpenter as their witness, however,
and it was decided that he sh Juld go
out under the rule.
1t was near Il O'Clock 10y this time,
and after brief session an adjourn
ment was had to 1:3) o'clock, when
the examination Wcs IesCmcr.
w. b. Fountain, the first witness
for the prosecution, was put upon the
stand, and his examination conducted
by Major Webb. HIS testimony was
in substance as follows:
He has lived in LoudOn six or seve
years, has NDOwn S. l.. Saul, jr., ev
since the ! alter has been in busin :,
selling goods there. Saw him and
was win him on the night
of December 2lst, 1878, and remem-
bers about Saul's store and goods being
burned up that night. Wa with Saul
all the time after night, the fOrepart of
the night, first in SweetWater, then in
LoudOn, coming there on the train at
9:22 p. M. and was with him till IL
O'Clock. Went from the train to his
(SauPs) store with him. Henry Bell
and Frank league, SauPs clerks, Jas.
Miller and some boys were in the store.
They st&id there about fifteen minute,
and witness, Saul, Bell and Miller left,
leaving league and the boys at the
store. Saul had asked Bell if one
Shelton or Sherlin had paid an &C
count, and was answered no. He
(SauD said they would find the fellow
and put a ht al OH him or have the
money. Bell wanted to stay and work
on the books, but Saul said "never
mind about the books, go along
with u.s." This was few
minutes before 10 O'clock p. M. 1t
was rather cold, and a fire in the store. |
They went TO Letsingel's, q house of
III W hulL CucIlIH OF CI6ltOO.
Saul went in alone, stayed five min
utes, came out, and said his man had |
not been there that night. They then |
went 10 the saw-milI, where he |
worked, to fiud him. On the way, a |
light was noticed in Will. Magill's |
room. over J. t. L0wry's sore. Saul |
told Bell TO go and sleep with Magill, |
that it was no use to wake Frank up |
at that time of night, while he and |
witness went to look for Sherlin or |
Shelton. They went to the saw-milI, |
but didn't find their man. Here wit
ness drew a diagram, showing situa-
ton of route, etc They started to |
return, and saul said TO
witness: /" You can go home, 1
am going 10 Esq. Sans to look |
for Sherlin or Shelton" and babe b m
"Good night" Saul went on in the
direction of his store. Witness fol-
lowed al.2r him, unawares, saw him
Saul come to his side door, knock
once or twice and say "F ank, Frank,
let me in." The door was opened,
Saul went in and the door was closed.
stood at Mshoney's corner q
few moments when somebody came
by. He stepped lack and recognized
it to be Jim Miller, who was with
them. Miller went to the door where
Saul went in, stood there, in all, ten
Or twelve minutes, and came back in
the same direction. Witness then