Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-02-02
THE FIRE BUGS.
FERGUSON AND WATKINS.
Watkins COnfesses and Puts tn
Whole Blame Oh Ferguson.


The Toledo Blade publishes the fol
lowing confession of John H. Watkins
on the witness stand during his exami
nation on the charge of firing their mill
in Toledo. which will interest many OF
our readers:
Am 60 years old; l came to Toledo
about the 10th of May last; l resided in
Belmont county, Ohio, before l came
here; first came to Ohio in 1851; was q
machinist by trade; have been engaged
in milling and grocery business al
Bridgeport, Ohio, for 20 years; after.
ward engaged in steamboating OH the
Ohio river; the boat was sold and
went back to Bridgeport and engaged in
milling again; | sold out my interest in
the year 1876, and in icompany with Mr.
Ferguson bought mill and sash and
door factory; | Was in that firm about
six months, and sold out my interest;
next bought a mill at Wheeling,W. Va.
L ran the mill about two years; then
sold it conditionally to Mr.. Ferguson
and he and run it together about q
year and half, up to about month be.
fore came to Toledo.
F. When the mill burned l was on my
way to Tyrone, Pa. Mr.. Ferguson was
left in charge of the mill; we did not
rebuild the mill; have known Mr.. Fer.
guson for about 20 years; first knew him
at Bridgeport, Ohio; be was at one time
an insurance agent at Bridgeport, and
afterward owned a drug store L lirst be.
came associated with him in the grocery
business in 1867 or 1868: he WAS engag
ed in no Other business with me until
we bought the saw mill together; after
that was sold out we next engaged to-
gether in the Touring mill in Wheeling
we came together to Toledo about the
1st of May last, and both returned to-
gether for a few days; we came here for
the purpose of buying or leasing a flour.
ing mill I'VE finally purchased two-thirds
of the Toledo Mills, in this city, the firm
being composed of Messrs. Ferguson,
Qnale and myself leach owned one-third
did not know anything about the amt
of insurance nn the building, machinery
and stock; Mr.. Ferguson visited his
home at or about the holidays; when he
returned he said his wife earnestly de-.
sired him to leave Toledo. and he had
resolved to go in any event; about this
time Mr.. Ferguson intimated that if the
mill should burn down it would pay all
parties, as he had large insurance ON it.
This intimatiOn WAS finally formulated
into proposition to burn the mill. /
Indignantly spurned the idea. He again
spoke of it, detailing plan by which
the result could be reached, and no one
be the wiser. l again objected. On the
afternoon Of the day on the evening OF
which the fire occurred, the mill shut
down at about 6 o'clock. In the after
noon Mr.. Ferguson said: "I am going to
burn the mill, and 1 don't want you to
say word about it." After the mill
shut down Mr.. Ferguson and myself
were lsft in the office alone. He went
out l remained until half past seven
At that time he returned; said he vas
going to fire mill: did not say any
thing, as | thought had said all that l
could. He went out into the mill; Was
gone about five minutes. When he came
back he said he had fred the mill.
went to my boarding house and imme-
diately retired to bed; was not asleep
when l was called; don't know just why
did not tell the authorities; / had
nothing to do with the firing of the mill !:
ulu hOt oCS diSOi lolI bllo HILL Oh
the evening Of the 9th until next day !;
he said, now mind and be true or they
will s.ni us both up" replied that it
was not my doing;at every conversation
since he has requested me to keep my
mouth shut; said he had used oily waste
from the engine room had little to do
with buying the mill, Ferguson did the
talking and paid the money; when Cor
nell purchased his interest, 1 knew of
the terms only as Ferguson told ME; he
paid the money himself; l signed the
deed, but did not read it or hear it.
At the evening session Mr.. Watkins
was cross-ex2mined. He was evidently
in awe of Mr.. Ferguson. but most rigid
cross-examipation from Mr.. Ford failed
in any manner to shake his direct testi-
mony. That the partners did not agree
was elected. Mr.. Ferguson did all the
business, made all the charges and cred
its, in fact all the entries in the books,
and in such manner that nobody could
understand them but himself even il he
did; was never able to get an explana-
tion as to how matters stood from Mr..
felt that he did not treat me
thought that something was
going wrong but could not help it; on
the 9th Of January l was in the Office
when the mill stopped for the day; did
not go to supper; saw no one about the
mill after Mr.. f. left; went home at
I 80; expected to hear the alarm; Fer
guson asked me to go with him when
he fired the mill; l refused: he said,
'well, III go myself"
My third interest in the mill is in my
sons name; placed it 80 on the advice
Of Ferguson; did it to keep st. Clairs-
Vile parties, and not my wife from get
ing it.
/ was living with my wife when
came here; was sued by st. Clairsville
parties for slander, four or five years
,no. nna MnGraw was nlainfIf In kha