The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-07-03
DEED OF A DEMON.
An Incendiary Attempts to
Burn the Residence
of {. q. Wells.
It Was Fired About O'clock
Yesterday Morning and
Soon Discovered.
The Same Gentleman Had His
Well and Stock Poisoned
q Year Ago.

Mr.. c. H. Wells is a teamster, and re-
sides with his family at the northwest cor
ner of Twelfth and Kentucky streets, in a
snug little one-story frame dwelling.
Something like year ago he had horse
poisoned by an unknown party, and but a
short time thereafter a valuable mich
COW met death in the same manner. The
BAzOO referred to the affair a. the time,
and careful investigation on the part of
Mr.. Wells and his friends failed to disclose
the guilty wretch.
A few weeks AFTER the poisoning of the
COW, Mr.. Wells was taken quite i'll, and on
calling in physician,
SYMPTOMS OF PrIsoNING
were easily discerned. Neither Mr.. Wells
nor his wife could call to mind anything
they had eaten that would produce such
violent illness, and for brief hour the af-
fair was shrouded in deep
mystery. Finally, however, the attending
physician made a careful analysis of the
water they had been drinking, which re-
suited in finding poison in the shape OF
strychnine, which had evidently been
thrown into the well by the same party or
parties who were guilty of poisoning Mr..
Wells stock.
On recovering, Mr.. Wells again en-
deavored to obtain a clue to the demon
who had been guilty of SO heinous a
crime, but his efforts were baffled, and for
q time he attempted to dispose of his
property, il being his intention to remove
some locality where his
LIFE WAS NOT IN DANGER.
He was no; successful in selling his resi-
dence, SO concluded to remain in Sedalia,
thinking il possible his enemy would not
again modest him. Not SO. though, as the
sequel proves.
About half-past one o'clock yesterday
morning Mr.. and Mrs. Wells, who were
sleeping in the front room, were aroused
from their sleep by the fumes of fire, and
on looking out into the kitchen saw the
floor in q blaze, as were also chair and q
box sitting behind the stove.
Hastily arising, they dashed few buck
cts of water ON the fire and
SOON HAD IT ExTINGUIsHEp,
when they made a thorough examination
of the premises, but found nothing that
would point to The Identification of the in.
cendiary.
A BAzoo reporter learned of the affair
yesterday morning, and during the day
called at Mr.. Wells residence, finding Mrs.
Wells at home, and from her gained the
following i'm addition TO the above:
The night was quite sultry, and in order
to catch all the fresh air possible, the kitch-
en- door was left open, and any one could
enter without being seen, as Mr.. Wells and
his wife were in an adjacent room.
THE INCENDiARY
must have entered the house through the
rear kitchen door, and after surveying the
surroundings, proceeded to the cupbos ard
where the coal oil can was kept. This was
secured and carried to the southwest cor
ner of the kitchen. where the oil vas poured
spon the floor and also upon q box which
was standing behind the stove. This
much accomplished the match
was applied, after which the
incendiary fed, but not until he had rum
mayed the cupboard and carried off loaf
of bread, cup OF jelly aud vessel filled
with Cookies" which Mrs Wells
had baked Friday afternoon. When asked
by the reporter
If SHE SUSPECTED ANYBODY
of the crime, Mrs Wells said that both Mr.
Wells and herself had their suspicions'
but they did not care to make them public
al the present-not until there were further
developments. She did not hesitate to say,
however, that the would-be incendiary was
the same party who had poisoned their we'll
and their stock, and was now endeavoring
10 make them homeless.
The affair is one that should be thorough
ly investigated by our authorities, and the
BAzoo hopes not many days will lapse ere
the mystery is cleared and the guilty party
brought to justice.