The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-12-02
THE BOTTOM FELL OUT.
Dreamer" Joyce Loses Money
for the Springfield Ipsur-
ance Company.
q. P. Harrison's Fire-BuQ Case
Decided in His Favor.

Knobnoster, Nov. % Correspondence !
Probably the most int resting and excIt-
ing case before the Cass county circuit
court, at the present session, was that of
the Springfield Fire and Marine Insurance
company VS.. George p. Harrison, Of
KnobnOster. i; viii be remembered by the
BAzoo's readers that Hsrrison's saloon
burned at KobnOster on April z, 1884, I'M
der very suspicious circumstances. The
conhagratiOn broke out about 2 O'Clock
n. M, Monday, at time when there had
been no FIRE In the hOus. for a corsidera-
bic length of time.
The building and contents were insured
in the Springfield company, and through
its sgent, Mr.. A. F. Dean, Mr.. Harrison
received an amount agreed upon as a COM
promise. So far, so good. Soon a!terward
a fellow vino claimed TO be
WONDERFUL DREAMER
C ,me to Knobnoster and excited the popu-
lace with recitals of natural deeds
performed BY himself. He claimed to be
able, through the medium of dreams,
to unravel all kinds of mysteries, and
proposed To dream out who burnt the saloon.
He dreamed and next morning told that
Harrison burned his house. The peo-
pie got excited and looked al each other
IN pantomime style, while little knots OF
astonished hum ans gathered In close com
muniOn TO discuss the advent OF another
Christ into Their midst. Everywhere IT BE-
came noised abroad that Harrison aud his
bartender, Ed. Love, had burned the saloon
and excitement was at fever heat. Then
DREAMER JOYCE
went to Harrison and by some means Oh
tanned money To hush up his talking. Al
ter black mailing him couple Of times,
Joyce left for Colorado.
People about KnobnOster had almost for
gotten him when IL was nOised abroad that
through his ingenuity, Joyce had succeed
ed In getting confession out of Harrison
At Warrensburs, in The hearing OF caves
dcoypers. Harrison and Love were srres-
led and gave bonds Tor their appearance at
criminal court. In the meantime the
Springfield Insurance company attached all
OF HarrisOn's property, AID in July an at
tempt was made by the latter to have II re-
leased. The preliminary examination WAS
held at Jacksonville, Cass county, and the
Jury decidt that the evidence warranted
The company in still holding The attaca-
ment. Last W. elk before the circuit court
of Cass county
THE CASE WAS CALLED.
About foEty.6ye witnesses from Knob
noster and eighteen from Warrensburg
were taken along to testify and eat up
Csss county provender. Attorneys w, w.
Wood, A. B. Logan and w. j. Tirrell had
charge of the prosecution, while the de-
tense was ably conducted by o. l.. Houts,
OF Warrensburg, Rsiley 4 Burney, OF
Harrisonville, S. F. Kelly and J. Kraus, OF
Kuobnostsr. Two days were occupied in
taking the testimony of the witnesses and
another In arguing the case. A verdict
was rendered for Harrison.
THE DREAMER WAS NOT PRESENT,
but bad deposition there long enough TO
have wrapped up a wholesale bill of dry
goods. 1t was a complete net work of lies
and was scarcely corroborsted at ali.
Among other witnesses for the prosecution
were parties who wanted to see Harrison
downed, while at least one OF them svOw-
ed openly that be was In the case for what
money there was In il.
A network of circumstance had been
wound so completely around the defend
ants that there seemed at one time scarcely
a hole for them to crawl out
OF, but they msde il all right,
as they should have done.
Had the case gone against Mr.. Harrison
he would have been broken mp completely.
AS it is he is all right. The chances are
that the grand jury will 6no no bill against
Harrison, as the very strangest evidence
was introduced and did not go to harm the
defendant.
The case has caused considerable excite
ment al Knob Nosler. The Springfield
insurance Company are out about $1,000
for costs in the case.