The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-12-19
HE DID THE DEED.
Jacob Bargy C0nfesses to Have At.
tempted to Destroy the Moline
Pl0W Works by Fire...Re-
yenge the MOtiye---
In Jail.

There was considerable excitement in
Moline last evening when it became
known that Jacob Bargy mot Baggy) had
confessed to having attempted to burn
down the Moline Plow Company's great
pillow works. The preliminary trial which
was begun before Justice Mapes on
Wednesday afternoon was resumed yes
terday morning.
Martin SEVERN was the first witness
sworn. He testified that he saw Bargy'
in the backing room after the fire had
been discovered and later on saw him pass
from the yard into the street Joseph
Spooks, Zohn Mann and John Carlson
corroborated this witness.
Gus Lawson was sworn and testified
as to finding the key to the oil room in
the yard after the second attempt had
been made to destroy the works.
George Stephens, member of the Mo
line Plow company, testified to pursuing
man in the yards of the works after the
discovery of the first attempt to burn the
shops down. He supposed the man to be
Bargy, but the person turned out to be
another man Witness further said that
he had not discharged Bargy That the
latter quit work when his wages were res
duced, and made threats. Bargy had said
that the company would be sorry for cut
ting down his wages, and would lose a
thousand times more than it would make
by the reduction in wages.
John kneberg, painter in the works,
was called and produced the oil room key
which had been found in the yard. He
testified as to the attempt that had been
made to fire the oil room. Kerosene had
been freely used and faucet on one sar>
rel had been turned on so that the oil
might add to the flames if they started.
A tin pale had evidently con tanned fire,
| and the spout had been melted off by the
heat.
VIM. Evans testified that on the night
of the first attempt at arson he saw Bar
gy in saloon on Second avenue and teld
him his wife wanted him Mrs. Bargy
had requested him to DO so. Witness and
the accused started for home together:
they lived close together. On the way
the prisoner wanted to stop in at several
saloons and get more drink Bargy said
TO the witness on the way, keep still,
you'll hear an alarm Of fire soon The
witness thought the remark but
the vagaries of an Intoxicated
mind and paid no attention
to him, The two went into a saloon and
had glass of beer, and after they came
ont the prisoner remarked, L guess the
thing didn't pan out rs / had hoped il
would. Witness didn't know to what the
prisoner alluded, and let the matter drop
! When the account of the attempt to fire
the backing room was published the wit,
ness told the prisoner aboutit, and Bargy
read the account and exclaimed, that's 5
id lie, | didn't have anything to d.
witk that, but | did with the other" After
this he told the witness if he would keef
still he would tell HIM something. 81
fixed the oil ROOM said he. The wit
ness had not heard of the oil room fire
before that tine. The witness said tha
Bargy had been drinking when he tolJ
that story Evans had also been dis
charged for Drunkenness.
The prosecution rested its case with
this witness testimony. Majo T Boards
ley for the defense stated that he woult
offer no evidence in Iebuttal. In act i
would have been useless, as "a preponder
ancc of evidence had been submitted
against the prisoner. Justice Mapes fixeC
Bargy's bail So, 900 and in default he va.
brought to the county jail As he wa
about TO be brought to Jail Bargy brokt
down and with tears in his eyes he con
fessed his guilt to Mr.. George Stephens
of the Plow Co., saying Il am the guilt
party, and whisky was the cause"
) An Argus reporter interviewed Major
Beardslcy relative to the case this morn
ing.
Il gave it up at noon yesterday" sale
the major. Before that thought thu
man innocent. He had never told m
otherwise. In fact he claimed to me yes
terday when l asked him to tell me til
truth, that he knew of the fire being start
ed, but that he had not committed tn
deed himself l then concluded that tn
case was hopeless.
: whats the punishment" quired thu
scribe.
For attempted arson the limit is tw
years. The penalty for the crime o
arson, however is pretty severe
Bargy pleads guilty he will not get NOR
than two years, and with good conduct ii
the prison, the term may be considerabl
reduced do not think the man is bat
at heart. He drank a little too mucl
bad whisky and was not himself when th
thing occurred"