St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-17
ST. PAUL NEWS.
BURNING OF THE SUNBEAM.
DeIos Ayers Tried for Arson and
Discharged.
Graphic Description of the Incendiary Fire
Minor Police Court Happenings.

The burning of the Sunbeam. 1t was past
s O'Clock in the evening; the shop windows
glittered under the glare of the electric light
and thousands of gas burners; the streets
were crowded with merry throngs OF pedes-
TRANS; the voice of the city was abroad with
its mingled jargon of misery and laughter;
the street is a strange study at this hour Of
the night; the dandy elbowed the sad-eyed
son of toll, the oaths of the bully were
blended with the ripping laugh of the school
girl; Cresus iostled the pauper and wonder
ing innocence looked shyly at the bedizened
fnery of the child of shame; overhead, far
above the din and the smoke of the city
twinkled the everlasting lamps of night;
here and there some pensive eye would pause
to drink in the beauty of the firmanent but
the great shallow eye OF the populace was
content rather in tie inspection of the ORR
ode jim cracks in the shop windows.
Suddenly sound breaks on the ambient
air: the dark wing of the night takes it up
and it reverbrates clear and sonorous; it is
the hoarse and brazen voice of the fire bell.
Clang, clang, clang, it goes again; the peo-
pie pause lust for moment, and then the
cry of fire goes up Mark the transition {;
the crowd, q moment before all so quiet and
peaceful, and now all excitement. The fire
is in the heart of the city; shaft OF smoke
curls up slowly, and sullen blaze OF flame
licks voracously the cool balmy air. 1t Is
the burning OF the sunbeam. The crowd
rush to the scene; the police and firemen
come; tue men shout; children look aghast
and are frightened; mothers step briskly
along with crying babies; boys yell with de-
Hight Il is great scene, this burning of a
house in the heart OF the city just after night
fall. Pretty soon the flames go down and the
smoke hOvers iaZily over tie building. The
fire is out and the Sunbeam has no further
interest for the crowd who go away only
partially satisfied.
An investigation follows, and discovery
is made The match of the fire bug had
been at work in the Sunbeam gallery; the
atrocious crime of arson with its terrible pos
sibilaties, involving perhaps human life,
had been committed. There were the matches,
the half burned candles, the oil-soaked cot
Ton, tie Deliberately planned and cunningly
executed scheme to burn down a building,
and Tor what! Simply, it is supposed, to Sc
cure $500 insurance. This is the story of
tie nct ndiary work al the Sunbeam gallery
on Jackson street.
Delos Aver, the proprietor of the Sunbeam,
was arrested on the charge OF committing
the crime. He was examined on the ch4 rge
arson in the police court yesterday. Chief
Black, Sergeant Walsh, Capt. Keller and
others tested to the deliberate character of
of the attempt and the oil-soaked cotton,
candles and other evidences were shown in
court.
County Attorney Egan prosecuted the case
The accused proved that he had left the place
at 6 O'Clock in the evening that he bad passed
the night at friends, and had not re
turned to the gallery until $3.50 the next
morning. The testimony was not direct
enough to convict him and he was dis
charged. The accused was ably defended by
John Twohy, Jr., and Mr.. Card.
When the case of c. NJ. Baker, charged
with disordery conduct was called, DR.. Anc-
ker explained to the court that Baker was
suffering from the brutal beating given him
with a club by special officer named Ryan
Oh Wednesday night An account of this
terrible outrage occurred in yesterdays issue
Of the GLOBE. For the reason stated the
hearing was indefinitely continued.
John Senide had black eye and bloady
nose; they were given him by L. Heating in
saloon row several evenings ago The
fight WAS ahnut politics, and Yesterday Keat-
Ing Vas fined $40 for putting the head on
SchIde.