The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-10-08
Frank lngersoll Arrested at Butte
on the Charge of In
eendiarism.
A Daylight Blaze of Which He is
Said to Have Been the
Author.
An unsavory Record which VIII Have
it, Influence when the Case Comes
10 Trial


Frank lngerso was tonight arrested by
Chief of Police Smith upon the charge of
hnving deliberately attempted TO burn
buildings ON Park street west The evi-
dence agninst lngersoll is considered very
strong, and excitement i'm town runs high
over the arrest.
Az hsO O'Clock this afternoon FIRE was dis
covered in some boxes between two out
buildings in the rear Of Sol Levy's saloon.
ON Park street west. The flames we're first
observed by some Cinnamon. who were
working in restaurant few feet away.
An alarm was given aud the fire promptly
extinguished before any damage was
done. Ii was clearly an attempt
at incendiarism. Fresh dry paper had been
saturated with coal oil and showed in be-
tween box and the wooden building, and
then lighted. To do this i'm the daytime
and in close proximity to half dozen
houses with windows overlooking the scene
was the deed of n mad man. Ingersoll was
in the saloon during the afternoon and left
few moments before the fire, saying he
was going home A few moments after
ward woman who lives in n small house
in the ally in the rear of the
saloon. and within a few feet Of
the place where the fire started saw
n man answering the description of mger-
soil came up through the alley and entered
the corner where the fire started. As no
one ever has any business to enter the place
by such route, the woman became sus-
picious, and watching the man she saw him
retire by the same way he entered. few
moments later the fire broke out. Hearing
Of the circumstance, the police promptly
placed lngersoll under arrest, and fearing
violence when the public learned of the
circumstances they took the prisoner to
the court house Jail, instead of the city
lookup, M usual.
il suspected Of having been fa-
miliar with the cause of the
fire which two years ago consumed the Cen
tennial hotel on Main street. In the hotel
at the time were sleeping 100 people The
FIRE broke out in the night and two men
were burned 10 death before they could be
rescued. J. II. Foster was lying i'll in the
had engaged Ingersoll 10 nurse Foster, who
was an Odd Fellow. la a room adjoining
the sick mans was n lady's satchel
containing SiU in gold. After the fire
no truce of this money could be found,
though the handle of the satchel was dis
covered. This fact led To the belief that the
fire was incendiary and that the money was
III
though no evidence could be secured 10 CON
vict Ingersol shortly afterward was ar.
rested for theft, but was acquitted for lack
Of evidence. lie is also suspected of having
stolen n sum Of money from the cabin of
smallpox patient whom lac attended.
Several Of the most disastrous Of the in
condiary fires that have occurred in Butte
mans movements. Whilst the FIRE scare was
at ts height here Ingersoll WIS appointed
by merchants on Main between Broadway
and Granite streets tO watch their buildings
Almost every night while on duty Ingersol
discovered fire. This looked singular 10
the police, ~ none Of the other watchmen
made any important discoveries. Finally
nBiht WIN iht
idea that Ingersoll was setting the fires HIM
self, and he was discharged Since then his
movements have been carefully shadowed
by the police, who would have arrested him
had .to-day's fire never occurred. Ingersoll
is married man, with a wife
and two children. He is considered TO be
a shrewd sort Of fellow, of heartless and
INSCRIPTIONS disposition. His name |
connected with the fire which last week de-
stroyed the Odd Fellows building Inger-
soils father-in-law was care-taker of the
building and lived upstairs. The fire broke
out in n room that il was said had not
been unlocked for several days previously,
and il was considered Il very mysterious af-
fair. II Ingersolrs gull. is proven he will
not be leniently treated in this city.