The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-10-22
BURNED THE RECORDS.
Court House Officials Arrested for Das-
tardly Deed.

tardly Deed.
The Court House at Washington, Ind,
was recent Y set on fire. The Record
er's and Sheriff's Offices were totally de-
stroyed and portion of the Auditors
office was ruined An investigation
proved that the interior Of the Auditors
office, including all the important rec
ordS, had been saturated with kerosene
oil, and they were only saved by the
prompt action of the fire department.
The books had been taken from their
shelves, placed in piles, and saturated
with the oil.
The city soon filled with furious peo-
pie from all parts OF the county, and
the widest excitement prevailed until it
became certain that the perpetrators of
the deed were safely inclosed by the
stone walls of the Daviess County jail.
The conspirators who are in the tolls for
the crime, says dispatch from that
place, are County Auditor james c. La
velle, Aaron 3. Halves, prominent
Steele Township farmer. and Basil Led
gerwood and Samuel Hardin, two day
'laborers of this city. A warrant is out
for Michael Lavelle, the Auditors broth
err, but he cannot be found by the Off
GERS, and it is believed that he has fed
the country.
County Auditor Layelle has been Au-
ditor for eight years, and for the eight
years Immediately preceding he was
Deputy Auditor for his brother. His
term expires Nov. and a few weeks ago
the commissioners ordered an inveStiga-
tion of his books and accounts, appoint
ing ex-National Bank Examiner Samuel
III. Taylor and Edward E. Meredith, a
prominent attorney, to do the work To
this Lavelle made strenuous objection,
and used every means in his power to
defeat or postpone the proposed investi-
CATION. This opposition was continued,
and the time was set to begin the work.
when but few days before it was to
have begun an alarm of fire was sounded
and the Courthouse was found to be in
flames.
Suspicion pointed to Auditor Lavelle
as concerned in the incendiariSm, Aand
the officers began work at once under
the direction of County Attorney John
G. Billheimer and Sheriff Charles Col
bert Five new jugs that had contained
kerosene were found in an clubhouse,
where they had been thrown by the in
cendiaries With this valuable clue the
man who bought the jugs was easily
found. and was arrested and lodged in
Jail. His name is Samuel Hardin At
first he denied all knowledge OF the fire,
but under vigorous pumping he weak
ened and agreed to tell the whole story
of the plot.
He stated that he was hired to do the
work of destroying the court house
records by Auditor Layelle and Aaron
IB. Halves. He and Basil Ledgerwood
were to be paid $500 each for the work.
Lavelle gave Hardin money to get coal
oil and Ledgerwood money to buy re-
volver. Lavelle took Hardin and Led
gerwood to the court house and told
them where to set the fires and gave
them keys to the court house and offices.
That night they carried in the coal oil.
flooded the offices, applied the torches
and fed The arrangement was to
certain extent abortive; as the Auditors
records, which make the investigation
possible, were saved, although all the
valuable records in the Recorders Office,
fixing the title to all the landed property
In Davies County, were destroyed. The
loss TO the county by this is incalcula-
ble
AS soon as Hardin had completed his
testimony, warrants we're issued for the
others concerned Ledgerwood, when
arrested. knocked under at once, tell
ing the same story Hardin told. Every
statement corroborates the evidence SCI
cured. Auditor Lavelle was immediate
Iva arrested. A B. Halves soon Joined
him, but Michael Layelle could not be
found. and has not been arrested. Led
gerwood and Hardin were arraigned in
court. and pleaded guilty to the charge
of arson.
Auditor Lavelle's bondsmen, becom
ing frightened at the turn affairs were
taking, required him to turn over all
his property to them, and this was done,
HAYES lives on O. farm of 500 acres,
owned by his wife, and is in good cir
cumstances financially. He is q des-
perate character, however, and he was
brought in at ths muzzle Of . Winches-
ter.