The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-04-20

fourteen miles from Warrington, and that
his brother. now on trial, WAS at the opera
until about III o'clock.
PETERSBURG. April 16-TSpecial. State
vs.. Lavelle. The defense is now offering
its side of the case
Joseph +. Thompson, the first witness
called today, testified to the structure and
condition of the court house; that he first
saw the fire in the recorders Office; that
it was then in flames and ct that
time saw no fire in the auditors Office;
that there was only a small hole burned
in the counter IN the defendants office.
Newton Wilson, deputy auditor under
Lavelle, testified that the key to the west
door of the office was kept In
the lock, and that be carried the
key to the north entrance of the court
house;that on the Sunday before the fire he
found former DEPUTY and another person
in the auditors office; that afterward he
never saw the key in the lock again; that
on the evening of the fire he saw at La
velle's residence two books like those used
9 the Office which the defendant says was
the mortgage record and tina tafterward he
saw the mortgage record and no coal oil
on it then.
The reports made by the defendant
all of which showed they had been
accepted and approved. The court then
adjourned until Monday. In the mean
time the jury is not permitted to sepa-
rate, but is under the care OF two trusty
bailiffs. The case will probably continue
week or more yet.
PETERSBURG, April Especial THE
ease of the state vs.. Lavelle for arson of
the Davies county court house was re-
sumed this morning.
A. J. Demors, one of the carpenters who
assisted in the building OF the court house,
showed how the window and door frames
were constructed and built in the brick
wall that door facing could not be pushed
Off without pushing in or down the wall
Gustave Conrad said he was with defend
ant at the opera house on the Thursday
night OF the alleged meeting at the laun-
dry, from s until II o'clock, and that he
saw Hardin about half an hour after the
show at a saloon. Samuel Martin, q for
mer yardmaster Of the Ohio & Mississippi
at Washington, testified that he saw de-
PENDANT at opera OH that Thursday night.
Ed Walters, Il typesetter in the Democrat
office, said that on that Thursday night
he worked in his office until about ii
o'clock; that the laundry was running
until then. Three OF the family who live
in rooms above the laundry testified that
it was run as late as 10 or i o clock during
the fair week and until they retired did
not know how much later. {. w. Thomp-
son, the president OF tine Washington ma
tional bank, said no went TO the fire before
the fire department; that the recorders
office then was ali in flames and at that
time he saw no light in either the sherih's
or auditors Office
Owen Cavanaugh, the deputy marshal.
said he was paid 500 by States Attorney
Billheimer and receipted him for $3.50 for
his work on the case. Millert Purcell
said he saw Hawes who is jointly indicted
with Lavelle, at his home in the country
on the night of the alleged meeting at the
laundry. Aaron b. Halves, one OF the de-
PENDANTS, testified that he was home in the
country on the night of the alleged meet.
ing at the laundry; that he never, ut any
time or place, met with the parties or any
one else 10 discuss the destruction of the
court house or the records; that he never
said one word 20 either of the convicts
about it, nor had he ever heard LaveIle
cay anything 10 them on the subject at
any tine; that he knew nothing of the fire
until in the evening of the day alter it oc-
CURED that all the statements made by
Convict Ledgerwood duplicating him were
false