The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1892-08-20

TO Appear o. the First Day D. He
October Term Or Court Proceed
ings or the Preliminary Trial.

On Friday morning Charles Blair
of South Morgantown, was arrested
on a warrant charging him with hav
ing set fire to the building or build
ings Of the Tygart Manufacturing
Company with intent to destroy tht
same. The preliminary hearing wal
before Justice Harvey Staggers
Prosecuting Attorney Cox represent
ing the State, Hon. Geo. G. Sturgisl
the Company, and L. v. Keck, Esq.
the defendant. The taking of testi
mony began at IL o'clock, the frs
witness called being George Hall
who testified in part as follows:
Discovered fire about two o'clocl
Sunday morning. Heard two Oh
more parties walk past ON the pave
ment, one calling another by name
five minutes before the light from
the fire shone in my face. Gave thu
first alarm that l heard. Fire wal
between the dry house and machin,
shop and not higher than my head
when first saw it but out of reacf
by the time | got there with water
There were sticks used for sticking
lumber where first saw fire. Cross
examined: Sticks are there all the
time. Know Of no sticks there be
longing to Fred Christen.
George Davis: About IL O'Clock
Saturday night started from Joe
Miller's corner with Charlie Good
win, Thomas Bartahlow, Harry Blair
Harry Debolt and w. E. st. Clair
We went to the depot, thence to the
Decker's creek railroad bridge While
there a stone struck near us and
soon after Bert Meeks joined US, ther
another stone came, this time from
under the blacksmith shop, and
Charley Blair called to us, and he
too came up to where we then were
on the railroad track opposite the
machine shop. Blair wore dark vest
and pants and dress straw hat
He was Intoxicated. Our crowd
then leaving Blair asleep on some
cross ties, went up to the ball ground
thence down Main street to this end
of the cid Durbapnah bridge, where
we marched some, Debolt giving the
commands. Charley Goodwin had
a guitar and he played and Others
sang at different points on our route
Harry Blair, Bert Meeks and myself
when the crowd broke up at the
bridge, came up in front Of the court
house. From there started to hum
Charley Blair but had only gotten as
far as Fred Dering's corner wher
we heard hallooing and ran till W.
saw what it was. Saw no one out
side of our original crowd after leav
ing the depot but Meeks and Char
ley Blair. Cross examined: M
liquor in the crowd that | know of
Didn't see Blair drink but he wal
intoxicated.
Recalled Did not pass in from
of George Halls house.
Harry Debolt: Evidence substan
TALLY the same as that of Davis.
Charley Goodwin: Blair wore light
shirt, was in his shirt sleeves, wor'
dark pants and dress straw hat
Often see Charley Blair, never saw
him dressed in this manner before
Left Blair sitting on cross-tie, sup
posed him TO be sleeping. Saw Char
ley Blair at the fire, he then wore {
cap and blue instead of white
shirt. Not positive about the blue
shirt but it struck me that it was
dark, am certain it was.
The remainder of his evidence tai
lied with that of the former witness
w. E. st. Clair: We left Blail
sitting on bumper rs feet from ths
railroad bridge and about the same
distance from the machine shop
Did not go with the boys when they
left the bumper but came up The
street to Col. Fairchild's corner an6
then up the street leading to tn,
feed store. Left for the purpose o
drinking bottle of beer some ont
had given me but did not drink any
Had no matches with me that night
Think Blair was smoking at thu
railroad track. Asked Blair for {
match, said he hadn't any.
Thos. Barthalow: Struck matches
to fix guitar while we were on The
railroad track. Blair wore white
shirt, dress straw hat. Saw Blail
at fire, didn't notice how he was
dressed. Saw no one in the GROVE
have beer. Blair came out from un
der the blacksmith shop.
Albert Meeks: Didn't go from
Miller's corner with the rest of the
crowd. Went for Harry Clark but
he wouldn't come. Went through
old Durbannah bridge and up as fal
as Mr.. Hogue's when / heard the
boys singing at the railroad bridge
and came back. Saw Charley Blair
near Wright's and asked him where
the boys we're We went together
as far as Col. Fairchild's corner
where he stopped l then joined the
crowd on the railroad track. AT
ter stone had been thrown Blair
also came up to the crowd. Blair
wore light shirt, dark pants and vest,
dress straw hat. Blair was "boozy,'
Blair and l each threw stones toward
the boys, we knew who they were
and did not throw to hurt. l didn't
drink any that night. All were
pretty lively.
Sadie Randall: Live at Mrs.
Wright's. Was there Saturday night.
Mr.. Dean was with me. Was on the
porch when the boys were at the
bridge First heard the boys at the
bridge about one o'clock, about a
half hour before the fire. Saw man
pass up to Main street and turn the
corner to the right. He was gone
about Is minutes. Next saw him
pass down the street past Mr..
Wright's. Saw him standing in
front of the passage between the dry
house and skating rink. When the
man came up street he seemed to be
uneasy, Mr.. Wright asked him if
there was anything the matter. He
said there was not. The party wore
dark vest, no coat, white shirt,
narrow trimmed dark wool hat.
took the party to be Charley Blair,
as he passed up. His mustache
was dark. Blair doesn't usually
wear black hat.
The Justice: "Did you state to
Mr.. Cox that the man had straw
hat on2'
Blair's counsel objected to the