San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-20
HILEY EXAMINATION.
Strung Evidence Brought Against
Him-He Denies All and De
mands Proofs Which Are
Given Him Freely
Turned Over to the
Grand Jury

Yesterday afternoon at $40 o'clocl
court was called to order in Justice
Adams Office and the examination of the
Hiley arson case was commenced. Hiley
was defended by attorney w. A. Maydole
while Bart Dewitt probed for the state
Frank Merrett, the principal witness, was
first on the stand. He stated that he had
seen Hiley and his wife removing things
out of their house to chicken coon and
shed far back in the yard. and that al
about 10 Wednesday night, the night of
the fire, had seen them together in the
yard and moving wheel barrow load of
something back to the coop. He stated
also that at about 1890 that night he saw
Hiley come out of the house with a
kerosene oil can in his hand. that
would probably hold a half gallon
of oil and 90 into the saloon build
ing, where he remained some time
About 10 minutes later he saw Hiley
come out of the saloon and 60 into his
house without the can, and shortly after
alarm and went and awoke his children
and wife and got them and his furniture
out OF his house, which he rented from
Hiley and which is in the same yard. He
could not speak English aud the Judge
acted as interpreter. He gave the same
evidence while undergoing cross. examin-
alton.
Mr.. Edward Belinger was next on the
stand. He said that he caught sight of
the fire, yelled the alarm and ran to the
place to see IL anything could be saved.
He could not get In the gate, so yelled
again. Hiley answered from the inside
and let him in Hiley seemed to care
nothing about the fire and stood with his
arms folded on his breast. When Belln-
ger started to go in, Hiley said 1t was i'm
possible on account of the smoke
and around in front of, the building
where he found the tlagman's shanty
catching from some kindling set there
He kicked the kindling away and extin-
guished the flames with a couple of
buckets of water. He did not see Hiley
with can but saw something in the
burning building explode.
The rest Of the states witnesses were
dismissed without giving in their testi.
mony.
The defendent brought Mr.. Tom Law
renee as witness for himself. That gen.
tleman was not there the night of the fire,
but he stated that all the buildings and
lot too were worth about 5000, and the
burned building worth probably $1,000, for
which amount he thought IL was insured
for. He gave in some more unimportant
testimony and was dismissed.
Mr.. VIM. Hiley, the defendant, was next
on the stand. He declared his innocence
saying it would do him no good to burn
the place as Mr.. Henry Lager held a
81 900 deed of trust on it and the insurance
was in his name. At the bottom of the
evidence Bart Dewitt wrote, The deed of
trust on the place would be wiped ont
with the insurance in Layers hands and
thus II would do me, VIM. Hiley, good by
frnu he Inht
kicked but at last signed it.
The case was turned over without ar
gument at Gas p m. and the Judge rem
dered the verdict as follows:
The evidence taken in this case is so
strong as TO require defendent to furnish
81, 600 bond TO appear before the grand
jury, in the October term, to answer TO
the charge of arson"
Hiley went TO Jail in default Of the said
bond.