Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-03-31
HIoHMoRE's FEMALE FlREBUG.
How the Terror of Hyde COunty's Capita


How the Terror of Hyde County's Capital
Was Trapped.
THE arrest of Mrs. Della Thompson
OF Highmore has brought TO light one
OF the most iendish female criminals
on record. During the past year that
town has been visited by three or four
disastrous fires, resulting in the burn
ing of the Court House and fully one
half of tho business portion OF the
town. The fires were known to be OF
incendiary origin, out until last week
the author of the fires has eluded de-
lection, or at least the securing Of
enough evidence to warrant an arrest.
The arrest of the woman, Thompson,
was brought about as follows: For q
year or more, covering the time OF the
hros, anonymous letters have been re-
ceived by number of the prominent
citizens of the town. The character Of
the letters was of the lowest order Of
vulgarity, sometimes accompanied by
threats OF the use OF the knife. revolver,
vitrol or the frebrand, and In many Of
the letters the writer stated that
1--WE" was the cause OF the recent fires.
One OF the anonymous letters was
addressed to the umberman OF the
town and was to the eject that he
could make money by going into a deal
by which the whole town would be
burned or the portion which would be
liable to be rebuilt, provided that he
would divide up the profits made out Of
the sale of the Iumter.
The writing and the character of the
letters seemed to indicate that they
were all by the same person and that
person was the cause of the fires. A
banker whose building was burned was
the recipient Of over twenty OF these
letters. She seemed to have particu-
lar grudge against him.
The Postotfice Department aided by
some of the business men. endeayOred
to discover the anonymous writer and
kept q close latch for several months,
but the letters still came and the fires
still continued. Finally suspicion
pointed towards the woman, Thomp-
son, but not until last week did con-
vincing proof seem 10 be at hand.
The Postmaster and another promi-
nent citizen, after month Of nightly
vigils watching the night letter box,
finally discovered ono of the anOny-
nous letters. They rushed out the door
and captured the Thompson woman.
She admitted that she had mailed the
taken In charge by the officer admitted
that she had written all Of the letters.
She, however, claimed she was
prompted not only to write the letters
but 10 burn the buildings by three Of
the prominent men of the town.
This part Of her story seems very
improbable. as the parties implicated
are known have been her enemies. The
only probable motive now suggested
for her crimes Is that she was owing
money to certain persons on notes and
mortgages and she thought by burning
up the records she would get cut Of
paying them. She first buried up tho
Court House, but tho records were
saved, and she afterwards turned up
the building to which the records had
been transferred. She was arrested on
the charge OF arison and wa: bound
over to the Grand Jury. She was re-
leased on bail and was then arrested
by the United States authority on the
charge of violating the postal laws.
She waived examination and in default
Of bail now languishes in jail awaiting
trial