The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1893-01-07
NOT GUILTY
No Evidence to Sustain tho
Charge Of Incendiarism
Against McCarty.
JOIN sPuRLua BouHD ovn.


the Charge of Arson.
At the time set for the preliminary
examination Of A. z. NcCarty and
John Squirting on Wednesday, Judge
Honman's court room was crowded
with Spectators anxious to hear the
testimony. The accused were in court.
and naturally showed some anxiety -
to the testimony Of witnesses. The
complaint charged them with arson. in
having caused the destruction of the
Saginaw Lumber Co.'S large plant In this
city on the night Of Dec. 4, 1891.
Judge Albert Hagan appeared for the
defendants and r. z. Mcfarland repre-
sented the prosecution.
The first witness to be put on the
stand was r. b. Dickerson, who testified
that he was night Waterman on . boat
tied up At the Northern Pacific dock On
the night Of the fire, and was sitting In
the cabin at the time. He first discov-
cred the Gre when the flames burst
through the roof, and it was not long
before the whole mill seemed to be .
mass Of flames.
James McSparren testified that he
arrested Squirting on the evening of Dec.
~, and that after the arrest the prisoner
made . confession to him, which was
substantially the same - that published
in our last issue. His testimony was
confined to the statements Of Squirting
and others.
Thomas Paul was the next witness
put on the stand, and said that he heard
Squirting make the statement that Ben
jamin Dixn poured kerosene oil around
the mill and that he, Squirting, set fire
to it.
John Gunther was placed on the stand
and said that Squirting informed him
that the mill was saturated with oil and
he started the fire.
Thomas Norris testified that in con-
versation with Squirting the defendant
told him that Dixn and McCarty owed
him e35, and if they did not pay it he
would tell how the mill burned Some
time after this conversation he informed
him that the debt had been paid.
The evidence of 7. J. Jump was to
the effect that in June, 1882, Squirting
informed him that the Lumber Co.
owed him $500, with interest and IL it
was not soon paid he would put them
where the dogs could not bite them.
This closed the testimony for the
prosecution, and Mr.. McCarty was
promptly discharged, there being NO
evidence to connect him in any manner
whatever with the crime. While there
had been rumors afioat duplicating him,
We believe the public generally accept
the decision in his case Is just and
proper.
The justice held Squirting under .
bond Of $500 for his appearance before
the grand jury. Being unable to pro-
cure bondsmen, he was placed in Jail
at Rathdrum.
The Saginaw Courier Herald pub
fishes statement regarding the fire, in
which it says that the Saginaw friends
of Benjamin Dixn, and they are many,
were at a loss to know what foundation
there could be for the rumors connect
ing him and A. E. McCarty in the
crime. In an interview Mr.. Dixn posi-
lively denied all connection with the
burning of the mill, and said Spurling's
statements were false. He claims the
dispatch in the daily papers was the
first intimation he had that members of
the company were suspected of burning
the mill, and thinks that malice had
prompted its being sent out.
From the testimony introduced at the
preliminary examination it is quite evil
dent that a great injustice has been
done Mr.. A. E. McCarty, whose reputa.
ton at his former home in Michigan
and since he became a resident of this
city has been of the very best, and il
seems clear to US that = malicious at
tempt was made to blacken his charac
ter, not by the person who swore Out
the complaint, but by other parties
whose names have not appeared very
prominently in connection with the
matter. We are pleased to note the
fact that Mr.. McCarty stands vindicated
before the public. Mr.. Dixn's friends
claim that he will be able to prove him
self innocent.
Announcement.
i Having assumed entire control Of