Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-12-23
A FIRE FIEND
WhO Deserves the Extreme Pun
EsIsment Of the LdsO.

the famous Underwriters detective,
arrived in the city from Wilford, Ida,
| yesterday, where he has just unearth-
ed one of the most diabolical and das-
tardly crimes that win in the future
adorn the pages of criminal history.
On November 25th the dwelling
house and barn of j. II. Harmon at
Wilford, Idaho, burned down and six
teen horses perished in the flames.
The buildings were about $50 feet
apart, and as the whole was insured in
the Continental Fire Insurance Com
pany for $1,000, and there had preyi-
ously been a number of incendiary
fires in the neighborhood, w. S. Duyal,
general manager of the company,
came on to see about it. he met Mr..
Mccarthy in Salt Lake, and, after a
conference, the latter went to Idaho
to investigate the matter. He arrived
there on December 18th, and after
little diligent work he reached the
conclusion that the buildings and
horses were burned in order that Ham,
mon might collect the insurance. This
belief was also strengthened by the
fact that the premium, amounting to
1914, was due on January 1st and
Harmon had no means to meet it
When Mccarthy first reached Wiltord
he questioned Charles Mason, young
man who had been in Hammon's en-
ploy for several years, but that worthy
insisted that he was asleep when the
fire broke out, and knew nothing of
its origin. After arranging all his
evidence, Mr.. Mccarthy saw Mason
again, and made bold play at him.
The "bluff worked, and, fearing that
he might have to suffer for the crime,
Mason consented to give the whole
scheme away, and then made sworn
confession, which was taken down in
writing and duly signed in the pres
enee of reputable witnesses. Accord
ing TO the confession thus made, it
appears that Hammon approached
Mason several weeks before the fire,
and told him they could make some
money if he (Mason) could keep a
secret. Mason asked him how the
scheme was TO be worked, and Ham
mon told him that they could burn
the buildings aud collect the insur-
ance. Mason refused to start the fire,
but agreed to keep the matter quiet If
Harmon did so. On November 25th
Harmon concluded that the time had
come to do the dastsrdly act and his
first move was to pen up sixteen
horses in his barn, the animals being
crowded into space 14xl6 feet he
then went to his brothers house.
where he remained until about 9
o'clock, when he returned home. At
1890 he took can of coal oil and
went to the kitchen, where he poured
about half the contents over the floor
and set fire to ii. He then went to
the barn and poured the balance of
the oil around where the horses were,
and set fire to that Returning from
the barn, he directed Mason to begin
to take the furniture out of the house,
which was done. In short time
everything was reduced to ashes
Harmon wanted Mason to put a
few of his own horses in the barn to
be burned, in order to divert suspicion
but Mason refused to do so. Ham
mon also owned valuable stallion,
but he had taken the animal away
some time before the fire, as he did
not desire to lose ii.
Harmon was at Teton Basin when
MIR. Mccarthy arrived in the neigh
borhood, but was arrested and return
ed to the scene of his crime yester.
day He and Mason are now both in
the Fremont county Jail, and will be
dealt with according to law. Mason
formerly lived at Hooper, Utah, but
has worked with Hammoa for the mast