The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-08
LAVELLE'S SIDE PARTNER
Judge WelborD, of Pike County, Refuses
to give Burr Halves Any More Time.
Another One of the Davisss County Courthouse
Arson Cases-$75,O 900 Libel Suit Against
the Clover Leaf Comes to Naught
BURR HAYES TO BE TRIED.

His Sixth Attempt to Get Delay Falls and
the Sensational Case wtn BE Called.
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. Ind. April THE case
against Aaron Burr Halves. charged. along
with james Lavelle. with conspiracy to
burn the Davies county courthouse, was
called MP to-day at Petersburg. Pike coun-
ty. where 1t was taken from Daviess coun-
ty shortly after the commission of the
crime. This afternoon the defendant
moved for q continuation on the grounds
that important witnesses were absent.
Judge Welborn overruled the motion. and
the trial will proceed. This is the fifth at
tempt to get Halves TO trial. Readers of
the Journal will remember that in Ooto-
her. 1890. the Davies county courthouse
was set fire to. after tho vaiu-
able records had been thoroughly
saturated with coal oil. and that it
was only by the lucklest sort of q chance
that the building was saved from ruin.
AS 1t was. the Important records of the
county were either destroyed or very bad
ly damaged. The guilt was at cncs fixed
on ex-Auditor James c., Lavelle. for the
reason that experts had been employed TO
investigate his accounts, and were to be-
gin work in q few days.
Detectives were employed in the case.
and In less than q week sufficient evidence
had been procured, justify ing the arrest of
two labOrers named Hardin and Ledger
wood. who.i it afterward developed. had been
employed by Lavelle to burn the court
house. The tools were forced to make q
confession, and in SO doing they implicated
the auditor, and Burr Halves. o wealthy,
but notorious farmer. and Michael Lavelle.
a brother to the auditor. The auditor and
Halves were at once placed under arrest
and locked up In the county jail. The feel
ing was 80 intense against them that 1t
was some time before they could furnish
sufficient bail. Mike Lavelle fearing the
Indignation of the citlZens of Davies
ounty. fed into Kentucky, Tennessee and
other States in the South. leaving O
valuable farm and working for some
time ON O barge as q common laborer. He
afterward returned, gave himself MP to the
authorities, and claimed that be had been
In the South on q visit. The men were ar
raigned and procured a change of venue
from Daviess county to Pike. Last March,
after q fiercely-contested trial, the auditor
was sentenced to the penitentiary for eight
years. Prior to that Hardin and Ledger
wood entered pleas of guilty and were
givon seventeen y FEARS each. Halves, through
his attorneys, has succeeded several times
In having his case postponed. but now
he must face. his accusers and stand
trial. The case against Mike Lavelle will
be called after this against Hawesh has been
concluded. This case is one OF the most
sensational the courts of Inclana have had
to dispose OF In q long time. 1t Is reeklng
In crimes of greater or less Importance and
many of the best citizens of Davies coun-
ty are said TO have been approached In
different ways by agents of the defend ants
to assist In cheating Justice of q victim
who is rich and has influence.