The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1893-06-06
THE FIRE INQUEST.
arm BEFOVE MAYOR McCUL.
IOCH THIS MORNING
same interesting Evidence--Tcktt.
mony OF Houston, Jim Hooks. Y
A. costello and RUFF Bowen.

before Mayor c. c. McCulloch, sit
ting as ex otlicio Justice of the peace,
concerning the causes and origin of
the [ MON hotel fire.
A large crowd of interested spec
tstors filed the court room, and
eagerly drank in the testimony ad.
duced. City Attorney j. A. Har-
Iison ard Assistant County Attor-
ney r.. l.. Stribling were present
and conducted the proceedings.
A Jury WAS empanelled, consist
ing OF Sam Sanger, j. B. Chestnut,
W. K. Mobley, G. w. Harrison,
George Patton and w. w. Slauh-
ter and the taking of testimony be-
gan.
Louis Powell testified that he had
no agreement with Bowen and that
he heard of his implication in the
matter through the papaers.
+. Crow was the next witness,
and sad that he was told by 7. A..
Costello that jim Hooks told him
that one night that they thought
they would lave little fun aud
they touched barn off. Witness
didn't know what barn it was. That
Costello said that Hooks told him
that Rufe Bowen was with him
when he set fire to the barn. Cos
tello is young man and has been
working for me about two years.
Costello told me Hooks was scared
about the investigation of the
origin Of the barn fires.
T. A. Costello, being duly sworn,
deposed as follows
know Jim Hooks. Hooks told
me he was scared of being arrested.
He said he was with two crowds
that set fire to two bans, and that
neither barn burned, and that they
we're put out by other parties. The
only name he mentioned was Rnfe
Bowen, as being in the crowd who
setSve to the barns. The CONVEX
sation with Hooks took place on the
n day that Houston was arrested.
Z Jim Hooks, being sworn, said: |
q know Costello told Costello tbat
N | knew two certain crowds who set
h fire TO barns. Heard the crowds
talking, Don't know who was in
the crowd. Did not tell Costello
\ that Rota Bowen was in the crowd
Don't know where met the crowd.
1t was in the city of Waco. | asso
c'a'e With Wneatley, G ,od win,
John Gear and Costello. Some Of
the crowd were fire boys. 1t was
about month and half ago wher
the crowd said they were going to
burn the barns. Couldn't remem
Der any Of the names. ! told Ruft
Bowen that Houston had been ar
rested and that he was trying tt
lmpliclte all the boys. The con
versation was in the evening in re
gard to the barns. Invent to AustiI
on Wednesday with Louis Powell
and returned Friday. l work a.
the laundry from a. M. to p. M
May have told Costello that a Grove
set fire to two barns. Don't know
ANYTHING about the burning of thu
Union hotel.
Harvey Houston was the nexl
witness and deposed as follows
l have lived here twelve years
and am about 90 years old. Bower
proposed that we set fire to thu
Union hotel. Powell and his paid
ner had employed Bowen to burr
same. Bowen poured oil on thu
building and set fire to it. Bower
!old me that Powell had paid hin
:. or 50 ard he gave me 81. know
Jim Hooks. Know nothing O
Darn burning. Had no conversation
with Powell. Wrote him a not
non, iron the calaboose. Have know
tto'ell about five years. Worked
Tor him two years ago. Started tn
nfe In the kitchen. Poured the OF
VI the floor, and Bowen got som
waste from the Central station
oo*en told me be would give 10
VIC balance Of the money when h
so' II from Powell. Bowen toll
T ny mat he brought the oil in jag
a a' he got it from Powell al
I a', Friday night. The vast
, N' like cloth that had bee
a,sa to clean engines with. Wa
greasy and dirty l stood at III