The Coconino weekly sun., 1893-12-07
A BOLD ATTEMPT AT ARSON.
George and Peter Mar2eritch in Jail,
 Charged with the Crime.

 the south side of town would now be in ashes.
 The discovery of the plan to set fire to the Martin saloon was the nerest ac- cident. The saloon, which is located nearly opposite the depot, became the property ofGeorge Margeritch, through the death of S. Martin, in January, 1892. Margeritch continued the busi- ness until few months ago, when he closed up, because it had never paid him. He left part of the stock in the building, and engaged Chas. Leavitt to sleep in the house, as there was S700 insurance on the building.
 On Friday, George and Peter Mar geritch came to town from the ranch, nine miles south of town, and Peter carried sack from the wagon to the room in the rear of tho saloon. He was seen by Mrs. Jessie Morse. and others, and their curiosity was aroused as to what the contents of the sack could be, aud one of them asked Leavitt what Margeritch had brought him, he said he did not know, but would see. On investigation he found that lot of pitch pine, split very fine, had been piled close to hole inside the building, so that it could be easily reached from the outside.
 Leavitt at once informed Sheriff Dor. ahue and Under Sheriff Drum, and they concluded that the building would be set on fire. Friday night Drum and Leapitt watched, but nothing was done. Saturday night about two o'clock, they heard footsteps on the outside, and in a few minutes au empty oil can, which Margeritch had placed against the hole to prevent the kindling from being seen from the outside, was pushed aside, and q lighted candle was thrust in the pile of pitch pine, and handful of pitch pine added. Drum had by this time stepped form the mattress on which hs was lying and succeeded in grasping the hand which was applying the torch. The hand was pulled from his grasp, and Drum ran outside to find Peter Margeritch lying on the ground at the hole, too thoroughly frighten ed to move. Peter can speak English but slightly, but he kept repeating. Geergs told me to do it; He was taken to jail and Under Sheriff Drum and Deputy Gray went to the ranch of George Mar, geritch. arriving there at four o'clock in the morning. He was arrested and brought to jail.
 Monday at o'clock the examination of the parties was to be held, but was postponed until Tuesday at the same hour. E. Nj. Doe, of Stewart & Doe, at the request of nearly all our citizens, assisted District Attorney Zuck in the prosecution, and Jones & Jones and H. D. Ross appeared for the Margerltch's. The attorneys for the prisoners waived examination and desired that the pris- oners be admitted to bail, Justice Milli- gan desired to hear the evidence aud at the request of the attorneys for the de- fendapts the public was excluded dur ing the examination.
 On examination Peter Margeritch confessed to the attempt at arson, and said that he was forced to commit the crime by his brother George, who said that if he did not do the work he would have him arrested for putting the pine in the house, and that he left the ranch shortly after midnight Saturday night on horseback, and came directly to town, hitching his horse in the rear of the building, and that he went to the front door of tho saloon to wake up Leavitt, but remembered that his brother had told him that no one was sleeping in tho building. He then went to the side of the building and was placing the candle when caught by Un- der Sheriff Drum, be was too fright ened to move.
 From the statement of Peter it is evi- dent that the plan to set fire to the building and burn it in order to obtain the insurance had been for some time in contemplation by his brother George, and that Peter was used as an ignorant and unwilling instrument to carry out the scheme.
 Justice Miligan held George under s5, ,000 bond. ard Peter was held with out bonds. The former was unable to give bonds and both will remain in jail until the next session of court.
 Had the plot been successful there is