Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-12-27

About midnight Saturday night, fire
was discovered in the building formerly
occupied by Ross Bros on the first floor
and now occupied on the second story by
the Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen
societies as a lodge room. The fire was
discovered by Richard Il. Huntington
and the alarm raised and in q short time
the fire department and a large number
OF citizens were on hand. The case look
ed hopeless at the start, as the building
was so full OF smoke that no one could
get in to the fire but, by heroic efforts,
the mystery was gained and the grim
monster subdued.
The damage will be slight, about $500
on the building and a few dollars to the
secret societies. The damage on the
building is fully insured but the latter is
uninsured.
A great many theories are advanced as
to the cause and origin OF the fire but all
signs indicate that it was incendiary and
later developments seem to bear this out.
In all probability. the intention was to
loot the mammoth stocks of Messrs Jno.
Norton and Gibson & Haugen, but the
plan fell through owing to the successful
efforts to control the fire. As it was,
some $500 worth OF goods. consisting OF
overcoats and clothing, was stolen from
John Norton.
What is confidently expected to be the
gang of thieves who have so long lived
upon a suffering community were cor.
rallied Monday afternoon. They register
as follows. Adolph Bloch, Ferd Nearing,
Mike Lamka and Ludwig Becker. Con.
rad Sauer was also arrested but released
later as nothing was found about him
but a fair sized jag OF alcohol.
The fire on Saturday night was the
means OF bringing these precious ones
before the bar of justice, and Mayor Nor.
ton is the man who should be credited
with the fine detective work connected
Herewith. Some OF the arrested parties
were ~ostensibly assisting to remove
goods from Norton's store during the
fire but were helping themselves to what
they could lay their hands ON, especially
fur coats. These goods were being re.
moved from the store building to Nor
tons barn and of course part OF them
was missing the next morning.
Nothing was done, however, that day
but on Monday Mayor Norton, who had
partially grasped the situation, went up
to the Potter house and, posting him
self in the upper story, brought a field
glass to bear upon the country where
the arrested parties live. Having seen
enough to confirm his suspicions, search
warrant was sworn out and a search in
stituted which resulted in finding five fur
coats and several sacks OF clothing nnder
a haystack near the Bloch residence.
The suspects We're Immediately arrested
and kept separate until they had been
subjected to the sweating process. Moth
ing could be brought out Of them until
Christmas when Nearing gave the whole
thing away to T. j. Whalen.
Bloch, Lamka and Nearing were be-
fore Justice Alley Wednesday morning
but the preliminary examination was set
for Saturday, their bond being placed at
$1,000 each.
The accused have retained r. A. Full
mer as their attorney and he feels very
confident that he will clear every one OF
them, although the prisoners declare
they will plead guilty.
There has already been recovered about
$3.50 worth OF goods with several pre-
cincts to hear from. This makes the
charge grand larceny and the boys will
probably not be called upon to buy any
coal or wear their fur coats this winter.
FIRE FLIES.