The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1894-09-29
THANKFUL FOR A SENTENCE,
Fire Bug Logan Gets FIVE Years in
Prison and is Glad of It.

Francis NJ. Logan, says the Kansas
City Star, the s~elf-confessed fire bug. who
during the last thirty years has destroyed
hundreds of thousand OF dollars worth OF
property all over the United States, plead
ed guilty In the criminal court to-day to
setting fire to the yard of the Kansas City
Lumber company on the night Of August
%. He was sentenced TO five years in the
penitentiary at Jefferson City, the full
limit of the law, and when Judge Wonord
passed sentence he replied solemnly and
with evident sincerity: Thank you. sir.
l am very much obliged to YOU"
Logan is a monomaniac on the subject
OF IRE. According to his own story, he
mas been Imprisoned nearly a dozen times
Tor incendiarism, and liberty for him at
the n OF each sentence meant fresh op-
portunity to apply the match and to see
the flames shoot high in the air and hear
the engines dash down the street. He is
"A years old and vas born in Moreans-
Vile, Ind. His aged parents and one
brother live on a farm near Odessa, Mo.
Logan ran away from home when 10
years old and almost Immediately began
his career Of incendiarism. Sometimes he
was CT ptured but frequently he escaped
after setting a fire. In 1882 he was sent
to the penitentiary at Kingston, Ontario,
for setting fire to a canal lock and a lum.
Der yard. At the time he was driving
mules on the towpath. In Baton Rouge,
La, he fred a large number of bales of
cotton on the wharf. He was detected
and sent to the penitentiary for four year.
When released he went to Indianapolis,
started q few more fires, was captured and
sent to the Michigan City peuitentiary
for seven years, but was released at the
end Of four and one-half years on account
of good behavior. Then he started fires
In Providence, r. l., and Rock Island, ILL.,,
which he proudly claims were the largest
In his career. In Providence, he says, he
burned a lot Of horses and fine carriages
and in Rock Island he applied the match
to O stable, four stores and several houses.
Early In the present year he went to Mil
waukee and fired a VOC yard. He was
not detected and vent to the home OF his
parents In Odessa, Mo. He left there the
day before he set fire to the lumber yard
in this city. He started the fire in two
places and was captured by Patrolman
William Coffey while running away from
the yard. When taken to police head.
quarters he made q full confession.
Logan was indicted by the grand Jury
yesterday for arson in the fourth degree
and was arraigned in the criminal court
this morning. Ee stood up and proudly
| onnnunrod that he o-o. -rnau
Shave you ever been in prisonf" asked
Judge Wofford.
"Yes sir, about ten times In different
s~tates."
At this reply the habitues Of the court
room laughed and Judge Woford ordered
silence and advanced the proposition that
only silly people laughed.
"For what crimes were you im~prisonedf'
was next asked of Logan.
"For setting stables on fire, burning mp
lumber yards, stores. buildings and
horses. I've been setting fires for thirty
years and never was in prison for any.
thing else"
1t requires no urging for Logan t.
talk and he gave Judge Wofford and the
spectators q complete history of his life
and told about the fires he had started
and bis life In the ,penitentiaries. Hi
said that his father was So years old and
was a cripple, having been wounded In
the war.
There amt a lazy bone..in my body
judge" said the fire bug, shut 1 have nc
trade. All I learned in prison was tc
sandpsper the soles OF shoes and can,
chairs. can make all the letters in tn.
alphabet, big q small, but l can't spell
haven't had no opportunities and when
I couldn't get work and had to beg anc
doors were slammed in my face l felt thai
everybody was against me. Then / BE,
fires for revenge. Iset the fire in Milwau.
kes because was starving to DEATH"
When asked what he could do to make
q living Logan replied:
"T'm q good left hand shoveler and can
swing a pick with both hands. 1 can
drive mules or dredge for oysters"
He would give no explanation for start
ing the ire In this city except to say thai
no one knew what was In his mind excep,
himself and God. The penalty for his
crime was from six months in the county
jailt o five years In the penitentiary and
Judge Wonord gave him the limit because
he thought it would be better for him and
society II he were deprived OF his liberty.
Loggan's story was listened 70 atten-
lively by the crowd In the court room
and 1t was the general opinion thai he
Yves insane. He is very proud OF his
record and seized the opportunity to day
to recount his crime.