Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1894-07-27

Connor,s Barn and Machinery
Shed Burned-The Fire Was the
Work Of an Incendiafy-All the
County'v Books and Records
Saved, Except the Marriage Rec
ord.
For the second or third time in this
part of Emmons county, this year, an in.
cendiary has done his cowardly work.
Wednesday night the county building and
H. D. Conn sr's barn and shed contain
ing farm machinery, binding twine, etc,
were set on fire simultaneously and both
were totally destroyed. Mrs. M. E. Wal
drof was the first to notice the flames
and she called George Gseens,ine, who
works for Mr.. Waldroff, and who was
sleeping upstairs. The barn and ma.
chincry shed were then on fire, and the
county building was on fire at the south
window of the back room. Apparently,
window lights had been broken and the
fire set inside. Greenstine says that when
he reached the front Of the county build
ing two men were standing at the door of
the storm shed, and one of them had just
struck match. This man. at once
assaulted GreeDsline and blows were ex-
changed, the combatants then cl:nching.
The man who was struggling with the
young German shouted to the other TO
shoot, but he said that the pistol was
with his horse, and he would get it,,
starting south toward Mr.. Cells stable,
east of the ruins of the old Record build
ing, that burned last spring. Greenstine
thereupon broke away and, running to
| the stable, got his horse and went to a
| house east Of town after help. He says,
further, that when he got away, the other
\ man ran ; that both of them mounted
their horses near the Cell stable, and rode
away toward the west or northwest.
| Greenstine says that one rode black
horse and one white horse. Greenstine' g
shirt was torn in the melee. Right after
this Greenstine declared positively that be
knew the man who assaulted him, and he
| gave the name of man who is alleged to
have made very bitter remarks and
threats against Mr.. Connor, in Williams
port, the day previous. Afterward Green
stine modified his assertions and said the
man who assaulted him looked like the
one he had directly accused the night be-
fore. Greenstine also says that next day
a man on horseback came to him while
he was moving, near Williamsport. ant
told him that if he knew what was gooc
| for i'm, ha bnx f<
say about the fire. He did not give mucl
of description Of the man, however
or of the horse the man rode.
All the county's books except the mar
rage record were saved. Fred Cell
Mrs. Waldrof and George Greenstine
before the fire had reached the from
part of the front room, saved th
books that were in the county judge
bookcase, except the marriage record.
An attempt was also made to burn tn
store, kerosene having been poured on
small platform or step in front of tn
back door. The platform was charre
slightly in places, and on one side of tn
step there was mark or scratch newl
made in lighting match.
There were all sorts of theories at firs
as to the motive for setting the building
on fire but all these theories have crys
} talized in the unanimous belief that til
incendiary's chief object was to destro
: all of Mr.. Connor's buildings. and ths
either the county building was fired
: divert suspicion, or the incendiary had a
interest in having the mortgage recort
l destroyed.
Three binders, four mowers and abo,
1000 pounds of binding twine, beside
!. some machine repairs, were lost. tt
Mccormick company loses about $7t