Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-05-02
TRIED FOR ARSON.


Monday ana Tuesday were taken ny
in tho examination Of J. l.. Brana'
gan Oh a charge Of arson in tho second
dearss. setting Gre to the Prove woolen
mills on saturday the 29lh. The ok
amin alton ves held before Comma
aionrr Dudley, being taken from Jus.
tice w edgwood's court On change Of
venue. County Prosecuting Attorney
Cgasb pfotrcutrd and NJ. NJ. warner
a ,i.nosd. Assistant Manager sm0ol
irstided that he WIS summoned from
hIa home 81 ! / O'Clock Saturday eYon'
inv. when be arrived nt the factory
bo found evidence ola FIRE having been
siarted IN Mr. Bfanngan'a mice on the
third floor u the factory. There was
rome burnt paper In the window
and on the fior, aud In another
Mace on the floor there was
more burnt paper aud n hurlap partly
consumed by the IRE on the top Of the
uapor. lie asked tho officers 10 90 90
Mr.. Bfanaganis home and bring MIN
10 the factory. when he arrived MI.
smoot told him that as he was foreman
of tho room where tue nfa had oc'
CURED ho Air. Sm00l wanted him 20
discover how Il had started, and asked
him n he could suggest any theory m
10 the origlu Of tho Gre. Mt. Bfaua'
gan at nr1t denied knowing anything
Of the Ore; they had long converta'
ton, but no Information was oliclioi.
when they were going away MI.
amoot told Mt. Bfanagau that he be-
lioved he tBranuganl hal got the IRE,
and askeu him u this was NO TO couief.
and leave town that same night nnd
nothing further would De- done about
u. Mt. Bnnagan gfaspcd MI Sm0ot'
hand and said, 81 expect 10 meet my
Maker, and before God am Innocent"
Sunday morning Mr.. hmool hnu an
other convffsntl1n with the defendant.
IL Wa tben found out that the defend.
ant had been drinking heavily nn
HAturiay, and Mf. Smoot asked him
n II was not possible that no had gone
10 the ofiice drunk aud laid down, anu
that alter hc bad Tot W, being eth
drunk, he had accidentally fel nru 10
the place. Tho defendant replied that
he had been thinking about 10 and be-
iieved that this theory was correct lie
also said he thought he remembered
opening tho window 10 lot the tm ko
out anef ho had put out the Gre.
James Ghthcsum tUslifui that he
was the uightwRtchmAn ~ tue factory.
Hn had discovered smoke about 10
O'Clock Saturday evening, bot wac
unabie 10 find the fifo. lie then called
Alr. Taylor, the clsCtfioiau, and no
went our on the street O. give the
alarm. He soon came back with Onltrf
buckley, who located the IRE Ia Mt
Bfanagnn's office. lie broke open tie
door aud put the hfo out
Oiiicofs Buckley, Mafthal Knight
anu Walter Taylor corfoborated tho
testimony Of tho previous gitnesies
Marshal Knight testified 10 seeing
tracks west OF the building, which
were such AZ would be made by tho
dnfendAntsi shoes. (Mr. Bfanhgan
had testified 10 leaving by the gate on
the south side OF the buildinf.)
The defendant testified that he had
been very drunk Saturday ana laid
down In HE office and went 10 sleep iu
the afternoon aud remained there tlll
about o O'Clock In tho evening. lie
then woke up and startled 10 shave
himself. lilo found a match ami struck
II, accidentally or Otherwise, (he does
not Temembefl The head ui the
match fell Ia some paper In the window
anu ignited ~, huflap hanging IN
the window also caught IRE. lilo tore
down the hurlap anu paper aud NJ hu
supposed, hu put the fire eur, by stamp
Ing on n. He remained about fneon
minutes, aud Thought the IRE was
thoroughly extiugulshed and then
went home. In explanation " why
he had, At fret, said he remembered
nothing about the affair, he said ho
was ~ drunk NJ the time that he did
not remember anything till tho follow.
ing DAY aud that then tho recollection
came gradually,
Testimony was introduced 10 show
that Mr.. flanagan was very drunk
Saturday. 10 was also tssurod that
the burlap had left impressions on tue
greasy, dirty floor, which would not
have teen unless Il had bcou stamped
or pressed down Ia some way. One
witness testified that a calendar, hang.
ing In tho window, was but partially
consumed, which would not have
happened n tho IRE had not been nut
out. A great deal OF testimony was
introduced TO show that tue defendant
was very drunk on the Saturday when
the fro occurred. After the nrgu.
ments Of counsel, Commissioner bud.
Icy discharged the defendant, After
tho discharge the defendant took on
oath Ia presence Of his wife Rnd the
audience that no would never touch
liquor again.