The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-24
CONFESS THEIR GUILT.
Two Eirebugs Tell of Burning
a Rollin Street House.
SIMPLY TO GET THE INSURANCE
Zach of the Con<pirators Separately Re-
lates the Plot-Low Wages for
the Chief Actor.

AS the result OF a clever piece of de-
tertive work on the part Of Detective
f'niihGS. assisted by Chief Rogers, two
men. Thomas L Shoemaker and John
AiAis. are now locked up in the city Jail
charged with arson and TIE confession
OF each man has been secured. making
tne case perfectly plain against each and
both
On Marcn - the fire department was
called on, 70 lis Rollin street. where the
house, occupied some time by Shoemaker,
barber working in Cragweils shop. was
touni In blaze. The house was owned
BY James II. Wooiery. and the fire de-
partment reported that the same house
nad been on fire on March ), though IL
was not much affected at that time. The
last time the fire destroyed house and
contents. The house was insured for $40.
,he insurance having been reduced after
the nrst fire nearly one-haIf. Shoemaker
had $500 Insurance on his furniture. which
the insurance company offered 10 settle
for 500. Chief Rogers. suspecting that
the fire was tncendlary in it's origin, pat
the matter In Detective Phillips hands,
and his effective work resulted in the
landing Of principal and accomplish and
the voluntary confession of both. Mills
was arrested by Phillips last Sunday. and
Chief Rogers and Phillips arrested Shoe
maker az the barber shop Yesterday
morning at o'clock.
Mills Is a negro, who finds work
wherever he can get II and. according TO
his own confession, has done several
pieces OF dirty work in other cities. one
OF them being IN San Diego. When ar
rested. Mills volunteered the information
that he had only been the tool In the af
fair, and without much ado volunteered
to enliEhten the chief on the facts IN the
case. AS Shoemaker's confession. made
yesterday subsequent 10 his arrest. cor
roborates every fact set forth by Mills.
there is no room to doubt the truth OF
either Of them.
Mills says that Shoemaker hired him 20
come out 20 his house the Sunday before
the fire and there. after laying the car
pets and plying him with plenty Of beer.
he made the proposition TO him that he
(Afills) should burn the house at time
agreed upon when he (ShoemaRer) should
be away from the city. No fixed compen-
sation was agreed upon. according 10
Mills confession. but he was to be well
cared for. Mills agreed 10 the PROPOSE
ton and the beer bottles being left filled
with oil for Mills 20 operate with, the
two plotters separated.
March - was the day agreed upon Tor
the fire. on that day Mills. well primed
with beer. went TO Shoemaker's house
and piled kindling wood by the bed In the
sitting room, by the lounge and other
these with oil and. emptying the two bot
ties, he touched the whole of with
match and made his escape through the
side door and zap through the alley. He
then came down town. had some more
beer. and stayed around waiting for de-
velopments. When the fire bell rang
or ne went back 70 see the effect OF
his handlwork and 'joshed" the tiremen
about the fire they had had. That night
Shoemaker. as agreed. returned 90 town,
and at a secret meeting questioned Mills
very closely as 10 whom he had been
talking 20 about the fire and the house.
and when satisfied that the secret was
safe between them. slipped him a $40 gold
piece Several days after that Shoemaker
gave him 81. and still little later he
squeezed out another dollar, and that was
the extent Of the pay received for firing
the house.
MiRs tells in rather a humorous way
how he fooled Special Officers Sauls and
Barck, who thought they were on the
right track and who wanted to use Mills
10 break down Shoemaker. on one of
these meetings Mills found Sauls look
ing at a picture OF the man who had Kill
ed his brother and he said to Mills:
Il wll give Sl.o00 In cold cash II any
body will XIII that -.''
Mills replied: III was an old-time mtg
ger I might he able to take this fellow
and Kill him"
Shoemaker's confession corroborates
Mills In the main facts. but Shoemaker
alleges that Mills was the first 10 put tho
proposition In his head OF that Sunday.
March II. after inquirny about The in
surance he carried on his furniture. Mills
agreed 10 burn the house II Shoemaker
would take him 70 California. Mills then
commenced 20 lay his plans for the deed
and wanted Shoemaker 20 let him swipe
a lot OF rhe stuff and sell II. This Shoe
maker refused. The plan was agreed up
on. however. and the two "bcered up" 10
cinch the bargain. Shoemaker left town
on the day before the fire and returned
thu night Of the fire I'm time 20 find the
job done
The two men may he brought up before
Judge Glasgow for arraignmcnt today.
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