The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-07-09


blocks, crossed over onto the st.
Peter road and down that road to a
block from Jefferson's place, where
we turned off onto side hill. We
lay there, two blocks from the barn,
until the moon went down. Then
we started to locate some little
building. Henderson suggested this,
saying, "Now boys, we will start off
and locate some building" We went
to-a little barn forty rods from the
Jefferson barn. Henderson opened
the door and we all looked in and saw
the end of a lounge and we all
thought we heard some one snoring
very low. Henderson whispered to us,
"There is somebody on the lounge
Henderson closed the door. and walk
ed back a little ways and said: "There
is big barn up here which think is
unoccupied." We went to the Jetfer-
son barn, went inside leaving Odds on
the outside, came out, and Hender.
son said: This is a suitable place,
an easy place to get to and an easy
place to get away from" We agreed
to this, and he said "This will be the
barn, then" asked where we should
set the fire, and he said "Inside, OF
course, you d-n fool" said mo
sir, the barn may be full of buns for
II Unn1nrcnn GQid "1Il
right" We agreed to set the fire un-
der one corner Of the barn on the
outside, and we packed some hay and
straw up against the corner, on some
straw already there. We started
away and Henderson said, "Sit down,
boys" He then suggested that the
barn be burned at once as everything
was ready, we knew where the livery
barn was, the night was far gone, and
the moon would not 60 down Wednes-
day night until day light. We finally
agreed, although l tried to get it
postponed. This was 200 a. m. Sat-
urday, June 18th. Henderson told
me to watch the north and east sides
of the barn, and Olds to watch
the south and west sides.
This was the Jefferson barn,
l signalled Odds to hold back and told
him not to watch the west side of the
barn, but as soon as Henderson got on
the north side to come around to the
east side and as soon as he saw any
light to change his voice and shout and
maybe Henderson would be scared.
Anyway, we would jump in and put out
| the fire. Henderson saw us talking and
waited for us and asked me in a whisper
what we were talking about, and told
him Odds was getting scared and l was
bracing him up. Henderson then start
ed the fire, Odds shouted and Hender-
son ran away. We put out the fire and
then struck up town to find Hender'
son, and found him on a railroad track
He said, Hello, old sport, how did you
come out? Did they get near enough
to see your I said I didn't think So
and he asked where Odds was and
whether he was pinched. We talked
over how to get him out if he was ar
rested. We went back up town. Hen
derson wanted to take back route, but
l said it would be better to go openly
to divert suspicion, and he said thai
was right and my head was level. W.
went down Front street, and l daret
him to go into the police station. HI
didn't want to, but we went in and a
my suggestion he asked whether any
body had been caught during the night
The police said mo" Henderson sug
gested that we go to my place to see
Odds had been there. My wife said h
had not. We then parted for the night
Henderson starting towards his home.
Henderson set the fire. saw him d.
it. 1t scorched the building some, as
noticed on examining the building
, Henderson was the first to propose set
, ting these two barns afire. My objec
/ in going in with Henderson to set tn
fires was to catch him. Mayor PA
+ and officer Walt Daniels knew of the pla
I before the fire. The fire was set unde
q the sill, and the floor was scorched
Odds and I thought we had the fire pu
+ out. We went there at 500 a. m. to Sc
j. how the building was and found th
q straw burning. We called two othe
+, men and covered the fire up as much 6
d possible, to put it out.
o On cross examination, conducted b
e Mr.. Hughes, the witness said that aftt
L putting out the fire, we were afraid thu
d Henderson would think that we put OF
l the fire and suspicion US. 1 therefor
n told Odds to set fire to little pile I
8 hay in order that Henderson migl
d think it was the barn burning. wei
e on in search of Henderson, but Oh
It could not set the hay afire as h
e matches were wet. l saw Olds at h
10 room in the City Hotel at 4:3O a. ~
d when he told me about the hay NJ
l. burning. got home at 4:1O a. m.
It was about 400 a. m. when we were
D. the police station. 1 was looking
L Henderson when he started the fir
Is being fifteen feet away. Odds was 20
e 80 feet away. 1 WAS partially lyir
d down in the weeds. Henderson passt
lie through gate and went through
A hog yard, jumped fence and ran aw;