The record-union., 1897-11-05
EXAMINATION OF WOODS.
JUSTICE DAVIS HEARS THE
TESTIMONY.
Witnesses Testify as to Actions and
Statements of the Alleged
Eirebug.

The examination Of James Woods on
the charge of arson took place yesterday
morning, his attorney being Hiram w.
Johnson, and City Attorney Brown con-
Quoting the prosecution.
&. Muir testified to being walked on
the night his barn was burned by the
cry that it was on fire. He got up ana
found it all in flames The fire had De-
gun on the outside of the barn ana IL
mad the appearance of haVlng peeh
started in haxStack that was pult
against one end of the barn. He had
had no fire or light around the barn that
night. He did not see Woods around
during the fire. A boy who slept IN the
barn gave the alarm.
City Attorney Brown asked If KY
mans stack across the street had been
burned some time before and Mr.. Jonn-
son objected on the ground that II was
- another matter, on which WOODS was
not ON trial. On which City Attorney
Brown said the object of the question
was to bring out the fact that WOODS
had stated that he burned Ryman's
stack and intended to burn the stack
that joined witness barn.
The court allowed the question and
witness answered that Ryman's stack
was burned about a month before the
burning of his own barn.
John Mohrwinkle testified that he saw
the fire start in Ryman's stack on the
night it was burned. He woke Ry-
man and Dan Lynch turned in the
alarm. Shortly afterwards he saw
Woods standing on the corner He did
not know whether the alarm had been
turned it at the time he saw Woods or
not.
On the night Muir's barn was burned
he saw Woods standing on the corner
and Woods asked if the alarm had been
turned in and offered to go and do IT,
and did so.
Henry Ryman said he was away from
home when his stack began to burn.
When he arrived at the fire he saw
Woods sitting on the hook and ladder
truck. Woods came to him and told him
he was the first man at the fire ana
turned in the alarm. He also said THAI
he was standing on Eighth street, be-
tween S and T. when he saw 1t hrst.
Woods was not doing anything toward
putting out the fire.
B. NJ Holm testified that he saw
Woods standing by the hook and LADDER
truck when he arrived at the fire some
enc remarked that it was hard for the
old man to lose his horses. Woods SAID
that such a man as that had 10 pe
burned out. Witness thought 1t was
queer remark, but said nothing. After
wards Woods said to him that such a
man had to be burned out; that they
lived in the barn and smoked cigarettes
and lived like hogs. Witness was posi-
tive that Woods said had to be burned
out
Michael Stadler saw Woods in the al
ley at the burning of Muir's barn ana
Woods asked what he thought OF the
fire. and if he did not think it had been
set afire. He also said he was the hrst
one there and turned in the alarm. Wit
ness saw him at another time and asked
him jokingly where the next hre was
going to be and he said he did not know
Witness told him they had him spotted
for that fire and he asked how the h
they had him spotted and who had said
ANYTHING. Witness told him he was
only ioking and Woods asked him II ne
had seen Dave, meaning Dave Walker.
Witness told him he had not seen Dave
for long time.
Mrs. Lizzie Coachman testified to see
ing the fire of Muir's barn She met
Woods one day and he asked how much
more straw Muir was going to put on
the stack at the end of the barn and
said il was a bad place. He pointed to
the Ryman stack and said those Will
make two good fires for somebody one or
these days" That was about two weeks
lefore the Ryman fire. She met WOODS
at the fire and could not be mistaken rs
TO the conversation between them.
David Z. Walker testified that he had
been residing with Woods until lately.
He had resided there for the past five
years. being employed by him in the
blacksmith shop. He lived in the north
west corner OF the shop. He remem-
bered the Ryman fire, but did not so to
It. He afterwards had a conversation
with Woods, having made the remark
that it was too bad for the poor man to
lose his hay and Woods said 4 Will
touch Muir's off next" He said the
same thing several times afterwards,
when he was drunk. On the night OF
Muir's fire Woods came to his window
little after II O'Clock and pounded on it
and shouted and cursed. Witness told
him to go away and keep quiet. He got
to thinking about Woods words and
got up and looked out of the window and
saw the fire He went part way TO where
he could see it and then went back. The
next day he told Woods he had been
setting the fires and Woods said he was
a damned liar. and he would make him
nroye it, He also told him he would go
ever and tell Muir Then he rolled up
his blankets and left the shop. He had
made up his mind to tell Muir about 1t,
When Woods made the remark he was
nearly always drunk, but witness was
sober.
He underwent a severe cross -exami-
nation, but his testimony was not
shaken.
Chief Engineer II. A. Guthrie testified
that Woods was hosemaT@in the flre
department Witness attended the hre
at Muir's and released the key from the
alarm box, and asked who turned IN
the alarm, and was told ii was Woods.
He asked Woods where he got the Key
and was told that he got it at house.
He told him to return 1t and noticed ne
was nervous and acted as IL he had peen
drinking. Witness had a conversation
with Woods after his arrest and he SAID
he was over TO his shop on the evening
before and Walker was asleep. He went
over aSain and found him still asleep
and talking in his sleep. accusing han
of setting the Muir fire. He Afterwards
denied this statement.
He stated that he was at home when
the alarm was turned in, having sat on
his porch talking to his daughter until
IL O'Clock. when he went over to Mrs.
E~-xosc n S,f9ly nd thor, went 70