The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1898-12-30
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AT SAINT RIS !
Heavy Loss of Property! A
Fine Building and $780,
900 Worth of Goods
DESTROYED
TO SECURE A CHEAP SUIT OF
CLOTHES!
The lncendiary Arrested by a Logan
County Detective.

Champaign is under lasting obligations
to Logan county for helping arrest some
of her worst criminals. Olly week OF
two ago, one of her young criminals, who
had been arrested twelve times and &C.
quilted in each case, was convicted
in our court and sent to the peniten-
tentiary. We have now to chronicle
the arrest of another desperate criminal
through the shrewd work of a Logan
county detective.
Wednesday night OF last week, the
large store of John Poorman of st.
Paris, was set on fire, and the building
and $50. 900 stock of goods badly dam
aged by fire and water.
An opportune discovery of the fire
alone prevented the entire destruction
of the store and stock of goods, but the
lose wss very heavy as it was.
the next night the B4ckwith store in
the same village was entered bv bur
glars, and lot of goods including some
rings were stolen.
Detectives from Springfield and Ur-
bana went to work on the job, but it re-
mained for Logan county detective
to ferret out the fre-bug, and arrest
him. The Urbana Times gives the cred
it to a Springfield detective and the
Marshal of St. Paris, but it's own account
shows that Mr.. Ira McCroskey took the
Sheriff to St. Paris and swors out a
warrant for Terrell's arrest before the
Springfield detective went to 81. Paris.
The true story of the arrest ie, thai
Ira McCroskey, of De Graf. first suspected
Albert Terrell of being the fire bug and
thief. Terrell lived with his aunt, Mrs
Charles Pond, mile and half south oi
Spring Hills. McOroskey went to Ponds
Friday m rrning, and saw Terrell with
rings on his fingers, which he supposed
he had stolen at Beckswith's. He asked
Terrell where he got them, and Terrell
said he bought them. McCroekey
stayed about till he got a job of chop
ping from Pond, and after he went te
work, soon got Terrsll's confidence and
Terrell told him of the setting fire tc
Poorman's store. and the burglarizing oil
Beckwith's. He told him that the
goods he got at Beckwith's, consisting O
rings, harps, etc, were locked in drawer
at Ponds. He said that he set fire tt
Poorman's store in order to get suit oi
clothes and cover up the theft by burn
ing the store and stock of goods. He
piled up boxes against the rear end o
the store and set them afire, expecting
to steal the goods after the fire got vel
under way. But some one discovered
the fire and raised the alarm before b.
could secure his suit, and he was bsffied
He joined the crowd at the fire ant
talked with them about it and wondered
what motive man could have 70
committing such a deed. The mex
morning (Thursday), he went to hi
grandfather's at Westville, and Thurs
day night went back to st. Paris an
burglariz I'D Beckwith's store.
After getting Terrell's confession
McCroskey drove to Urbana, notifiet
Sheriff McLain, and they both drove tc
st. Paris where Nc Croskey swore out
warrant for Terrell's arrest. He the
secured vehicle to 60 with the Sherit
and arrest Terrell, and went into Pond
house and arrested Terrell when the
got there. The Springfield detectiv
and st. Paris Marshal asked pernissio ]
to 60 along and were granted psrmis
sion.
Terrell is about 10 years old. Hi
father committed suicide several year
ago, and his mother married a ma
named Ed. Rose, who murdered hel
and is now serving a life term in th
penitentiary, and young Terrell said b
had become respondent and desperate.
His crimes are of desperate charae
ter and he will doubtless receive
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