The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-18
BUTTE News.
RESENTS THE CHARGES
Mr.. Hoaglin Tells What He
Knows of the Big Fire.
STOCK Is A TOTAL LOSS
He Insists That There Was Nothing
Mysterious About His Movements
That Night-He Will Re-
sumo Business

1t would De nara TO imagine now "A
stock of goods could be more completely
ruined than were the goods in the Bos-
ton store. which was Quilted by fire sun
day evening. @. 5. Hoaglin proprietor
of the store was busy yesterday look
ing over the damaged goods 10 see
what in the wreck was still salea BILE.
There is little left that is marketable
outside of the shoes. and some of them
are spoiled by water Mr. Hoaglin yes
terday gave each member of the fire
department a pair of shoes as the ones
some of them wore ut the fire We're
badly damaged.
Mr.. Hoaglin expressed himself 10 a
Standard reporter yesterday pretty
strongly on the criticism that had been
made regarding him and the charges Of
tncendiarisn.
There is NOT the slightest ground for
any such charge" said Mr.. Huaglin
The police say my conduct was sus-
picious. but there has certainly been
nothing mysterious about my actions
or my movements. My trip To New
York was planned several days ago. |
have here a draft on New York
bank that got Saturday TO buy goods
with
Mr. Hoaalin showed draft for 81, 800,
payable 20 himself in New York and
signed 10y Fayette Harrington of the
Il was going to New York on the
s:25 o'clock Northern Pacific train last
evening, said Mr.. Hoaglin. and took
carriage from in front of the store
about o'clock. My Wife, Mr. Webb
and another gentleman accompanied me
to the depot at my invitation. My wife
was not going to New York with me.
but accompanied me to the depot 10 see
me start.
1T is charged that it is very strange
II should leave more than 5000 in my
bed when / was going To New York
There is nothing strange or suspicious
about il. The banks closed at noon
Saturday and / could make no deposit
Of my sales during the afternoon and
evening. ] gave my wife the wallet
with the money and just before | left
II told her to deposit $3.50 when the
bank opened and keep the rest for the
store. We put the wallet in the bed.
as my wife did not want To have SO
much money about her. When !
reached IN store after the alarm Of
fire, / toidW fireman of the money and
he got il in the bed and gave il to me.
The fireman also found The money
drawer with about 81 in small change
in it."
Was there much Of fire in the
stove when YOU left the store"
There was a fair fire. We had been
sitting at the stove Mr. Webb had
minutes before we left. MY wife was
coming right back to the store. SO
did not think 1T necessary to take any
precautions in regard to the stove
Are YOU going 10 start in business
again."
Yes. sir: Just as soon as | can get
this mess cleaned UP. | shall remove
my stock over here from Anaconda and
resume business. Why should ! want
TO burn out my store when | am MAX
ing S1500 MONTH | have made s14 900
I'm the last eight months. and that is
certainly too good a business to burn
up.
Mr.. Hoagln said that the stock saved
from the fire is not worth more than
$500
The police worked all day on the case
but no arrests have been made. and in
fact there is no real evidence To Justify
arrests. the investigation being due to
suspicion. The three clerks who We're
in the sweat box Sunday evening went
no the police station again yesterday
morning and inquired if they were
wanted, but We're told that there Is no
charge against them.
The most important thing that WAS
learned by Detective Murphy was that
two trunks and a xalise We're shipped
from The Boston store to Anaconda on
Sunday evening at ) o'clock. Detective
Murphy went to Anaconda al o'clock
yesterday and went To the Boston store
there. which is branch of Mr. Hoag-
Inns Butte store. Mr. Murphy ascer-
tanned that the two trunks and valise
did arrive there from the Butte store
but they were empty when MIR Murphy
saw them.
The manager Of the Anaconda store
told him that they contained dress
goods.
Mr. Murphy has not vet found the
hackman who drove the party 10 the
depot. Two young men were found
who said that Hoaglin and party left
the Boston store as they passed II CO.
ing east. and by the time they reached
the Library building the fire had
broken out The interval could not
in their opinion, have been more than
three minutes.
Detective Murphy said last evening
that the case i a peculiar one and he
did not know whether 10 think that the
lire was incendiary or not. He IS of the