The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-12-01

'front.' yard as they got there and were
heard by Bower who stood inside. He
showed one foot against the door and
kicked 1t and 1t soon turned the atten-
tion of the crew to the door and they
learned some one was inside.
why don't you come out?" said
voice from the outside. "Your house is
af1re."
Bower was unable to utter any sound
much less make himself known, but he
moved his head between some curtains
at the door, and looked out. Seeing the
men outside he merely nodded his head,
which was as much as to say to them
that he was unable to make his escape
without assistance. One of the men
saw his face and also saw the hand
kerchief which gagged him, and with a
hard, quick blow of his shoe he forced
open the door, and Bower was able to
get out of the burning building. When
he stood outside the men could hardly
believe their eyes, and Bower alleges
they simply stood and stared at him,
Without Immediately attempting to
loosen him from his bonds. He motion
GU W tltIlly SllOWlu6 Ills uIltE HelDleSS-
ness, and with sharp knife one of
them cut the gag, while another re-
moved>the piece of linen which bound
his hands, while third cut the thongs
which tied his body and held him to the
chair. He then explained to them that
he had been visited by three strange
men and that they had robbed him and
Ill s,, NI,,
which they found him.
In the meantime the fire apparatus
arrived and the firemen worked hard
to save the building from total destruc-
ton, but before the blaze was extin-
guished the house was a total wreck,
the roof being about half consumed
and the other half partly falling in
while the side walls of the four roomed
house were burned through and placed
beyond repairs. The officers who ar
rived were given a description of the
| fellows and they Immediately followed
up what slight clues they had obtained
but no arrests were made.
BOWER INTERVIEWED.
A News Democrat reporter called on
Bower Wednesday morning in company
with Sergeant Riblet and officers Bat
tin and Patterson, and he related the
| following details of the visit of the
three men during the night:
my wife has been sick for several
weeks with typhoid fever, and 1 took
her to her home out of the city. I went
home Tuesday night and seating myself
in chair fell asleep. About midnight
two strange men awoke me. They had
their coats turned inside out, their
faces blackened and one of them wore
overalls. They demanded my money.
told them they had to get it if they
could. Then they searched my trouser
pockets and pulled out my pocketbook
which contained some paper money.
| They then removed from my pocket
some little change amounting to some
thing over 81. The fellows then pro-
duced a rope with which they tied me,
all the while threatening that If made
an outcry they would shoot me. They
first bound my hands with a linen tidy
which belonged to my little girl. They
then passed the rope over my body and
pulled it tightly and tied it, so that my
hands and legs were entirely immov-
able. One of them then walked to the
bed near which my chair sat and pulled
some cotton out of quilt and walking
to where I sat they opened my mouth
and with lead pencil forced it full Of
cotton and then tied the handkerchief
over it, making it impossible for me
to move my lips or utter a sound. The
men then took the only lamp in the
room and started upstairs. / did not
hear them come down at all. Only a
short time afterward 1 smelled smoke
and later saw fire bursting through the
ceiling, and I knew that they had set
the house on fire. struggled in every
way to free myself, but couldn't, and
then hit upon the expediency of rock
ing the chair, which threw me on my
feet, and was able to slowly make my
way to the front room door, where
saw the railroad men.
"I guess I would have burned to
death If they hadn't let me out as the
fire ragged fiercely. I don't know who
the fellows were. They were strangers
W IHe' i uOh lHey set lile nOuSe
on fire purposely, but believe that they
struck the lamp on bannister at the
top of the stairway where one must
stoop to get up, and seeing that the
flames ignited some inflamable clothing
or other stuff they hurried down and
made their escape. I don't know just
what my loss will be, as good deal
of my household effects were con-
sumed."
The house which Bower occupied be-
longed to John Eschliman, and it is
stated 1t was partly insured The fell
lows also took gold watch and chain
belonging to Bower, the latter having
large square curb links. He was un-
able to give description of the watch.
An entrance to the house was effected
by forcing in the kitchen door and
breaking the latch. A rumor was in
circulation that the fellows threw the
lighted lamp upon a bed and in that
manner started the fire; but the state
Of ha I,a