Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-05-17
Another Attempt to Burn the City
of Langdon Made Last
Saturday Night.
INCENDIARY'S CONFESSION
SAYS That While Under Influence of
Liquor He Dropped Match Among
Rubbish in an Empty Coal Bin. Fire
Got Beyond His Control. Effort Being
Made by Friends to Have the Law
Deal Leniently With Him.

Saturday night shortly after twelve
O'Clock fendish attempt was made to
lay in ashes the business portion of this
city. This time the fire was located on
the north side of the Langdon Mer-
camille Co.'S store, at a point where there
is only narrow passage way between it
and the work shop of Orton & Sons
place of business. The fire must have
been burning at least five minutes when
first noticed, by J. Mahon, Jr., who rung
the alarm. The flames had mounted the
full height Of the building and were
visible from every direction. 1t being
Saturday night many had not retired
when the fire bell sounded and the ready
response to its alarm rendered the efforts
of the department successful in killing
the fire by use of the chemical engine.
The opinion expressed on all sides that
it was of incendiary origin was we'll
substantiated on investigation later. The
charred condition of coal bin that
stood along side the building of the
Langdon Mercantile Co., and had been
used by occupants of rooms over Orton
g. Sons store showed plainly whence the
fire obtained it's start. The rapidity
with which the flames gained headway
was further explained by the fact that
besides q small quantity of coal lot
of excelsior, had been placed there by
G. E. Stone, the occupant of the rooms
over the harness shop, when unpacking
his furniture recently.
Much speculation as to who had
started the fire followed the tracing up
of the above facts of it's origin and the
cause of other incipient confagrations,
that have occurred ut intervals for three
years past seemed to become less shroud-
ed in mystery as the investigation
progressed. On being interrogated
Mahon, Jr., stated that he had just
reached the fire hall and started to ring
the fire bell when figure merged from
the shadow of Vierhus' blacksmith shop
from the direction of the fire toward the
hall which proved to be E. w. Gerkie
On being asked by Mahon if he saw the
fire he answered yes and said that he
had come to give the alarm. 1t waf
noticed at the time that Gerkie had been
drinking to some extent and further
questioning as to his whereabouts a
different times prior to the tire brough,
forth such contradictory statements tha,
suspicion was felt that he knew more
about it than he had told. Gevkie wal
not placed under arrest until nine O'CLOCK
Sunday evening after having confessed
that he had started the fire, claiming j
was done accidently by the dropping o
match which he had struck while look
ing for some Of his companions of tina
evening. He says the match dropped j,
the box or bin where the coal ant
rubbish was and burst into flames whiol
it was beyond his power to put out. I
was only after being closely questioned
for nearly two hours that he was in
duced to make this statement, previous
" having presisted in saying that b
knew nothing about it: couldn't re
aan1l,or WAoeo hO WA % the time an