The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-28
DIR. Casio IS UNDER ARREST
SEVERAL OF HIS CLERKS ARE IN
DER SUSPICION WITH HIM.
Gould Catch-Details of the Plot
other Indiana News.


Jabez &. Caste. at Third and Main streets
and the indignation following the discovery
OF the plot is such that IL would not be sur
prising If the law were transcribed and
summary punishment mated out to the
principals in the crime, which. had It been
successful. would have resulted not only
IN the destruction of much valuable prop
erty and the endangering of neighboring
business blocks. but undoubtedly, also. in
the taking of many lives. as eighty-two
persons were sleeping in the building. Pro-
prfetor Casio, after being released on bond
has been rearrested, but two of those sus-
pected with him of completely in the crime
have been released on their own recog-
nizance. and the others on bond.
At 4:1e O'Clock this morning Merchant Po-
liceman Thompson discovered fire in the
back part of DIR. Jabez c. Cssto's drug
store. at Third, and Main stfeets. The po-
iicenan ran across the street to firehouse
and the firemen quickly brought the chem
ical engine into play. The fire had gained
considerable Roadway and the flames were
starting In all parts of the store, but by
remarkably quick and good work they were
put out. Then the firemen discovered evil
dehce of incendiarism. Oil-saturated excel
sior was scattered about the store and oil
had been poured along the floor to barrels
of oil and tanks OF gasoline. On stairway
there were dozens of cans of oil, varnish
and paint. and leading to them there were
carefully. arranged cutters for the burning
fluid to flow when the explosion occurred.
PLANS FOR AN EXPLOSION.
The storerooms next the drug store were
olo cd
by Caste. In one was a stock of groceries
and in the other clothing. dry goods and no.
tions. Throughout both OF these rooms the
same painstaking preparation bad been
made TO hasten the destruction OF the
property. About twenty pounds of dyna-
mite in sticks. were found. so placed that
the first conclusion would have been fol-
lowed by an explosion with power enough
to have blown UP all the buildings in the
square. Dry goods and clothing, saturated
with oil. were strung connectedly through
the stock. Coarse toweling twisted into
spiral form and soaked with oil was used
as a fuse. traversing the floors of the
storerooms. An elevator between two floors
was left open to make a stronger draught.
and holes were cut through the flooring for
the same purpose.
On the floors above this fire trap were
thirty or forty persons asleep. and among
them some of DR.. Castos relatives who
we're in his employ. When the firemen and
Hpolice went upstairs tc alarm those peo-
pie they found two or three rooms, which
Caste used, full of gas. with the jets
turned on. One of his clerks, who occu-
pied one of the rooms was found, and he
said he had been asleep when the noise
cod - hod W
uns1isturbed. He and another clerk, who
also roomed over the stores, were placed
under arrest. At o'clock the police went
to DR.. Castos residence. He was found in
bed. Mrs. Casio says she had gone TO bed
at 1880 last night. and that her husband
came in after she was asleep. She does not
know what the time was when he awak-
ened her by coming into the room. The
two clerks Thomas Jones and Frank Blair.
were accused of arson and bond was fixed
at 5000. Clarence KatZ, another clerk,
was arrested. but paroled. About noon Mr..
III. Human. the wholesale grocer, took
bill of sale from Casio for his merchandise
and then signed his bond. This action
helped Intensity the feeling in town for
the reason that II was believed that though
the best that could be said for Casio is
that he is insane. there was danger in turn
ing him loose II was recalled that few
months ago a woman's screams and pistol
shots were heard coming from his resi-
dence, the cause OF which has not yet been
explained. While he was in police head
crowd became very angry and many
threats were made in his hearing. but he
remained. unmoved- The only time he
showed any feeling was when he saw Mer-
chant Policeman Thompson. whose FORUM
ate discovery of the fire prevented the con-
summation of the plot Then the demon in
gazed at the policeman After he was
leased on bond ne returned 10 the drug
store and this afternoon opened the front
door for business.
cASTo'S INSURANCE.
Dr. Caste carried $4,000 fire insurance
that is known to the agents here and all of
1t was cancelled to-day. The doctor says
the insurance would not have come within
$4,000 of the loss had the latter been total
and he denies the report. current in police
circles, that one of his relatives, an aged
uncle who sleeping In one of the
upstairs rooms. carried life insurance with
the policy payable to him CDR. Casto). He
asserts that his enemies tried to destroy
his property. and Is very bitter in his COM
ments on the police. He declares that he
will get shotgun and shoot the first po-
liceman who again attempts TO arrest him.
He harangued crowd in front of his store
this afternoon. He said lat he closed the
store at 10 O'Clock last night and went
home The police say that when they first
notified him this morning of the fire he
declined 10 leave his bedroom, and that
when they made second trip to his house
they placed him under arrest. Two OF his
clerks, Jones and Blair. were released on
their own recognizance tonight. II is said
that several nights ago a policeman found
the doctor and Blair not far from the
store. but in a street little used The doc
tor wore a mask, the officer says and he
explained to the policeman that he was
looking for a woman"
The bond signed for DIR. Casto's release
was accidentally destroyed Mr. Euiruan
signed another, but when II was presented
20 Casio. he refused to sign IL. He was
told that IL he did not he would be pus in
jail HE dared the police TO rearrest him
and they took him TO Jail.
DR. Casio Is about fifty years of age
His wife Is a daughter OF the late Aquilla
as the largest land owner in Indiana.
Most OF HIS land was I'm the Wabash bot
toms. from which he acquired a fortune
raising corn. n few years before his death.
and when he was seventy-twO years OF
l age. he married girl who was the daugh-
ter OF his housekeeper. This caused an
estrangement between him and his chill
dren- They had guardian appointed for
him There WAS long litigation over the
proceeding and when his property was re-
stored 20 him ne made Will disinheriting
them. In this will he referred TO the losses
he had sustained through ais son-in-iaw.
DIR. Casio. There was contest over the
will but by a compromise the children re-
cciyed considerable property. Eight or ten
yesrs ago. before the death OF Layerty.