Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-06-15
Two Men Said to Have Been Seen Near by
When Blaze Started Arrested,
BROUGHT UP ON HABEAs CORPUS WRIT
Judge Allows Bail, but Men Finally Go Back
in Military Custody.
CASH OR DEATH PRorFrRED WITNESS
Given Choice between RepudiRtinE
Tale of MRrcum's Murder and
Getting *, 1000 or sticking
to IL and Dying.

| JACKSON, KY, June 1.-THE City hotel,
a three-story building owned by Captain
b. ]. Even. the principal witness against
Jett and White was burned to the ground
early this morning. There were fifteen
guests in the hotel, but all escaped with
out injury. There was no insurance on the
structure and the hotel. together with its
furnishings and the effects OF the guests,
is total loss The origin of the ire lis
unknown, but the belief is general that It
was of incendiary origin, and two men are
held on this charge.
Militia Fight Flames.
jackson has no ire department, and it's
citizens were awakened by the firing of
pistols and guns and much excitement
prevailed. A detachment of militia came
| on the double quick from their camp
across the river and rendered valuable aid
in assisting the guests to escape and pre-
venting the flames from spreading. Captain
Ewen has been kept at the militia camp
rince he testified last Monday that he saw
Curtis Jett fire the shot which killed Mar
cum. II was only two days ago that Jack
son was put under rartial law. The fire
has caused renewed apprehension.
As the day wore on and more information
was forthcoming the public began to take
cessory to other acts of intimidation in
connection with the trial Of those accused
of the murder of j. b. Marcum. 1t has
been openly predicted that there would
be the flashing of incendiary warnings
that arson would go along with assasina-
ton as disciplinary measures might be
needed in Breathitt county.
Rribes ORered 20 EVEN.
Csptain B. j. Even was the chief witness
for the prosecution In the trials of Jett and
White. He is the deputy sherim who testi-
fed that he saw Jett ready with his pistol
in his hand to fire the last shot into Mar
GUMS PROSTATE body as II lay in the court
mousse doorway. Through fears for his own
safety he said ne did not dare to allow
eneriff Callahan and County Judge Hargis
10 know what no had seen. When It did be-
come known, ne was first a prisoner In his
home and then ne fed the county until he
could have the protection of troops. His
house has been under the guard Of detail
| of soldiers for several weeks and as more
! stringent precaution against assassination
he slept in camp at the provost marshafs
headquarters.
Several days ago party visited him at
his home and made him n proposition that
If he would repudate what he had related
! on the witness stand, saying that he tes-
Indictment which he was under, he would
be given 5000 by a certain citizen, and
| that II he did not accept the offer he
| would be assassinated,
He encouraged his visitor to return in the
afternoon and stationed two witnesses In a
closet who overheard the proposition and
the threat which was accompanied by the
tender of FIVE crisp $1,000 notes. No one
has doubted that Even was in actual dan
| ,r,A Co.
desperate as that which came today.
Work Hard to Save Town.
At o'clock this morning Joe Rodmon,
watchman at the lumber yard of Swami g.
Day, discovered flames issuing from the
roof of Eyens hotel, situated in the noun
| tainside 800 yards from the depot The
alarm was given and Lieutenant Kinnard.
with the provost guard. turned out TO rem
der assistance. Soon hundreds Of people
were on the scene.
Heroic work on the part Of the soldiers
and citizens saved possibly the entire south
side of the town.
| The McEwen hotel is at the end of a long
row of miners cottages. all OF which were
in grave danger. When those in the hotel
were notified the fire had gained such head
way that the guests who had not risen had
only time to save part Of their clothing.
John Clarey of Louisville a telegraph
operator, was asleep on the second floor. In
the excitement he was not awakened until
the flames had shut OF escape from the
front stairway and was almost suffocated
while coming out by the rear stairway.
falling unconscious and half-dressed on the
ground. when he finally freed himself from
the danger Mrs. Even and her children
are poorly clad and lost everything
The house and fixtures were valued at
about $4,000. They were the saving OF a
lifetime and Even and family are tonight
homeless and dependent upon the hos
pitality of the troops in camp.
Protecting Water Run to Waste.
Rain barrels around the house, which
afforded its chief fire protection, were
overturned by the lncendlary before the
torch was applied. Nearly all Of the in
surance policies in Jackson have been can
celed because OF recent eyents.
Two cloth balls dipped in kerosene and
tar were found near the hotel.
Hold Two for Arson.
Gray and Jim Haddicks and Jerry Luntz
workmen at the Swami a Lay lumber
yard, reported having seen Joe Crawford
and Ed Thap. wGgOneers for the Hargis
Bros, come across the bridge and return
Just before the blaze was discovered, and
Major Allen ordered these men arrested
They were taken into the military camp by
. the soldiers and manacled In the guard
house.
Gray Haddicks was retained by the pro-
vost guard as a witness Soon the Hargis
people were active. They sent Attorneys
John O'Neil OF Covington and b. B. Golden
OF Barberville, defending Jett and White
and swore cut writs OF habeas corpus
making them returnable at once. The writ
were served on Major Allen and he sent tn
prisoners TO the courthouse under stronl
guard. commanded by Captain Maddox.
Commemorative Attorney Byrd asked
Judge Redwine time for Major Allen to file
a response He asked that he be given TIL
tomorrow. but Judge Redwine demanded
that II he filed at once.
This was done and the attorneys argued
the case. Two OF the most interested spec
| tators were UJunty Judge Hargfa and