Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-06-15
\ REIGN OF TERROR
Hotel Burned at Jackson, Ky,
 Owned by Chief Witness.
SUPPOSED FIRE BUGS WERE CAUGHT
Trial of Jett and White For the
 Marcum Murder Leads to Crime = For Which Two Men Are
 %- Under Arrest '#".


 JACKSON, ky, June 15.-The City hotel, three story building, owned by Captain B.. J. Ewen, the principal wit ness against Jett and White, now on trial for the assassination of Lawyer J. B. Marcum, has been burned to the ground. Fifteen guests were in the ho- tel, but all escaped without injury. There was no insurance on the struc- ture, and the hotel, with it's furnish ings and the effects of the guests, is 8 total loss
 Three men reported having seen Joe Crawford and Ed Thap, wagoneers for the Hargis brothers, come across the bridge and return just before the blaze was discovered, and Major Allen or dered these men arrested. They were taken into the military camp by the soldiers and manacled in the guard l house. .s AZ,
 There is no fire department, and the 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
 
 escape and preventing the flames from spreading. Captain Ewen has been kept at the camp of the militia since he testified that he saw Curtis Jett fire the shot which killed Marcum. No body was seen to. leave the hotel be- l fore the fire broke out. It was only two days ago that Jackson was put under martial law. The fire has caused renewed apprehension.
 | The burning of Ewen's hotel is not only considered as incendiary, but also as accessory to other acts of intimtda- 1 ton in connection with the trial of those accused of the murder of ]. B. 1 Marcum, who was an attorney of the contestants for county offices now held 1 by leaders of the faction with which the defendants were Identified. It has openly been predicted that arson would go along with assassination, as disc1- l binary measures might be needed in Breathitt county. It is now stated that l other witnesses for the commonwealth are not property owners, but that the 1 Jurors, who are farmers, and witnesses who could not be found when detach- l ments of troops were trying to bring them into court are property owners. | The burning of Ewen's property not only has caused renewed fear for both I life and property, but also has in creased the general doubt of conviction of either of the prisoners.
 Captain B. J. Even was the chief witness for the prosecution In the pend ing trials of Curtis Jett and Tom I NY, SL< e i. To% as he advanced with pistol in hand to fire the last shot into Marcum's pros trate body as it lay in the courthouse doorway. Through fears for his own safety he testified that he did not dare to allow Sheriff Callahan and County Judge Hargis to know what he had seen When it did become known he 4 was first a prisoner in his home, and I then he fled the county until he could have the protection of troops. His house had been under the guard of sol diers for several weeks, and as more stringent precaution against assassina- tion he slept in camp at the provost marshars headquarters.
 Several days ago man visited him at his home and made him a propo- | sition that if be would repudiate what l he had related on the witness stand, saying that he testified to what was not true because of the excitement which he was under, he would be giv- en $5,000 by certain prominent ctti- zen and that if he did not accept this offer he would be assassinated.
 He encouraged his visitor to return in the afternoon and stationed two witnesses in a closet, who overheard a repetition of the proposition and the threat, which was accompanied by the tender of five S1s0O0 notes. No one has doubted that Ewen was in actual danger, but few were prepared for a step so desperate as that which came yesterday, and it is believed generally that the incendiary fire was due to the statement made to State Inspector Hines about the attempted bribery as N we'll as to Ewen's testimony.