Omaha daily bee., 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, bat Men Finally Go Back
in Military Custody,
CASH OR DEATH PRorFERED WITNESS
Given Choice between RepudintinE
Tale of MGrcun's Murder and
Getting $4,000 or sticking
to it and Dying.

JACKSON, KY, June lA-The City hotel,
a three-story building owned by Captain
Il. j. 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 a total loss. The origin of the Are is
unknown, but the belief is general that IL
was of lncendiary origin, and two men are
held on this charge.
Militia Fight Flames.
Jackson has no fire department. and its
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
Gwen has been kept at the militia camp
rtnce 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 martial law. The fire
has caused renewed apprehension.
As the day wore on and more information
was forthcoming the public began to take
the fire not only as incendiary. but as ac-
CeSSOEN W OlhG aus VI ~
connection with the trial OF those accused
of the murder of ]. 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.
BribeH Onered 10 EVEN.
Captain B.. ]. Even was the chief witness
for the prosecution In the trials of Jett and
White. He is the deputy sheriff 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
Eaerif Callahan and County Judge Hargis
to know what he had seen. When 1t did be-
come known, he 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 a detail
of soldiers for several weeks and as a more
stringent precaution against assassination
he slept in camp at the provost marshal's
headquarters.
Several days ago n party visited him at
his home and made him a proposition that
II he would repudiate what he had related
on the witness stand, saying that he tes-
tilted to what was not true because OF the
Indictment which he was under, he would
be given 5000 by a certain citizen, and
that If he did not accept the offer he
would be assasslnated,
lie 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 Ave crisp $1,000 notes. No one
has doubted that Even was in actual dan
ger. but few were prepared for q step as
desperate as that which came today.
work Hard TO Save Town.
At 6 o'clock this morning Joe Rodmon. q
Waterman at the lumber yard Of Swami g.
Day, discovered flames issuing from the
roof of EYen's hotel, situated in the noun
tainside, 300 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 $40. 1000. They were the saving OF a
lifetime and Even and family are tonight
homeless and dependent upon the hos
pltality of the troops in camp.
Protecting water Run to Waste.
Rain barrels around the house, which
afforded it's chief fire protection, were
overturned by the incendiary before the
torch was applied. Nearly all OF the in
surance policies in Jackson have been can
celed because Of recent events.
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 & Lay lumber
yard, reported having seen Joe Crawford
and Ed Thap. wagOneers 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 a stron 4
guard. commanded by Captain Maddox.
Commemorative Attorney Byrd asked
Judge Redwine time for Major Allen to flo
a response. He asked that he be given TIM
tomorrow, but Judge Redwine demanded
that q he filed at once.
This was done and the attorneys argued
the case. Two OF the most Interested spec
tators were Hounty judge Hargls and