The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-06-15
.FIREBUGS GET
IN THEIR WORK
Captain EWen's Hotel at Jack
son, KY, Destroyed.
GUESTS MADE THEIR ESCAPE
OWNER OF THE PROPERTY TES-
TITLED AGAINST JET.

Early hotel at Jackson, three
story building. owned by Captain
B. J. Even, the principal witness
against Jet and White. now on trial
there for the assassination of Lawyer
J. 3. Marcum, was burned to the
ground early this morning. There were
fifteen guests in the hotel but all es-
capped without injury. There was no
insurance on the structure. and the
hotel, together with the furnishings
and also the effects Of the guests, is
total loss. The origin Of the fire is IN
known, but the general opinion is that
the fire was of incendiary origin.
Captain Even recently put up an ad-
/ dition to the hotel. This was just COM
pIeted and was as yet unOccupied. It
was this part of the hotel in which the
fire was discovered
The town Of Jackson has no IRE de-
partment and its citizens were awak-
ened by the firing of pistols and guns,
I and much excitement prevailed. A
detachment Of militia came on the
scene quickly from its camp across the
river and rendered valuable aid in as
Z sisting the guests to escape and pre-
venting the flames from spreading.
/ Captain Even has been kept at the
military camp since he testified last
/ Monday that he saw Curtis Jet fire
the shot that killed MarCum. Nobody
was seen to leave the hotel before the
fire broke out. It was only two days
/ ago that Jackson was put under mar
tial law. The fire has caused renewed
apprehension.
Arson and Assassination.
The burning of Ewen's hotel this morn
I ing is not only considered as incendiary,
but also as accessory to other acts Of
intimidation in connection with the pend
ing trial of those accused of the muir
der Of J. 3. Marcum. who was attorney
for contestants Of county offices now held
by leaders Of the faction with which the
defendants were identified 1t has been
openly predicted that there would be the
flashing OF incendiary warning. that ar
son would go along with assassination.
as disciplinary measures might be needed
in Breathitt county.
It is now stated that other witnesses
for the commonwealth were not prop
erty owners, but that the jurors, who
are farmers and witnesses who could
not be found when detachments of troops
were trying to bring them into court,
are property owners. The burning of
Ewen's property has not only caused fear
fer life and property, but also increased
} the general doubt Of conviction in either
of the pending cases
Policy Had Been Cancelled.
The hotel and furniture had been in
sured. but Only a week ago Even was
=
conditions the company had decided to
cancel his policy. The house and fix
lures were valued at $4,000 They were
the savings Of a lifetime and Even and
family are tonight homeless and de-
pendent upon the hospitality Of the troops
in camp.
Lunbe, wOTkmen at the Swami & Day
lumber yards reported having seen Joe
( Crawford and Ed Tharp. wagOneers for
I 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 camp by the soldiers and manacled
/ in the guard house
Hargis People Active.
/ Gray Haddicks was detained by the pro
3 gis people were very active They sent
I Joe . Neil of COvingtOn and B. 3. Golden
( of Barberville, defending Jett and White,
and swore out writs Of habeas CORPUS.
making them retuTnable at once The
Writs were served on Major Allen and
} he sent the prisoners to the court house
under a strong guard commanded by
. Captain Maddox
Judge Redwine decided to admit the
men to bail in $1,000 each County Judge
HARRIS and Sheriff Callahan had bonds
drawn IN, but after a consultation be-
I tween them and the lawyers they re-
fused to sign the bonds and the two
! men were taken by soldiers inside their
lines and are tonight manacled in the
military guard house with heavy guard
J on watch and strong outoosts-
Fully Identified.
The Haddicks boys and Lunbe fully
identified the men and claimed some
/ members Of the Even family saw them
I come out Of the house. It is supposed
] they watched their opportunity and,
: while the family were in the dining room,
! rushed UP the back stairway and threw
/ a lighted torch or a ball of rags satu-
/ rated with oil into the garnet and then
/ made their escape The men evidently
I knew the construction of the house.
/ There was no fire in any of the flues
Z i'm that section Of the building How
! ard FuIkes. bOardeT. heard persons
/ come upstairs hurriedly and run down
! again
I Crawford and Tharp have both stayed
I at Ewen's hotel and were familiar with
I the building and the habits of the fam
/ iIy. ..,,-
1 The burning OF Ewen's house fulfills
/ in part the threat made by the man who,
/ Even SAYS. called at his home last sun
( dav and offered to bride him by giving
/ 5000 il he would alter his testimony