The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-03-19
1T CAUSED CONFESSION,
After Hearing Sermon by Lady
Evangelist, Corydon Boy
Confesses to Arson.

Ahouias, son OF geo. lh0mus, lG years
OF age, surprised County Attorney l.. l..
Livingston by walking into his office and
wanted to make confession. Mr.. Iiv-
lngston claimed to be too busy until
Thomas said he could tell all about the
hre on the night of February 10th,
which destroyed the Rea horse barn
Clark and Littell's livery barns, the
Abel block and one of the Rea Co.'S.
warerooms, Steele 4 Mardis carpenter
shop, also cremating nine head Of horses.
MIR. Livingston at once Summoned
Cours Reporter Hyland and several Wit
nesses and proceed to take his confes-
sion.
Thomas says that about two weeks be-
fore the fire he made up his mind to
burn the Rea barn. He secured pint
OF turpentine and saturated ball of
cotton and then waited until some
favorable night. On the evening of
February 10th, he cautiously made his
way to the rear of the Rea barn, slid the
door back, lighted the cotton bail and
threw it through the slat door into a
pile OF hay. After seeing that his work
was successful he made his way around.
the Nj. r. church up to the sqaare pasr
the Rea hotel. On reaching the square
he heard the first cry OF fire lie saws
he rushed with the crowd to tbe scene
OF the fire and there watched the des-
trucuon of his nights work. Thomas
says in his confession that The only
reason he could give was that he wanted
to see bonfire. He also said that nc
one was implicated with him.
On Tuesday evening Sheriff Gunn and
Constable Brock put Thomas through
the sweat box fol several hours when,
he finally gave up and told all he knew
about the fire, and also cleared UP the
mystery of the w. q. Riley hardware
burglary, which occurred in January.
In his full confession he now says that
Nathan Rolf, John ,yenes and himself
we're the ones who broke into Riley's
store and took several revolyers razors
and knives. He said if the s.,u7d 90
to the Rolf barn the stolen articles
could be found buried in one corner of
said barn. The articles we're found as,
he described.
Thomas goes on and says that Rolf
and himself planned the burning of the
Rea barn and that Rolf was the one
that threw the ball of cotton into the
barn. He says that he and Rolf had
planned and made arrangements to-
burn the Corydon Lumber Co.'S. ward,
In fact they had secreted themselves in
the yard one evening in order to fire it,,
but were scared away. By setting fire.
to the lumber yard it was their inten-
ton for it to catch Alternatives liyerv
barn and from there to the West feed
store, Kirkpatrick's s restaurant, Cooper's
grocery; Riley's hardware and Hal
penny's furniture store. He said that
if they were not successful in burning
the buildings west of Abernathy's at
that time, they would, some time later
set fire to Riley's store. The court
house was among the list of buildings.
which were to 60 up in smoke. 1t was
their Intention to burn all the frame
buildings on the square. He told them
where they had some balls of cotton
hid, which they had already prepared
and were only awaiting favorable
night for their work.
Rolf left Corydon Tuesday nocn for
Charlton, where he intended to work
the coming spring. The marshal at
Charlton was telegraphed Tuesday
evening to arrest Rolf. He was
brought back to Corydon Wednesday
has made no statement in regard to the
case.
John Jones is young man who has
worked in Corydon from time to time.
His home is in Lineville. He was ar
rested at his home and returned to
Corydon Wednesday.
Thomas also says they are the parties
who broke into the w. H. Able dwell
ing and the Boswell blacksmith shop.
Thomas attended the revival meeting
at the NJ. p. church Sunday evening
and heard Miss Gleason, the evangelist,
preach from the text, whatsoever a
Man Sowest, so Shall He Reap After
hearing this sermon his guilty conscience
Il
troubled him so that he was compelled
to make clean confession
The general impression is that Rolf,
| if he is guilty, will receive the full pen
atty of his crime. Jones, who was only
connected with the robbery, will more
than likely receive his just deserts.
Thomas was taken before Judge Towner
yesterday, plead guilty and was senten-
ed to the reform school until he be.
comes q years of age.
But for the confession of Thomas it is
i hard to tell what the outcome of these
young desperados plans would have
been. The penalty for such crime can
not be made to severe
Asiwe go to press this morning we
learn that Nathan Rolf and John Jones
acknowledged that the last confession
lof Elijah Thomas is true. They also
confess to tie burning of the Cambria
billiard hall, which was burned last
summer. Their story is that Mr.. Brown,
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