The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-06-07
ATTEMPT TO
BURN HOUSE
WORK OF INCENDiARY IN WEST
SIDE ADDITION.
EFFORT WAS A BJlD one
Residence of Mrs. Strang Fired Sun.
day Night During Occupants
Absence-Little Damage.

Z Between / and 2 o'clock yesterday
morning the fire department respond
ed to an alarm sent in from the West
Side addition, where the residence OF
Mrs. NJ. M. Strang, county superinten-
dent of schools, was found to be on
fire. Timely discovery and prompt
action by neighbors undoubtedly pre-
vented the house from becoming a
prey to the flames, as it was subse-
quently discovered that a desperate
and determined effort had been made
to burn the building
Professor Bevis, who lives in the
adjoining house, was among the first
to see the fire. He called others to
his assistance and they attempted to
extinguish it by means OF garden hose,
The fire then appeared to be confined
to bed that stood near window OF
one of the rooms. The window was
broken open and the water turned on.
AS the building was filled with smoke
that seemingly came from other parts
an alarm was given and the depart
ment was soon on the scene.
Evidence Of Incendiarism.
When the firemen arrived the burn
ing bedding was thrown out and an
investigation made of the premises.
hot i,, To hot
in the bed, fires had also been started
in a couple of other rooms. \ In one
lot of books and papers stored in
closet had been fired, while in the
other an attempt had been made to
start fire by igniting table cover
the edge of which was still shoulder
ing and badly charred.
On dresser in the bed room stood
an oil lamp, the chimney of which
side of the lamp. Although this was
noticed at the time, no particular at
tention was given it until later when
the burner and wick of the lamp were
found in the bed clothing that had
been thrown out. This was accept
ed as conclusive proof that an incen-
diary had been busy and that the
fire was the result Of design.
The damage done is slight and
consists principally of the destruction
of the bedding. Owing to the fact
that a feather mattress was among
the articles burning when the fire de-
partment arrived it was Impossible to
detect the odor OF oil, as the smell
made by the feathers was strong
enough to hide all others.
In the closet where the books were
a small hole was burned almost
through the floor, while the wash
board was also considerably scorched.
Owner Is Absent.
Mrs. Strang has been away from
the city for about two weeks, having
gone to St. Louis to visit the exposi-
tion. In consequence of her absence
the house has not been occupied. Be-
fore leaving she securely locked the
place and turned the keys over to
Professor Bevis with the request that
he look after the premises.
No One Suspected.
While it is regarded as absolutely
certain that the fire was the result of
design and not accident, suspicion
points to no one and the authorities
are at loss whom to suspect None
of the people residing in the neigh
borhood remember having seen any
one prowling about the place, and as
apparently nothing has been stolen
it is regarded as improbable that
thieves started the fire in the hope
OF concealing evidence of their work
Whoever is the guilty one so far he
has covered his tracks well. What
the motive for the deed could have
been is beyond the knowledge of those
who know the lady, as she is not only
highly respected, but exceedingly pop
ular as we'll and believed to be with
oui an enemy.
AS all of the doors were found to
be securely locked, it is believed that
the incendiary possessed skeleton
key with which he effected an en-
trance, or else pried open one of the
windows and entered the place in that