The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-02-04
Louis Schmidt, a Respected
Citizen. is Arrested.
CHARGED WITH CRIME OF ARSON
Accused Claims Former Empioye
Tried to BIaekmail Him-Hearing.
Saturday Morning.

Louis Schmidt of this city was ar
rested at his home on Eagan avenue
| this morning by Constable Goodwin. on
d warrant issued out of Justice Huff
! mans court charging him with the
crime of arson. The complaining wit
| ness is Sidney II. Alexander, of Pres
colt
The information which was signed
| by Alexander, and upon which the
warrant was issued sets out that on
the 18th day OF January at the town of
Prescott Schmidt feloniously set fire
10 a certain store building owned by
William Bradford. then and there oc-
cupied. used and possessed by said
Louis Schmidt, as a drinking saloon.
Schmidt was taken before Justice
Huffman and placed under $500 bonds
| to appear in the court Saturday morn
ing for preliminary hearing. Mr..
Schmidt experienced no trouble what
ever in procuring the bond and was
released from custody.
When interviewed this afternoon Mr..
Schmidt said: My arrest is simply q
case of bdackmail on the part of Alex
ander. He was employed by me for
five months AS barkeeper and was
working for me when my place of bust
ness was destroyed by fire last month.
After the fire l gave him number OF
bills to collect near Prescott and was
to pay him 10 per cent on all the money
he collected. He did not succeed in
collecting any of the bills, however
and called at my house. He first in
formed me that he had come to Walla
Walla on some private business which
we discussed for a short time. Just
as he was leaving my home he stated
that he was out of money and asked
me to give him $3.50. l complied with
his request and he left. Monday he tel
ephoned for me to come down town as
he desired to talk with me before he
returned to Prescott. l met him in the
Palace saloon when he demanded that
give him $50. AS l did not owe him
any money l refused to give him the
money, and thinking that he could
force me to give up, he went before
the county attorney and made the
charge against me.
ander and have done a great deal for
him. Shortly after he began working
for me his wife became sick and was
brought to Il hospital in this city where
she received treatment for q long time
AS he was poor and had no money to
pay doctor bills and hospital fees l
Il loan of $3.50. OF that amount | have
paid nearly all. and will have to make
the balance good when it falls due.
What l paid on the note l deducted
from his wages.
alexander also wrote q letter to the
manager of the company in which
carried insurance ON my stock. insinu
ating that | had set fire to the build
ing but on investigation the adjuster
of the company found that his insinu
atOns We're not true.
The insurance company has settled
With me in full for the loss | sustained
in the fire l having received $1,000. If
there had been anything wrong about
the fire certainly the company would
not have paid the loss.
Mr.. Schmidt is a highly respected
citizen of Walla Walla and has resid
ed in Walla Walla for IA years. He
was employed by Jacob Betz as head
brewer many Years, and quit his en-
pIoy to engage in the saloon business
at