The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-02-25

The arson cases from this city are
taking the attention Of the district
court Rt Rathdrum this week, the
case Of the state against Oscar
Schneider, jr., being the first called
on Thursday. These cases have been
most sensational Ia detail and at
tracied public attention on account
81 the boldness Of the crimes aud the
apparent organized effort 20 commit
these aud other crimes IN this city.
The idaho Mercantile company Was
made the special mark 81 the iirebugs,
as IL lost three warehouses within q
period Of thirteen months. During
this time there were several other
Attepmts 10 born buildings. notably
the warehouse Of W. Il. Mcfarland
F ia the rear Of his store; the meat
market Of +. G. Messenger, and
several outbuildings On Sunday
evening, March 10. 1908, the big
warehouse OF the Idaho Mercantile
company north Of the Northern
Pacific depot burned, causing loss
+ ~ 81, 200, partly covered 10y insur.
ancc. Thursday night. January IA,
1904. the big warehouse OF the com
+ pnny back q its store. Was consumed
with = loss Of $3.50 The next loss
Was the old warehouse owned by the
company at the rear Of Shallis'
grocery store. These fires, and that
under the kaesemeyer market, were
so ev idcntly inceudiary that the bnsi-
ness men and citizens determined
something must be done TO ferret out
the guilty parties.
During the years 1909, 1908 and
1904, a series % burRlaries were also
committed and petty stealing pre-
vailed 10 an extent that made IL Ger.
tain an organized gang was At work
committing the crimes. HedHl =
furniture store was twice burRlarized
and for one Of these crimes Herbert
Davis and William Russell were ar
rested. On the preliminary examina-
ton before Justice Chamberlin.
Russell was discharged for lack Of
evidence. The bearing Of Davis was
set for the next day and during the
night he was released from the city
jail hy unknown parties aud made
hts escape. The second burglary in
cluded uedal's store. the grocery
store Of Fred Shallis aud the White
House saloon. For these crimes nc
arrests were made, and while sus.
piciou pointed 20 some of the boys
now ia trouble, no evidence Was ever
produced TO connect them with the
same until the Press secured con.
fessiou from Arthur Golden. which
follows, duplicating Oscar Schneider,
IT,. William Russell. Herbert Davi,
aud Henry Smith as parties TO the
crimes. Golden's story as it appears
in this article covers period oil
crime unparalleled In the history oi
b the town aud exposes one Of the mosi
thoroughly organized gang Of young
outlaws that have caused reign oil
terror In any city of the west for 1
? number Of years, Their burglariei
aud iuoendiary acts were bold and
fearless, as the confession Of Colder
! shows, aud they seemed to look upof
the lurid flames with fiendish deligh
, a. they licked up the property o
E some citizen. The story of Colder
makes most interesting reading an,
e is told Ia his own language as fol
, lows;
81 had been stopping In Spokau
and returned TO Occur d'Alene abou
the first Of January, 1908. A fe'
days later went hunting at VOL
. Lodge with Oscar Schneider an,
upon reaching cabin at the head Q
: the bay, found Il occupied by vii
liam Russell, Herbert Davis an
Henry Smith We found game scare
and returned to town for provision
: with the intention OF spending ia
remainder Of the winter In the cabi
at the bay, a sort OF a dime move
life. We decided that the provision