The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1905-01-24
FORT is IN JAIL
#RRSN TIL CHARGE
-
Focal Contractor Arrested
Last Night on That
Serious Charge
SAYS he IS INNOCENT
Two Houses in Course of Construction
Burned Early Yesterday Morning.
indications Point to Guilt Of
Contractor.

}. 5. Fort, contractor who has been
Going work around Brunswick yor
some time. Is in Glynn county Jail on a
very serious charge -arson--and wb,,a
toe evidence seems to be some what
contradictory il is believed that the
nan is eithe. guilty himself or guilty
at emps@@ing some one to set fire n
two houses on lower union stroar
hich were il course OF constructors
aFd which We're almos completely de.
s'royed s.r,,... at az early houS yesterday
The department responded 10 =,
alarm yesterday morning between two
end three o'clock and before their a..
rival the two new houses, which ware
leing erected for Jas Prim and p
AoalIes. Fort having the contract. wero
toth enYeloped in flames. The ars
rad gained good beadway before tba
airiyal Of the department and It was
almost Impossible 70 extnRuisb tna
flames before The houses were DESTROY.
Gu 80 -
During tie FIRE rumors we're baara
ty those around that the houses bsd
been set on fire This ramor soon
reached the ears OF officers and thav
went to work on the case. Oaicer San,
coins having charge OF it.
A search for Contractor Fort revea,.
cd the fact tnat he was not in tas
city His wlte stated that he ,err
brunswick Sunday afternoon on the
10 train for Alapaha on recent Of
d telegram announcing the illness Of
ms - This story at first was not
believed
II was further learned that Fort had
offered Edward Kneils1n, one of the
carpenters at work on the house. $50
g burn the Two buildings. Kneilson
vas seen yesterday and confirmed the
story
IL IS understood that the contractor
vas behind with his laborers, that nc
aas been securing the money from the
'"nefs 70 pay OF the men but used
i for other purposes. According to A
statement of one of the employees ne
aid THAT he was IN a hole ana couId
not get out unless the two houses
ere burned, having builders insur.
3eee policy ipr about $500 with II. W.
Gale.
With all the reports it was believed
that Fort had himself applied ths
torch and then Skipped opr ofIers
Intended gong TO Alapaha TOR him last
night but Of,eer Coins wired 20 the
marshaI there and it was earned that
The contractor had left for Brunswick
He arrived in the city last night
oVer the Coast Line at $40 ana was
met by the officer who had a warrant
charging him with arson.
Denies the Story.
Fort seemed surprised when arrest.
led and told that the Two houses haa
bcen burned and he was charged with
the offense. lie denied making the
statement that was in a hole, or
tfat he offered one Of the men $50 TO
burn the houses. lie seemed greatly
surprised at the news Of the fire ana
did not take Yell to the idea OF going
to jail
AS stated by his wife, Fort claims
that he loft the city Sunday afternoon
lat 4:l0 for Alapaha owing to the III.
ress Of one OK tie members OF his
family The man. therefore. claims
that he can proye au alibi as It can
be very easily learned whether or not
he went out On the train mentioned.
However. even if he was out OF the
lefty, the officer believe that he employ
cd some one TO burn the houses ana
rope 10 prove this fact in the prelim.
mary trial, which will occur before
justice Fahm IN the course OF rev
days
It is the general impression that the
FIRE was the work Of an incendiary,