Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-02-09

confessed to the deed, took the officers
over the route of his escape and veri-
! fled all that had been related by Page
in his confession. He served one year
in the Columbus co., penitentiary for
his crime, justice having been side
tracked to some extent because he
turned states evidence and supplied
the officers with information which, in
part, resulted in the arrest and con-
viction of Morrison. who is now sery-
ing a sentence of 80 years in prison.
Jack Page, first in crime after Nor
rison, enjoys freedom because ne gave
Information of so much value in hunt
ing down the frebugs. A crippled old
man now, he does not hesitate to say
that he cannot begin to remember how
many houses he fired, and how many
dark and stormy nights he left his
home, with flaming torches, and sold
his manhood and soul for a few paltry
dollars, to be gained when the robbed
insurance companies paid the policies
on the buildings consumed.
At present Page is Willing away his
time with a secret service guard con-
stantly watching him, for members OF
the conspiracy have vowed to take his
life for the disclosures he made.
Fire Marshall Takes a Hand.
The first visit to West Unity of Walter
Payne, who was, during the iAvestiga-
ton. assistant fire marshal, Will never
be forgotten by him. 1t was by the
slightest chance that he ran into a
! shred of evidence which, followed up
from a hundred different directions,
finally brought the hoped-for results.
Clyde Persing, of West Unity, was in
debted to a Toledo firm in a rather large
amount, and, neglecting payment, he
was drawn upon. Hectored by the &C
ton in presenting a draft to him for pay
ment, Persing lost his temper, and
threw care to the winds. At that time
he conducted a small restaurant in a
building owned by Mrs. Winifred
Adolph. The night after the draft came
to him the restaurant burned. That was
in July of 1902. So bold was the action
of the man that it could not fail to
arouse the suspicion of Mr.. Payne, and,
within a few days, he visited the village.
He had not been there more than a few
minutes before his presence was tipped
off to the leaders of the gang. Homer
Morrison was there at the time, and his
trusty lieutenants made him aware of
the fact that the fire marshal was in the
village. Payne desired to talk with
Frederick Miller, the only banker of the
town, and who YVES the agent for nearly
all the insurance companies which had
policies placed in the vicinity. The mar
shall went to the bank, and, to his sur
prise, the brazen scout: sc:Nsiiy fol-
lowed him, in their attempt to learn the
exact nature of his business. Even Nor
rison, fearless because he thought his
dignity in the community protected him
from suspicion, listened with eagerness
to what the marshal said, and then en-
trusted the work Of shadowing Payne TO
less distinguished men in the profess
sion.
The officer finally succeeded in evad-
ing the fellows on his trail, and held a
long conference with Miller, and other
prominent men, who, he had learned,
had suffered because of their honesty in
refusing to participate in the depreda-
tions. From citizens of this class, he
learned much, and his suspicious that