davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-02-22

cess baggage" Morrison said, and Paee
never forgot the insult. He left with
the parting admonition that he would
some day get even, and he has, for Nor
rison is serving in the penitentiary, and
a score of his cronies have. been indicted,
a dozen found guilty and sent to prison.
while Page breathes free air, and will
probably live the rest of his days outside
Of prison walls.
The barriers in the way OF confession
by Page were broken by Jim Saunders.
a respected West Unity man. Saunders
and Page were boys together, when they
left England, the country of their birth.
to try their fortunes in America. Saun-
ders grew up in the straight and narrow
path, living as he had been taught to
live. Page forgot the good teachings Of
his youth. The officers got the two men
together, Saunders we'll posted as to his
duty. He resolved to do all he could to
assist In wringirg confession from the
old hrebug. But this at first seemed to
be useless, for Page, wary to the last,
evaded the efforts to get at the truth.
Arrest of Page was finally necessary,
and he was taken to Toledo, where the
sweatbox was to be tried on him. Saun-
ders accompanied him. The good man
denounced the firebugs, talked of the
days of long ago, when both stood on the
threshold, with an even chance at the
world. They had reached nearly the ale
lotted three score and ten. The one was
an honest man; the other YVES a criminal
OF the worst type. A few rounds of drinks
In the Widdell hotel brought out admis-
slons from Page. Then he confessed to
some of his actions and asked Saunders
advice.
Tell the whole truth, you can't afford
to lie, now, Jack" said Saunders, and
rage, seeing an opportunity to make
good the threat of vengeance upon his
former pals, disclosed so much that q
conference with the fire marshal was
arranged.
A man, conscious of the fact that his
criminal operations are even partially
known to those in authority, and wish
ing to bring upon his partners in crime
the punishment he had already suffered.
is easy picking for detectives. Thus It
was that Page, the stole, revealed the
inner workings of the gang which had
terrorized the community for years.
Names were mentioned, and when the
disclosures were substantiated by fur
Their investigation, the grand juries OF
Williams and Fulton counties were kept
busy for months, indicting men connect
ed with the conspiracy.
Number OF Fires Unknown.
Nobody knows how many fires were
caused by the torches of these criminals.
The number is more than a hundred. but
mere accurate count than that has not
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-02-22

Observation-Disclosures Ohio, with its
pretty farms and prosperous lanGown-
ers, is nearing the end OF a reign OF
terror of 30 years, during which Tune a
gang Of incendaries, hungry for sud-
den wealth, have desecra ed its beauty
with flaming torches, and committed
almost every crime on the calendar,
from the smallest burglary to attempt
ed murder.
Criminal history tells no story of
events so bloodcurGling as those
which have shocked the residents Of
this section in the last quarter century
The widest dime-novel dreamer could
hardly imagine so terrible melOGrama
as has been acted by this conspiracy
OF mercenary firebugs. Revelations
made III the past few weeks, by confess
sion, ard investigation by state Off
GERS, are so startling as to be almost
unbelievable. Against ore man have
been returned - indictments, against
another there are ten and lucky indeed
is the member of the organization who
escaped with only single true bill,
for the work of the state has been thor
ough and the laws firm hand has been
laid with unrelenting vigor on those
known to be connected with the organ
ization.
Only q Beginning.
With the 40 or more indictments,
however, 1t is believed that only a
good beginning has been made. Deep
under the surface, it is known that
more disclosures, still more startling,
are to come. Those men effected by
investigation now completed, fully con-
scious that their long terms in prison
will effectually prevent them from par
dcipation in more work, have shown
@ disposition to tell at least some of
the secrets, and, with the aid of these
admissions, Williams and Fulton coun-
ties. where the more exciting events
have transpired, are determined to
punish all the guilty, and remove the
stain Of dishonor which has been made
upon them by their hardness in ferret
ing out the criminals.
Thirty years ago, Jack Page, one of
the most daring and notorious of the
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-02-22

Arrested George Letcher, Alleged
Incendiary, Now on Trial.
been kept. The insurance companies
have paid, 1t is estimated, more than
S1,500,000 to the members of the gang.
Homer Morrison and Jack Page were
indicted nearly dozen times, principal
ly for arson. April 2, 1873. they burned
Morrison's home, and got the insurance.
Morrison hired Page for that job. A lit
tie later, Page was duped into burning
John Keller's property, west of West
Unity. Then Keller, trapped because he
employed Morrison to do the dirty work.
was forced into the gang, and he became
one of the worst of the lot He was in
dicted several times for aiding Morrison
and Page. October Is, 1903, he pleaded
guilty to arson, and served year in the
penitentiary.
Waldo Ely, Morrison, Wesley Ship
man and Frank Colon, all of whom par.
ticipated in the attempt on Samuel Ay.
ers' life, were indicted. Morrison got
ten years in the penitentiary, Shipman
two, and Ely one
In 1895, new men were taken into the
fold, and their work resulted in the in
dictment Of Harry Kirkendall, William
Bonner, Freddie Bowman, Charles
Smith, William Davidson, and a half
dozen others. Most of them confessed.
and were given sentences ranging from
one to four years in prison. William
Matthews was another of the later day
criminals. He was sentenced to serve
two years. Newton Omey, Jackson
Swisher, Charles Hultzberg and one or
two more are still at large, having fed
from the state. They have remained
away, fearing to take the consequences
CT their actions.
Even with the excellent work already
accomplished, the state believes 1t has
not done its full duty. More prominent
men are to be dragged from their high
pinnacle in society, and their work of
the past exposed to the putlic view.
Some have ceased to be active particle
pants in the saturnaliua of crime, and
are leading respectable existences. But
their reformation will not carry them
through the present storm Of justice.
They must answer for their misdeeds,
and the confessions, being made almost
daily, viii cause their downfall, and
none but their disgraced families can en-
JOY the fruit Of their III gotten wealth
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-02-22

lected only after the greatest efforts.
Now and then, indications would ap-
pear on the surface of what was really
happening, and it was from these small
clues that the detectives finally I'M
earthed the chief conspirators and
turned them over to the law for pun
ishment
OF this gang of fearless criminals,
Homer Morrison, once a respected son
of well-to-do parents, was the leader.
His cunning brain devised most of the
daring jobs during the long years he
and his pals worked, unmolested, burn
ing any building for which the owner
paid the required fee Once a man
employed the arsonists to transact
business, he was in their mesbes, for,
if he was not aware that he was just
as liable to punishment as if he had
applied the torch, he was so informed.
and thus became an addition to the
ranks
The Killing of Ayers.
1t was Morrison's avarice that re-
suited in the concoction of a plot to
kill Samuel Ayers, November 27, 1897.
Ayers was a wealthy cattleman, who
lived near West Unity, small village
in Williams county. The old fellow
was peculiar, believed everybody his
friend, and feared harm from 20 one
Every Friday, as regularly as that day
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-02-22

drebugs, was a young man, possessed
of a valuable farm and surrounded by
friends who wished him only pros
perity. Homer Morrison, also young
and well-to-do, was his neighbor
Whatever induced these two boys to
leave the Puritanic path laid out for
them by Christian parents cannot be
explained, except in their greed for
gold. But the desire to defraud came,
and 25 years elapsed before it was
satiated. Gathering as clansmen ap-
parently honest and respectable farm
ers, the gang pursued its course, STOP
ping at nothing, making insurance
companies its prey, and bouncing upon
them ever, lime an occasion presented
itself
Working as honored men by day.
they became the yilest desperadoes by
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-02-22

L AAoe tue rlreOuSS Are Beng Tried.
neishbor for fear that he would thus
ADDRESS member Of the organization
and SO jeopardize. not only his prop
erty, but the lives of himself and fam
iiy So high in social standing were
the criminals that their identity was
unknown, except in the inner circle.
once a building was fired, he who ap-
Piled the flames was covered with the
garb of good citizenship, and even the
bravest feared to point at him the fin
ger OF suspicion, for such meant speedy
revenge. A remark by one boastinc
farmer resulted in the burning of his
barn the same night.
Task Of State Officers.
To hunt down such a lot of beings
was the task, of state officers. The un-
dertaking was known to be. big and
fraught with peril. Evidence was COL
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
FORTY FIRES IN CHICAGO.
HREMEN FOUGHT FLAMES ALL
NIGHT WITH MERCURY BE-
LOW ZERO.
Brevet Hotel Burned Entailing Loss
of S25,00O-Five Firmen Injured
and Many People Suffer From
Cold.

Chicago, Feb. 14.-Fire broke out
in the Hotel Brevet at 2:30 o'clock
this morning and the building was
gutted by 1880. The loss is fully a
quarter of a million. The 800 guests
had a narrow escape, but all are be-
lieved to have been safely removed.
Five firemen were injured.
Shortly after the full strength Of
the fire dapertment had hurried to the
Hotel Brevet alarms were turned in
from 105 West Monroe street and
from Clinton and Adams street where
high Office buildings were burning.
Alarms were being turned in from all
over the city. Forty small fires We're
fought successfully during last night,
but nearly all entailed great suffering
to a large number of people. The
thermometer was 90 below zero last
night.
The five firemen who were injured
were in the hotel barrooni throwing
wafer on the flames vixen the cast
W all of the hotel fell. All We're injured,
hitt none seriously. The failing wall
struck the LaSelle street theatre and
damaged the building to the extent of
$4,000.
All car lines from the North Side
are tied up and half million persons
are kept from work. Public and city
telephone systems are defective as
result Of the fire. A great number Of
the guests climbed down the fire es-
capes and many suffered from expos
ure.
The Muller building on Clinton
street was burned entailing @ loss of
S15O,OOO.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
PRESIDENTS DAY IN NEW YORK.
Was up Early and Received Many of
Former Friends.

New York, Feb. 14.-In spite Of the
fact that it was past 1 o'clock when
the president got to bed he was up
early this morning and after break
fast read the morning papers, after
which he received number Of family
friends who dropped in to see him at
the home of his brother-in-law, Mr..
Douglas Robinson. 422 Madison av-
enue At 1870 the president took lunch
con at the University club and was
introduced informally to club mem
bers. The luncheon, however. was
strictly private. The rest OF the day
was spent quietly until evening. when
he was the guest of honor at the an
nual banquet Of the Hugarian Repub-
lican club at Little Hungary on the
East Side. Unusual and elaborate ar
rangements to safeguard the chief
magistrate are being made by police
while he is in the densely populated
tenement house district.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
The PRESIDENTS New YORK TRIP.
LINCOLN DAY ADDRESS SAID TO
BE LOADED.
Prediction Made That His Speech To-
night Will Cause More General
Discussion Than Any Other
Speech He Has Made.

Washington, Feb. 13.-President
Roosevelt, accompanied by Mrs.
Roosevelt, Secretary and Mrs. Taft,
Mrs. Cowles and Mr.. and Mrs. Emlin
Roosevelt, left for New York at 10
o'clock this morning via Pennsylvania
railroad. Arriving in New York about
3 o'clock the president will be es-
corted to the New York Republican
club, where he Will meet the mem
bers Of the organization.
He will remain at the club until
time for the clubs Lincoln Day ban
quet at the Waldorf this evening. At
the banquet the president will make
an address that will probably attract
more general discussion than: any that
he has delivered since he became
president.
After the address. he will attend
the Press club banquet at the New
Astor Hotel. On Tuesday evening he
will be the guest Of honor at the din
ner Of the Hungarian Republican club.
He will return to Washington after
this dinner.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
HEADS TOO HARD.
That's Why jeff Does Not Like Negro
Fighters.

Memphis, Tenn, February r.
Southern citizens who have their own
ideas on the race question called on
Champion Jeffries today and offered
their congratulations on his stand in
barring black boxers from the list of
possible opponents. It was the chan-
pion's first visit to Memphis and the
reception given him caused him to
make a short speech, in which he said
that he was still carrying bruised
knuckles from coming in contact with
the head of Bob Armstrong. the ne
gro heavy weight, in a fight several
years ago. He said that a negro's head
was hard as a rams horn and he did
not care to show his boxing powers
against such class Of people
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
BLIZZARD IN NORTHWEST.
In Texas the Loss to Cattlemen Will
Reach Several Hundred Thcus-
and Dollars.

Kansas City, NO., Feb 12.-Reports
tonight from Missouri, Minnesota,
Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Dakotas,
northern Texas, Indian Territory, Ar
kansas and Oklahoma say that unusu-
ally cold weather prevails In Omaha
the Thermometer registered 16 de-
grees below zero at o'clock tonight.
High winds prevail in many localities,
difting the snow badly and delaying
railroad traffic in all directions. From
Oklahoma and Indian Territory word
comes that the temperature today was
below zero in several places and
ranged at zero all day. From all
parts of the two territories come &C.
counts Of suffering and death as the
result of the sudden blizzard which
began yesterday. The territory is
covered with a coat Of snow and ice
ranging in depth from three to eight
inches and this Will serve as a pro-
lection to the wheat and fruit crops,
but the live stock and in some in
stances the people of the territories
are suffering severely.
Cattlemen say that range stock will
suffer, the greatest loss in years. Great
anxiety is felt for the Indian tribes,
who are in no condition to Withstand
the storm.
{: In northern Texas the worst bliz-
zard in ten years. with the thermom-
eter at zero and below, prevails. Com
ing so soon after the recent blizzards
when snow lay on the ground for 10
Gays, this severe weather will inflict
hundreds of thousands of dollars in
losses on cattlemen.
In Fergus Falls, Mimi, the United
States government thermometer reg
istered 3S below zero today.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
PREsIDAT ROOSEVELT RAGING.
HE PIGEON-HOLES THE AIsBI-
TRATION TREATIES.
FuriousIy Angry With Senate Because
1t Dared to Amend the Treaties
Negotiated BY Him.

Washington, Feb. 13.-Before
President Roosevelt left for New
York this morning he instructed Sec
retary Hay to pigeon-hole the arbitra-
ton treaties which were amended by
the senate on Saturday over his pro-
test, and despite his threat made in
his letter to Senator Cullom. Secretary
Hay this morning in reply to numer-
Gus inquiries by representatives of the
press made, in substance, the follow
ing statement:
President Roosevelt regards the
matter Of general arbitration treaties
as concluded by the action of the SEN
ate Saturday. He is unable to present
them in this altered form to the
countries with which we have been in
negotiations.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
PARLIAMENT OPENS.
King Edward to Deliver Speech From
the Throne at 2 O'clock.

London, Feb. 14-Parliament open
Ell today and the, usual and custom
ary scramble forsseats followed which
is characteristic of the opening. Tie
real opening will occur at p. H..
when King Edward starts proceedings
with his speech from the throne.
A heavy rain made the Mall damp
and dirty, but a large crowd gathered
and gave the king and queen an en-
thusiastic ovation as they drove to
the house from Buckingham palace.
The king and queen reached the house
of lords at p. m. and the king be-
gan his speech 20 minutes later. His
speech touched on current events and
contained nothing startling.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
SOUTH. CAROLINA NEWS.
Items Of Interest Condensed and Par
agraphed for Quick Reading.

Two members of the Columbia po-
lice force resigned last week.
The school children Of McCalls have
started a movement to raise funds to
erect a monument to the memory of
Emily Geiger, the Revolutionary he
roine.
Mr.. S. O. Linder, of Columbia had
his. left leg broken Saturday by the
kick OF horse.
is reported that Darlington is to
have new bank with 5000, 600 capital.
Not a single sack if fertilizer was
sold to farmer in Lancaster during
January.
The new passenger depot in Spar
tanburg has been completed.
Regular service on the Anderson
street railway begins this week.
Marion Parr was tried for the MUIR
der of Clarence Shealey in Columbia
Saturday and found guilty, the jury
being out only twenty minutes.
Pat Cummings, a workr an on the
new steel bridge over the Catawba
river near Fort Mill was found dead
beside the track Saturday, with his
skull crushed.
Mai. Micah jenkins of Columbia
will form one of:the guard of horror
for President Roosevelt in the inaugu-
raj parade. The guard will be COM
posed of Rough Riders.
F. G. Trefzer, of Union. pros
porous and respected jeweler disap-
peared several days ago and no trace
Of him can be found.
John Bowen, colored was stabbed
to death by a fellow workman in
Charleston Saturday night.
The fifteen months old daughter of
Mr.. J. Lucius Brown, of Darlington.
fell into the fire Monday and was seri-
opsly burned.
A through fast freight train has
been put on by the Seaboard Air Line
to run between Charleston and Bir-
mingnam, and cut of II bours has
been made in the freight schedule be-
tween these two points. The train
will be what is termed red bail"
freight, and will make the time of
fast passenger service.
Waddy T. McFall. a prominent citi-
zen OF Pickens. died Sunday after
noon. He leaves wife, four sons and
three daughters. He was success
full merchant, was mayor of PichenS
and president of the Bank of Pickens.
Saturday Mrs. F. T. Brown, with
an infant and fourteen-year-old daugh-
ter, we're riding in buggy across the
bridge over Fairforest, near Spartan
burg. The horse slipped on the ice
and buggy. horse and the riders all
went down in the stream. The baby
was well wrapped, and as the water
was not very deep, Mrs. Brown speed
lily rescued it. The buggy was broken
and the horse considerably bruised.
Mrs. Brown sustained no serious inju-
ry. The daughter and baby were not
hurt.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
NEW JUDGES ELEcTEp,
alen,n,inger of Charleston and Prince
of Anderson the Choice of the
Legislature.

Columbia, Feb 1.-THE election
for a judge for the new low country
Ninth circuit between r. w. Memmin-
ger, of Charleston, and William J
Fishburn, Of Colleton resulted in a
sweeping victory for Mr.. Memmingec
by vote Of 10 to 40.
The race for Judge of the new
Tenth up country circuit was close
and exciting. 1t was between Mr..
Thomas P. Cothran, of Greenville and
Mr.. Geo. E. Prince, of Anderson. For
a new man Mr.. Cothran mac, q fine
race. The vote was Prince 50. Goth
ran 50 Mr.. Prince was ele:,::.l.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
GUARDED BY THOUSAND COPS
The Visit CT President Roosevelt 80
Ncw York Cabs for Unusual
Proceedings.

New York. Feb IA thousand
policemen have been detailed to pro-
tect the president during his stay in
New York THIS IS probably due to his
intention OF visiting Little Hungary"
Which is on the East Side He is to
attend the Hungarian Republican
clubs banquet there. It is the first
time any president OF the United
States has ever visited the foreign
quarter cf New York. where reside
100000 persons of various national
ties. The East Side is in high state
OF eXultation over the honor.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
ST PETERSBURG QUIET.
Putiloff Works Where Strike Origi-
mated to Resume Tomorrow.

St. Petersburg, Feb. 13.-The strike
situation continues quiet according
to a. placard posted by the managers
of the Putiloff Works. Work will be
resumed there tomorrow. There are
now four other factories in st. Paters-
burg idle.
Constantinople, Feb. 13.-sultan
Abdul Hamid fearing an anti-Russian
demonstration, has asked that the
Australian, which is conveying Gen
eral Stoessel and. staff back to Russia
shall proceed through the Bosphorus
without stopping:
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
TWINS.
Tripiets and Quadrupiets Are the
Rule in the Family Of Mrs. Sur
rett, OF lroGton.

An Irontoc, Chic. dispatch to The
Cincinnati Enquirer says: Mrs. Roxy
Ann Surrett, wife OF William Scrcettz
of this city, who recently gave birth
to quadruplets. comes from a family
in which four sets OF twins, two sets
OF quadruplets and three sets Of trip
lets have been born. Her mother gave
birth to quadruplets at the age Of z5-
All Of them died, as have Mrs. Sur
rett's. Her twin brother, Robert
Brown. of Gallipolis. Ohio, is the
father OF a pair OF twins now living
and tr;plets TWO Of whom still I've
Her sister. Mrs John O. Curtis. OF
Virginia. is the mother OF a pai1, OF
twins nov living. and two sets Of trip
lets, all dead. Another brother, Jack
Brown. is the father of two pairs OF
twins. all OF whos:l are now living
Mrs. Su:-ett is only % years of age,
was married about q year ago, and
the quadrup}ets we're hey first chill
dren.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
PENNSYLVANIA MURDERESs
Gov. Pennypacker VIII Not Interfere
With Death Sentences Unless. .oard
Of Pardons Recoh,inena.It.

Harrisburg, Pa-.Reb. 14-Governor
Pennypacker. says! he will take no ac-
ton in the cases Of Samuel Greason
and Mrs. Kate Edwards until after
the board Of pardons, which meets
tomorrow, has passed upon the ap-
plication of the woman for commu-
tation Of the death sentence. He init
mates that if the board recommends
executive clemency for the woman for
a rehearing he will recall the death
warrant
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-15
CRANK TO SEE PRESIDENT.
A Harmless Old Man Called to Discuss
Reforms in Government.

New York, Feb. 14.-An old man.
giving~t name of William Waldorf
Jackson, Jr., claiming to be the pro-
prietor of the Hotel Manhatton, Low
ell. Mass, called to see the president
at the Robinson home this morning.
Secret service men sent him away az
ter they learned that he wished to
confer with the president as to re-
forms in the government and that he
was a self-nominated candidate for
president Of the United States in 1896,
1900 and 1904. The man was not ar
rested as he appeared harmless.