The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-10

his manhood and soul for a few paltry
dollars, TO be gained when the robbed
insurance companies paid the policies
on the buildings consumed.
Al 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 investiga- |
ton. assistant fire marshal will never /
be forgotten by him. II was By the |
slightest chance that he ran into a
shred Of evidence which. followed up
I from a hundred different directions
I finally brought the hoped-ior results
Clyde Persing. Of West Unity. was in
Y debted 10 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 Al that time
he conducted small restaurant in a
building owned By Mrs. Winlfred
Adolph The night after he draft came
TO him the restaurant burned That was
in July Of 1902 So bold was the action
of the man that il could rot fail 70
arouse the suspicion Of Mr.. Payne. and
within a few days. he visited the village
lie had not been there more than q few
minutes before his presence was tipped
off to the leaders of tho gang. Homer
Morrison was there at the time, and his
trusty lieutenants made him aware OF
the fact that the fire mars hal was in the
village. Payne desired 10 talk with
Frederick Miller. the only banker Of the
town. and who was the agent for nearly
all the insurance companies which had
policies placed in the vicinity. The mar
shall went 10 the bank, and, 10 his sur
prise. the brazen scouts actually 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
10 what the marshal said, and then en-
trusted the work OF shadowng Payne 20
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-
lions. From citizens OF this class. he
learned much and his suspicious that
the restaurant fire was Of an incendiary
nature were strengthened.
But. to his great surprise he was un-
able to get one Of the men assembled
there to mention the name Of a single
person who might. possibly. be con
nected They actually feared the con
sequences that would come, when it wa'
discovered that they gave Information
| Appeal 10 their manliness was unavail
] ing. They were thoroughly ccwed b.
| the threats. They feared their live
would be the forfeit for divulging an.
Of their secrets. Payne pointed out IN
seriousness Of the crime of arson. an
showed them the criminal statutes, pro
viding imprisonment for 20 years. c
convicted firebugs. but they still refuse
10 talk but related events of the pas
and described how the gang had sue
ceeded. even at elections. to poll vote
enough TO land candidates VINO woul
not prosecute them.
~ Policy Of the Citizens.
!. Such was Payne's first visit TO n
~ actual scene Of operations. lie left di'
!, gusted with the men who posed as rel
- resentative citizens of the communit.
- But his subsequent visits changed b
- mind lie understood. after learning a
- about the manner Of men who were d.
- ire the dastardly work. why IT was pc
4 icy for law abiding citizens TO keep the
:. mouths closed when he Law oftre
Of them so little protection.
he That was the proposition TO be workc
ve out. and the necessity of keen detectiN
dv work was at once apparent
"A With a problem Of this magnitud
H. expenditure Of much money is nece
of sarv and when Payne reported his fin
MS ines and suspicious u the state depar
III mert in Columbus il was al cnce q
,s- cided that funds should be provided.
no II Hollenbeck was detailed TO assist
in the work. and. from Toledo and Brya
IN the work was carried on nor for Gays
,re weeks. or months but for years.
al Jack Page Confeases.
i'm Luck favored the officers. Uufc
ad tnnate Jack Page-his declining yea
nd rendering him unfit for active service
he was in the way OF the younger membe
ne ~ theeang They resolved 70 put him Q
ir- of the way Murder was out q q
Of question. so he was hired to burn ba
ere IN Michigan. and Morrison, still posses
lck ing the sagacty OF his younger years.
SIS arranged things that the officers fro
lad Michigan had an easy task 70 ira
Of PAGE from the barn 70 his home in Oh
lu- There they found a set Of harness n
ty PAGE had stolen from the destroy
barn. and he was caught almost r.
49, handed In the Michigan courtroom
~ was an object of pity Seine investif
,ra tion had been made. and IL YVES kno'
n. that the captured man was but one o