Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-11-10
Aaron Burkhart, Living Near
Boone, Finds Evidences Of Eff
fort to Burn Residence
FLAMES STARTED IN CELLAR
Quantities of Kerosene Poured Over
Sacks and Paper and Placed in Such
Position as to Readily Ignite Wood
work--Reward Offered for Arrests
Other News.
Special to Times-Republican.


Boone, Nov. 10.--Aaron Burkhart, a
prosperous and well known farmer of
Peoples township, this county. cas-
posted q notice offering a reward OF
$500 for the arrest and conviction of
the party or parties guilty of trying to
burn his residence Tuesday evening
Mr.. Rurkhart means business and il
the guilty parties can be apprehended
they are very sure OF term In the
penitentiary.
The notice of Mr.. Burkhart follows;
100000 Reward.
II will pay two hundred dollars re-
ward for the arrest and conviction or
the person or persons, who, on tie
evening of November 6, 1906, attempted
to burn my residence in Peoples town
ship, Boone county, Iowa, by saturasing
paper and other combustible material
in the basement with Kerosene and set
ting fire to the same. Dated Nov. >,
1906. Aaron Burkhart"
Mr. ,Burkhart was at first tempted to
over reward Of $1,000, but 1t was pre-
vailed upon him to reduce this to the
sum named above. Mr.. and Mrs.
Burkhart and son had left their home
about O'clock, leaving only the fam
lily dog about the premises. They did
not return until o'clock, but in driv-
ing UP to his home Mr.. Burkhart de-
tected an odor of kerosene and so re-
marked to his wife. However. he gave
the matter little thought, for when he
got near the house there was no odor
at all, the breeze blowing 1t in another
Mr.. and Mrs. Burlzhart retired and
early next morning Mrs. Burkhart went
to the cellar for some potatoes for
the morning meal She noticed that
the cellar doors were not as she had
left them, but thought that some one
had gone there for some fruit. She
secured the potatoes which were near
the door and returned, falling at this
time TO detect the odor. She again
went to the cellar for potatoes, this
time shortly before IL o'clock Wednes-
day. Throwing open the door and en-
tering into the room the smell of kero-
sene was very strong. She ran into
the open and called to her husband.
They together visited the cellar and
found there ample evidence of the at
tempt 10 Destroy their home. The cell
lar is under the kitchen and under the
joists fastened in the bridge work was
found portions of sack, and some
paper which had been thoroughly sat
urated with kerosene. The sack was
the kind cement is purchased in and
after being saturated had fallen to the
floor below onto wooden plank which
was partially burned. The rock dust
in the sack had smothered the fire
before 1t had time to spread The kerr
osene was found in large quantities
and plainly showed that whoever the
guilty parties were they We're determ-
ined 10 destroy the home. Mr.. Burk-
hart found some partly burned match
es. three i'm number. Nothing else was
left except the remains Of the fire. The
parties had touched nothing in the cell
lar and had not gone near the wood
shed, where they could have secured
quantity of shavings etc, to aid them
in this work. The fire had been built
directly beneath the kitchen stove, this
being done with the evident purpose
of conveying the idea, in case the fire
succeeded in burning, that it had been
caused by the fire from the stove.