Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-04-12
TO BURN THEkTER
AND COURT HOUSE
This Was Part Of Plans Of the
College Boys Who Con-
Tess to Arson,
WAS q DELIBERATE CRIME
Elmer Jordan, Who After Being Cen
verted in Revival Meetings, Con-
f@eeses, and Richard Ereussh-
weller Are Held.

student, Richard B~ruesohweiler, We're
the incendiaries whose operations puz-
led the whole own as well as detectives
imported to solve the mystery, Is still
at high pitch here.
Jordan and Brueschweiier this after
noon waived examination and We're
bound over to the circuit court in bonds
of So, 900 each. Inasmuch as court con-
venes next week it is thought the young
men Wi rot try to get bail. They are
accused e. three counts of arson.
The minimum penalty for arson in
this state is from four to seven years
IN the pcnitentiary.
The confession of Jordan is the di-
rect result of the Methodist revival
meetings here, in which more than 4
score of the state university men We're
converted. He also claims to have had
a dream which strongly affected him.
First Told Their Pastor.
II Is learned that the boys first re-
lated the story of their crimes to their
pastor and it is thought his advice had
something to do with the public ad-
missions.
Both of the young men have been
kept locked in Jail, and no one has
been permitted to see them. States
Attorney Healy and Chief of Police
Sullivan have been very secretive re-
garding the details of the confession,
but your correspondent has secured
from an authoritative source the story
OF the operations of the youthful fire
bugs and their original plans, which
included the obstruction of the court
house and opera house, which they had
condemned along with other structures
in town as '~unsightly." The confess
sion in he main is as follows:
Planned to Burn.
Early last summer Jordan and
Brueschweiler got their heads together
and decided 1t would be a good thing
to rid the state university city of some
of the structures which We're none too
inviting in appearance. The first vic
tim of the frebugs was A. j. Charrlin's
blacksmith shop on east Main street.
After entering by Il window and firing
the structure they retreated across the
street to the Methodist church, enter
ing it with the aid of a key which the
latter had in his possession. Ten min
utes later when the fire was discovered
the building was in flames and even
before the firemen arrived was almost
a total loss. The loss on tools. machin-
cry and the like was about $500 and
the building was valued at s / 1900. max
Ing a total loss of $4,000 to Mr.. Charr-
lin, with no nsurance.
In the same manner West hail, the
young mems dormitory. was RACED by
fire on the morning of July 4. The
lAiitlil, II - dSSel l'd. WIS dDDalcu DIV
Brueschwei!er, as it was his turn at
the business. The night of July 8 was
the only one on which there had been
no occupant in West hall since the
closing of the university for the sum-
mel vacation. Professor l.. G.. Perisho
had been rooming there. but the day
before the Fourth was called away to
deliver AN GRAFTON. This was the OPP
portunity that Jordan and Bruesch-
weller had been waiting tor. Early on
the morning of July 4 they entered the
dormitory from the basement. and hav-
Ing gotten everything in readiness, APP
piled the match n hurried away.
No Chance to Save II.
The did a good job, for the flames
in ruins before many residents who
were awakened by the alarm could ar
rive on the scene. And thus vanished
the old brick structure which for so
many years had been dubbed by the
students as the old oap factory"
Besides the loss on the building.
which was valued at $50. 900. with s14.-
300 insurance. many students who were
20 return to the university in the fall.
and had left their bedding, books. etc,
lost everything. Baseball and football
uniforms and other paraphernalia went
up In smoke. Professor Perisho lost
his fine library. which he had moved
to West hall for the summer The other
building which was touched off was an
old tumbiedown cottage in East YER
million.
These are the three buildings which,
Jordan and ~Brueschweiler confess to
firing. a barn owned by S. T.. Brook
man burned a little later. and. though
undoubtedly the work Of al incendiary.
the young men now in jail DENY any
connection with that blaze.
The city authorities employed a de-
seetive. but his efforts to run down the
criminals were futile. During his STAY
not nother solitary fire was kindled.
and he went away feeling that he was
up against 1t.
Had Others on Condemned List.
The burning of West hall. Charrlin's
shop n the old cottage were only a
few of the structures that were to be
sent up by the fire route. The old court
house. against which so much COM
was on the list, as was also the store
building on Market street, occupied in
the early days by Nick Hansen. now
of Sioux City. In due time these were
to go.
The hardest proposition which con-
fronted II young men vas how to get
Gid OF the opera house. which to say the
least, Is not a very beautiful structure.
This Ia located in the business mort i'm
Of the city. and it was pretty risky
business. as the night policeman mad
regular trims neal the play house. Nv
using their wits. jordan and Bruesch.
weller contrivei n machine which
would go off at Il given time with the
aid OF electricity. That is. they thought
1t would. In some name entrance
20 the opera housc was gained and the
machine was placed directly under
meath the stage. But it failed to do
the business. The opera house did not
go down h a night. Soon. after Jordan
gained possession of the undestructive
machine and carried it away. A sec
n attempt was not made at this
building. else it would probably now
be in ashes.
B~ruesehweiler Does Not peny.
Such. in substance. s. the confession
Of Elmer Jordan. signed by him and
now in the hands of States Attorney
z. h. Healy. Brueschweiler was moi
8 party to the confession made In writ
ing. though he a not denied any or
Jordan's sworn statements. Since his
arrival in the city yesterday afternoon
he has not been seen by any one out
side of his partner III crime and on
GERS. The latter 10Y hat he is silent.