The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-06-21
ODDFELLO sCORCHED
Work Of a Novice-Clumsy Attempt to
Open Safe--Hatchet Used to Pry
OFF Knob - Failure Suggests
Still Worse Crime.


IN y. @. A. Bowlby's office in the
T. o. o. r. building and to conceal the
crime by setting fire to the place, was
made sometime between the hours Of
II night before last and o'clock yes.
terday morning, and that the entire
building was not destroyed, j. due TO
the timely discovery. and good work
on the part Of the fire department.
II was 4 O'Clock a. m. when smoke was
seen coming from the window Of the
Office occupied by T. c. Curtis, on the
second floor, and the alarm rung in. The
department responded promptly. and a
line Of hose from the chamical was
quickly laid up the stairway, and the
door leading TO T. c. Curtis Office was
broken in At this time the pent up
smoke in the room, poured into the
hall in such dense volumes, that the
firemen were unable 10 remain and were
compelled to retreat down stairs. and
raise ladders to the windows. attacking
the flames from this quarter.
When the smoke had cleared away
from the inside somewhat. an entrance
was effected. and II was found that the
flames we're beneath the flooring and
seemingly came from the room occupied
BY J. Q. A. Bowlby, adjoining. By means
Of the chemical, and a stream of water,
the fire was extinguished, though not
until the contents OF Mr.. Bowlby's Office
had been almost totally destroyed. The
floor was burned away to such an ex-
tent that falling embers fell to the floor
Of the Astoria Savings Bank. and the
water deluged everything. though the
banks loss will not be very great; 500
probably being ample to cover the
damages.
The rooms occupied by F. d. Kuett-
ner and wife, in the front Of the build
ing, became filed with smoke, and this
together with the shouts of those out
side awoke them. An attempt to make
their way through the smokefilled hall
way. proved failure. and they were
forced to the windows. to escape the
sufTocating vapor An extension ladder
was raised, and all descended in safety.
The loss to Judge Bowlby will prob
ably be in the neighborhood of $500, and
TO the building perhaps $1,000.
When the fire had been extinguished
an investigation showed that the safe in
Judge Bowlby's Office had been tampered
with in vain and decidedly amateurish
attempt to break it open. The work
was evidently that of a novice, for the
combination dial had been pried off with
u chisel or some steel instrument, and
an effort made to drive the lock in; the
burglar evidently thinking that he could
open the safe this way. His attempt
however proved a failure, for he did not
open the safe.
Just how and why the fire started is
somewhat of u mystery, though it is
generally believed that it was the act
of the burglar after trying to open the
safe, thinking in this way to conceal
his work, As it is, the plan was lily
conceived. and badly carried out.
Sheriff Thomas Linville and Chief of
Police Gammel were soon on the ground
and in close conference on the subject
of the possible perpetrator and the re.
suit of their conclusions was the de-
tention of young Finnish law student
by the name of John Henry Johnson,
recent arrival from the East, who, upon
the recommendation of Editor Karinen,
of the Finnish paper in this city, was
permitted to enter the law office of
Judge Bowlby as law student for the
time being.
The facts that led to his detention
are as follows: He was the only per-
son, aside from the Judge himself, who
was in possession of a key to the office;
he was noticed on Tuesday afternoon
late, pacing up and down in front of
the Astoria Savings Bank, which is
situated Immediately under the offices
of Judge Bowlby, and was seen to peer
into the bank over the half drawn cur
tain of the front window; he was known
to have been in the office as late as
$3.50 o'clock on Tuesday evening; the
door, for which he held key, was found
to be unlocked when the place was in
spected yesterday morning. and upon
this hypothesis, he was taken, by Chief
Gammal, from his bed at $3.50 o'clock
yesterday morning and brought to the
scene of theft and arson, and while be.
ing interrogated by Sheriff Linville,
Chief Gammal and Officer Oberg, tainted
dead away on the stairs near the office
door. The sheriff concluded at once to