Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1906-07-20
HAS
LOS CALL
The Gem Stables Partly
Burned----Lee Buncell IS
Arrested For Starting the
Fire.

The block on the south eide Of the
railroad and west OF Henderson's bank
had a narrow eecape last night FROM
beng entirely destroyed by a lire that
broke out in Young & Miller's hay barn
about n quarter past 8 o'clock. The
splendid work OF the fire boys and the
absence OF any wind saved that block il
not the entire southern part Of the.town
from complete destruction.
The fire WINS first seen by Knox Crane
who was getting ready TO retire when
he saw a light in the hay barn a few
rods vest Of his house. He went
10 the yard fence and looked at the light
and thinking it was someone in the
barn feeding his team started to
enter the house. On looking around he
saw a blaze shoot up and Immediately
gave the alarm. This was taken up 10y
others and in a very ehort epace OF time
Hose Company Mo- was on the ground
and had the hose connected with the
hydrant near the nose house. The boys
OF Nc. had considerable farther TO
run with their cart. but they were on
the ground and had a stream of water
on the lire in a very short time after the
alarm wa given. Assistant Chief Joe
Harris in the absence OF Chief Hender.
son, took the management Of the fire
and a ably assisted by the foremen,
tireboys and citizens.
BY the time the two streams we're got
on the fire. it was under a good Roadway
the oorrail and the block, world be
destroyed. But the good work OF the
hose companies confined the tire in a
limited space and it was soon ex-
ting uiahed.
Tho fire is generally believed to he
the work OF Lee Buncell, a iirebug. a
very short time before the fire Knox
Crane and his family were sitting on the
porch OF his residence, facing the rail-
road, when they saw two men come out
Of the alley back Of the INDEPENDENT
office. One Of them, u lnr9e man carried
a lantern. and the two went to the bridge
in the middle Of the atreet and stopped.
They talked there awhile and then
crossed the, street to the Smith Com
pany's wagon shed and walked along the
shed and seemed to be closely eXamin.
ing it. The short man hen left and the
large man started down the street in
front of Mr.. Cranes toward the barn
that was burned. MIR. Crane watched
him and saw him go around tho corner
OF the barn and come back and enter
the gate leading into the corrall. a
few minutes after ward Mr.. Crane saw
the fire and gave the alarm. Just after
he gave the alrem he saw the same man
come out VI the alley back OF the INDIE
PENDENT Office, cross The street and
stand and wave Il lantern. While Mr..
Crane cannot positively identity
Buncell as the man he saw enter the
corrall and come out Of the alley after
the fire, he is pretty suite that il WIS q
man Of Buncell's siz, and build. Garnet
CowlinG saw Buncell run OUT Of the
corrall with n lantern just before the
alarm was given. Mr.. Young alsn saw
the man running, but did not recognize
him. Mr.. Covert nleo saw Buncell in
the CORRAL.
After the fire. suspicion centered on
Buncell and the officers begnn to look
for him. He was finally found by
Deputy Constable Miller in his room in
the old Dorsey house, just cast OF the
| Of hla nnina U1N., rHoaH ,,,nt - a.,
door and raped and called, but there
was no respond. He then broke in the
door and Buncell WIS IN bel fast asleep,
or pretend my to be so. lie WINS
finally awakened and, before anything
was said to him, said: 4Boys, you've
got the wrong man. I didn't do it," He
was told to dress himself and was the
taken to the Jail and locked up. A com
plant, charging HIM with the crime OF
arson, was made before Judge Bruce
this forenoon and the preliminary OK.
animation will DO held rs 1901 as Dis
trict Attorney Williams returns.
Buncell, who Ia "a blacksmith, has
been working for Mr.. BellinQer the last
few monthe. The chop ia near The Gem
Stables and Buncell hung around there
a good deal. He hos u map la for start,
ing fires aud has been arrested once OF
twice in Reno for the offense he Is nov
charged with.
Tho burned building belopge1 to c
f.. Mayer and no estimates his losa a
about SlOO, The contenta ~ tho harm
consisting Of seveIal tons Of hay and tw,
or three sets Of harness, were destroyed
Young & Miller who run the stables esti
their loss at shout sl00, There was n,
insurance on the building or contents