The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-08
WORK OF AN
 INCENDIARY Jury Finds 'sSharnrock'' Was Set on Fire. UNABLE TO FIX THE BLAME Report Is Incomplete for Lack of
 Evidence.
UNABLE TO FIX THE BLAME
The Fuii Report Is Not Made Public But Is Is Believed To Be
 Important.

After having made thorough in- vestigation of the fire that destroyed the saloon of Alderman J. J. Sullivan at SPA McDonough street on tho morn ing of December 30. the fire commis- sion especially appointed for the in- work and has made a report to Sheriff Hood and to the Insurance Depart ment of the State. Although the mem bers of this jury or commission worked earnestly on the case ever since it convened on December 31. no definite decision has been reached although the full testimony of every witness is now in the hands of Hon. Frank Julian. State Insurance Commissioner. The jury has adjourned for the time being but the members are ready to arewer a call from the foreman that may come at any time.
 Sheriff Hood handed the fun report of the finding of the jury to Capt. A. c. Sexton. Deputy Insurance Commis- sioner, late yesterday afternoon and as it has not been gone over thoroughly by the State authorities last night the contents were not made public. Never theless 1t Is known by a letter of Sheriff Hood accompanying the re- port that it was found that the fire was of incendiary origin but as yet the jury is unable to fix the blame. That the matter will be taken up again and everything possible done to solve the mystery Is evident.
 The letter of the Sheriff which &C., companied the report was in part as follows:
 made on December 3f last to investi- gate the fire in the Shamrock Saloon owned by J. J. Sullivan in this city I appointed jury commission composed of Col. W. B. Jones. c. A. Lanier and w. D. Brown with w. H. Rives as clerk and Pat McGauly as stenogra- pffUr.
 "In their report to me made this day, and enclosed herewith, the jury have very clearly set forth their find ings and 1t will be observed that the jury is firmly of the conviction that the store was set on fire but declined after a vigorous and searching inves- ttgation to express an opinion as to the motive of the incendiary, wheth CT 1t was done for robbery 10 conceal the crime or for other motives.
 With the view of getting the CO., operation of the police department in ferretinE out the criTlpals the Jury not only had the chief of police and sub- crdirates as witnesses but by request of the jury the chief of police and MT. Payne. one of his detectives, remained with the Jury during their very search ing examination of many of the lead- ing witnesses. The police department are now pursuing the investigation as is the sheriffs cepartment.
 Tn view of all the facts brought out in the examination the jury did not see it to n;slse final adjournment but ndtourned subject to the call of the foreman. It will hs seen that the jury urges the police cepar srDent to c~n- tinue to investigate and to also recom- mend that the grand jury make an in- vestigation."
 It can be clearly determined from Mir. Hoods letter tfar owing to some evidence being missing which no doubt the jurors would lik e to have obtained the jury was unable to place the blame on anyone.
 It is surn.;s d tha. evcn though the blame of the incendiarism Is not really placed on burglars or anyone else in the report handed MT. Sexton that nevertheless there are some statements that border on the sensational in the document. It is barely possible that the matter may again be investigated by the grand jury that convenes next month.
 Now that this investigation has ceased the county and city authorities will not stop their work on the case but they will pursue the same methods they have employed in the past week and will in every manner try to place the blame of this fire on the right party. It seems tha the authorities have had to deal with incendiarism several times in the past two years and that they want to push this case to the limit, find the guilty person or persons and deal with them as an ex- ample to other culprits who might use