Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1908-04-16
The Men in JaiI.

AS we promised last week that we
would investigate the case of the
men in Jail charged with burning
the six box cars at Fowler on the
night of March 81 and state the
facts in the case as near as we could
learn them and would criticise any
one who was found guilty of any
thing wrong in connection with the
arrest and detention of the said
men. Upon investigation we learn
that these two men in company with
a third party were seen to get out of
car which was in the train which
was on fire and that one made his
escape while the two that are being
held did help the men who came
down fir rom town to pull the remain
ing cars away from the burning
ones. The train consisted of about
80 cars and had pulled into Fowler
from the west about 8 O'Clock that
evening and the engine being brok-
en- down was compelled to leave the
train on the siding at that place and
pull out for repairs. The train
crew were asleep in the caboose and
were awakened by the alarm several
hours afterwards. The theory was
that these two with the one man
who escaped had built fire in one
of the cars and in some way it got
beyond their control and that when
this occurred they got out and got
into another car to avoid suspicion
when the people from Fowler came
down to the depot to move the cars
away from the alfalfa mill which
for time seemed to threaten this
structure. At any rate the men
were held and with their consent
waited until Thursday at which time
a railroad detective came from the
east and with the circumstances the
county attorney thought they should
1pe held for a preliminary examin-
alton during which time the detec-
tive thought he could locate the
third man who escaped. Accord
ingly they we're brought down to
Meade at the request of the county
attorney for convenience and COM
plant was filed and sworn to by the
detective E. G. Voiles on April srd
before Justice Stamper and war
rant was issued on the same day
directed to the sheriff who served
the same on the men and they stat
ed that they could not give bond
and asked to be sent to jail and
consequently a commitment was
issued. AT this time the prelimin-
airy was set for Wednesday the 18th
of April. AS far as we can learn
the law was thoroughly complied
with by Co. Atty. Sullivan and Mr..
A. T. Bodle Jr. who represents the
railroad company. 1t will be seen
that nothing irregular was done
except the holding them days be-
fore the first hearing on April 3rd
when the preliminary was set and
to this the nj IN agreed to as they
were properly informed as to their
rights by MIR. Bodle and the county
attorney. No undue advantage
was taken of them and we cheerful
ly state these facts so that all may
know that everything was regular
and no one should be censured for
it. We always desire to be fair and
do not wish to wrongfully criticise
anyone.
The preliminary hearing of the
above men came up yesterday be-
fore Justice Stamper and the county
attorney moved to dismiss the case
owing to the fact that 10 new cv-
idence had been found upon which
a convection could be secured and
Stamper discharged them. One of
the mems name is Geo. Ressinger
and he gives his home as Rock
Island, Ills.,. the other gives his as
Chas. Hughes, Blsbee, Ariz., Res
singer is machinist and has lost
one leg below the knee, says he was
in the Philippines and served in
Al =, NE