Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-02-10
CLERK WAS BADLY BEATEN.
Harold Abingdon the Victim of
Brutal Assault as He
Entered Store.
Proprietor of Store Has n Theory as to
Who Burned the Place Down
Last Night.

An attempt to murder Harold Alling-
ton, arson and robbery tangle them
selves about one of the strangest cases
the police and fire departments of this
city have ever had to meet. shortly
after midnight of Sunday. Arlington.
who Is clerk employed in the ] NJ.
WestWood d Sons grocery store. 93S
west Third North street. was entering
the store after having made an evening
call As he turned the key in the door
and stepped into a rear room of the
store where he has been sleeping for
over four years. a masked man stepped
up to him. flashed bright light in his
race and at the same time Arlington.
who has had three past encounters with
burglars in the store, rushed toward his
bed, where he had a revolver Ae he
was near the bed a second man, masked
with handkerchief tied about the low
er portion of his face, struck him a
severe blow with the butt of a revolver
or some other heavy weapon Arlington
was rendered unconscious by the blow
and remembers nothing more of his
nights experiences, except that he
staggered toward the open door. AL
most at the instant that Arlington was
falling to the ground after being hit,
a moment later the store was in flames.
Sergt. Roberts of the police force this
morning arrested Willie Smith. a for
mer inmate of the industrial school.
who is out on parole. He is held as a
suspect. but the police Will not say
upon what ground ne is held or what
facts point TO his connection with the
fire and assault
HEARD SHOTS
Joe westwood, the Oldest son Of j.
NJ. Westwood. who lives with his par
ents at 924 West Third North street. G.
few rods from the store, heard the
shots and rushed toward the store, It
was burning flercely and he thoughe
burning 10 death. He rushed to the
door. forced it open and Was driven
back by the flames. On his way TO
the store he had seen o. man lying face
upward and few feet from the rear
door of the store. He thought the man
WAS one of The robbers, and that he
had been shot by Abingdon, Knowing
that the clerk always kept a revolver
for use on such occasions. After being
forced back from the store door by the
flames, Westwood went back to where
he had seen the PROSTATE man. Look
ing into his face he saw that it was
He took him into the house.
or dying. Then WeStwood summoned
the police and fire departments. DR..
William i. Beer WAS called and attend
ed Abingdon. His injuries We're at first
thought 10 he very serious, but this
morning he was almost entirely recov-
cred
NO INSURANCE.
owing to the remoteness of the dis
trict from the center of the city 1t was
some time before the police and fire
departments reached the scene The
muir is heavy and deep, and it was with
difficulty that the heavy wagons reach
ed the place at ALL The fire depart
ment was powcrless 10 tight the blaze.
The floors OF the store have been sat-
urated with kerosene In sweeping out
after each days business for several
years and burned like birthstone. In less
than Is minutes the entire building and
stock were in ashes. There was no In
surance carried by the partnership and
the entire fire loss was unprotected.
Mr.. Westwood valued his stock at $500.
His fixtures were worth $500 and the
building was probably worth 5000.
That robbery was not the motive is
Offset by the fact that when Alling-
ton was picked up by Joe Westwood.
his pockets were turned inside out and
his watch was out OF his pocket, held
Arlington says he had 4.75 in his peck
ats when he reached the store. This
was taken from him.
wEsTwooD's THEORY.
The theory advanced by Mr. West
wood and those connected with the
store Is that some debtor who has been
hard pressed To pay his grocery bill Is
the person responsible for the entire
nftalr. That there was bad feeling
among the customers OF the store was
admitted by John Westwood ana BY
Arlington. John Westwood, who has
the affairs Of tho store for
several years, declares that several
accounts have been running for four
pressing collections. one woman, whose
lame was withheld by Mr.. Westwood,
was visited every day FOR several
months by John Westwood and on each
visit was asked TO pay her bill. This
10 angered the woman that she ordered
Westwood out OF her house aud yard
and threatened to Rcald him n no ever
vent 10 see her again about tho mat
er Other debtors have threatened
% do injury To the boys II collections
we're pressed Several accounts have
leen PLACID I'm an attornys hands for
objection and the persons sought IN this
manner have manifested unkindly feel
100 N'NNiA Wv wv NNhHk llDils
NOT THE FIRST TIME.
Twice before, the last time in August
" last year, similar visits to the store
ave been made. but on neither were
ne supposed robbers successful The
lrst time the night providers visited
he place Arlington and John Westwood
discovered them before they got I'm
ho store and frightened them away.
'hcn the boys provided themselves
9Th royolYers. The last time two
len visited the place. one a short man
nd the other a larger ana stouter
nan. AS they were about 30 enter tho
lace they were scared away by Alllng-
on, who fired several shots az the
non,
FIRE 4 MYSTERY.
How the hre started Is q mystery but
rs believed by an who have looked
mo the affair that Il was started By
he intruders. There had been no m,
j the store during the day, it haYinr
.mained closed over Sunday.
Both john Nostwood ana Abingdon
alieyo that the providers intended to
.urder Abingdon II not both young