The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1909-03-03
ATTEMPTED ARSON
IS GRAVE CHARGE
Laid Against J. A. Harris,
OWOnsbOro Man.
|. P. BENNETT IS IMPLICATED
Latter Was Arrested On the
Charge of Accessory A.
ter the Fact.


ris, for several years one of the best
known real estate dealers and insur-
ance men in greensboro, was arrested
this afternoon on the charge of set
ting fire to and attempting to burn
a storehouse on February -.
Loyal p. Bennett, a former Deputy
United States Marshal in WesternKen-
lucky, and brother of Senator Avis
Bennett, of Ohio county, was also ar
rested on the charge of being an ac-
cessory after the fact. Harris walv-
ed his examining trial and was held
to the April term of the grand jury
Under a 81, 500 bond, which he execut-
ed. Benefits bond was fixed at $500,
which he gave, but the date of his
sszsas 4i,s5 li1< 16eIT see.
The storehouse, ii is alleged, that
Harris attempted to burn is owned
by the West End Home and Land Com
pany, OF which concern Harris is the
President. Bennett is secretary of
the company. On the night OF Febru-
airy IL two attempts we're made to
burn the vacant store building, upon
which there is $1,000 insurance. In
December, when there was $4,000 insur-
ance on the building, an unsuccessful
attempt was made to destroy it then.
Following the fire of February 13
Mr.. Harris demanded that an investi-
CATION be made, claiming that an en-
envy was trying TO do him injury.
State Fire Marshal Niekirk came 10
Greensboro and the investigation be-
gan. An empty coal oil can was
found in a we'll at the rear of the
store building. This was a new can.
purchased from the local plant of
the Standard Oil Company. The man
ager of the plant, when shown the
can. stated that it was purchased by
Harris on the afternoon of February
10 and that it was the only can that
had been sold. All Of the other cans
at the plant were then marked by the
officials. When told of the discovery
of the can in the well and the state
ment of the Standard Oil manager
concering his purchasing it, Harris
admitted that he purchased the can,
but said it was in his stable at home.
He led the Fire Marshal to his stable
and showed him the can. However,
the can proved to be one of the mark
ed cans, and it is alleged that it was
later ascertained that it had been pur-
chased by Bennett and sent to Har-
ris' home.
The Commonwealth will also at
tempt to prove that Harris was in the
neighborhood of the store on the night
of the fire and boarded a street car
a few minutes before the alarm was
turned in.
Harris came to greensboro from
Louisville several years ago. He was
superintendent of the Homestead Land
Company, a Parrish concern, and Ia
ter had charge of the real estate de-
partment OF the now defunct Daviess
County Bank and Trust Company. For
some time he has been in the real
estate business for himself. He. was
a witness for Parrish and Anderson
in their recent trials for wreclKing two
Greensboro banks. He has been prom
inent in church affairs, is married
and has a family.
NOTE.-From inquiry we are told
that Mr.Loyal Bennett is not consid-
cred guilty of any real criminal con-
nection with the above mentioned
crime, but being in close relation
with Mr.. Harris, an. unfortunate train
of circumstances seemed to indicate
that he knew what became Of the can
of oil which mysteriously disappeared
and he was arrested in
an endeavor to Sweat" the infor-
nation out of him. Bennett main
tains that he has no idea whatever
how the can disappeared from the
store or by whom.-Eds.
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