Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1910-03-20

Inc uflHS OIL nan dozen reNOl-
vers and the changing of the fire
bells few minutes before o'clock
yesterday morning, announced that
the dreaded fire fiend had again
paid Tonopah visit. The con-
Migration, and there were two of
them, were of incendiary origin,
and it is due to the prompt work
of the police officials that the per-
son alleged to have done the deed
is now a prisoner in the county
jail.
Both blazes occurred in build
ings owned by Fred Spaulding,
proprietor of the Phoenix lodging
house, and evidently had been
started within a few minutes of
each other. The dwelling, occu-
pied by F. E. Dickson, was first
noticed to be ablaze mattress
saturated with gasoline had been
placed against the rear door, and
when noticed the fire had started
to eat into the woodwork. The
fire fighters were hard at work
when word was received that an
other of Spaulding's dwellings was
on fire The paid fire department
and volunteers fastened to the
scene of the second blaze, which
was about a hundred yards distant
on eddie avenue Gasoline had
been thrown on common bed
quilt and ignited. The quilt was
noticed had partially destroyed a
deserted tent house adjoining. The
prompt application of the chemical
was sufficient to quench the flames.
After the department had con-
nected a hose with one OF the ad-
iacent hydrants it was learned
that the water supply had been
shut off, although the reason was
unknown. Night officer Dan Cor
bett and Chief Malley were on the
scene and before the last ember
had been extinguished, were in
vestigating the affair. Within a
few minutes they had placed Joe
Mick under arrest and confined
him in the town Jail. few doors
from his residence.
The circumstances surrounding
the Incarceration of Mick, while
circumstantial to cerain degree
are of sufffcient Importance to be
lieve that he is the guilty party
He was first noticed by Spaulding
sweeping off the back porch Of
his residence. The porch was sat
urated with gasoline. Spauldins
asked him why he was using the
fluid at that hour of the morning
Mick replied that he had a righ
to use gasoline at any time hi
saw fit.
Corbett was summoned b!
Spaulding and when the officer ar
rived Mick was scrubbing the porcf
in an endeavor to eradicate thu
odor of the gasoline. A search O
the building resulted in gasoline
stains being found in the room
occupied by Mick as his bedroom
He had also scrubbed the floor her
but the fumes of the fluid wer'
plainly in evidence. The bed hat
not been disturbed and evidence
tending to prove that incendiarisn
was premeditated was in view.
AS Mick was placed under arres
he made dire threats against Spaul
ding and threatened to get evel
at the first opportunity. After
wards Spaulding stated that h
and Mick were not on the best o
terms owing to the fact that
number of tenants of the latte
had left him and secured room
from him (Spaulding). Mick wa
asked by a representative of tn
Bonanza regarding the affair an
stated that he had used gasolin
for the purpose of cleaning clothes
He admitted keeping a can of tn
fluid in his house, but when tn
search was made, the can could nc
be found. Yet several minutes be
fore his arrest he offered a fiv
gallon tin to Spaulding.
That a wholesale conflagratio
had been planned was discovere
about o'clock. A mattress fou
quilts thoroughly soaked with gai
oline were found underneath
large frame building adjoinin
Mick's residence. The mattres
had been propped up with stick
and was in such a position thu
had a match been used. not onl
the building but the adjoinin
houses, would have been destro,
ed.
In the clubhouse vault, in tn
rear of Mick's place. a number {
towels. quilt and a hat WEI