Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1910-02-07

Jacobson of shooting sailor from
the window of the Sailors Union
hall, and told how much of his mon
ey he secured. Last year secret
service man obtained his confidence
and to him he told of the crimes
of arson and murder, in the burning
of the Brunswick hotel, where George
GriswOld was burned to death. This,
is said, was done to burn out a sa-
loon man named Lee Williams,
against whom he had grudge, and
whose place of business was Destroy
ed in the fire. Another reason given
for this crime, is that Gohl who had
conducted a cigar stand in the burn
ed building, was then going through
bankruptcy, and had sold the stock
of cigars that was reported to the
bankruptcy court as on hand, moth
ing but empty boxes remaining. The
fire destroyed the boXes-full or emp
ty.
The burning of the Zelasko block on
Wishkah street, where a lOdger lost
his life is also charged to Gohl, who
is said to have set the fire to "get
even with the Aberdeen Ship Chan
delry Co., whose place of business
was in the block, and who were
heavy losers by the fire. His grei-
vance against this company is said
to have been that they interfered
with certain commissions he had been
receiving in the supplying of the
ships in port. For this crime, Chas.
Bealey was arrested and acquitted,
and was put to heavy legal expenses
in clearing himself of the charge.
Recently robe, stolen from the
automobile of A. l.. Davenport was
found in shack belonging to GohI,
and he was charged with the theft.
Through the evidence given by He'd
berg-of whose murder Gohl is now
accused-he was acquitted In fact
every indication exists that Gohl
maintained a set of toughs, part of
whose duties was to bear witness
for him when he should be accused
of crime-or when he desired to ac-
cuse an enemy of an offense. This
was illustrated in the case against
Sig. Jacobson, for selling liquor on
Sunday
Gohl had been friendly with ia
cobson, and Dragged to him of his
crimes. Later he killed valuable
dog of Jacobson's and they had
falling out. At this time, Mayor
Benn was having Gohls offenses
looked into, and had a deputy sher-
iff named Miller, sent here from Mon
tesano. who was employed by the
city, Ostensibly as dog catcher but
really to watch Gohl. Instead he
became Gohl's tool, and kept him
Informed of every move of the mayor
and police, and of the information
given them by Jacobson. 1t is now
generally believed that Gohl franz
ed up the job on jacobson, which
had him convicted of selling liquor
on Sunday, after two juries had
disagreed, Miller being one of the
chief witnesses. Gohl gave it out
that he was getting inside police in
formation from Officer Kelley
against whom he had a grudge-
which caused so much friction in
the department as to finally result
in the dismissal of Kelley. This case
also created friction between Mayor
Benn and City Attorney Wade. The
mayor was confident the Jacobson
case was a job and was desirous of
Jacobson, and after a disagreed jury
requested Wade to dismiss the ac
ton, and where not understood, the
mayor rested under a wrong impress
sion in the matter. Miller has since
disappeared, and is believed to have
gone to meet others who knew too
much Of the affairs of William Gohl.
For the past three or four years
Gohl has had the people of the wa
ter front terrorized with his threats
and known ability to make them
good, as we'll as by his gang Of ready
ENTHUSIASTICALLY at all times to
swear for him, or against his enc
mics. Prominent citizens, too, were
threatened. When Gohl found that
Mayor Benn was on his trail, he CT
dered Hedberg to kill him, and the
information of his danger reached
the mayor through the same chan
mel as did that of the killing of his
would-be murderer later on. Dur
ing the shipping strike in 1906, Gohl
threatened the lives of w. B. Mack,
manager of the S. Il. Slade Lurlber
Co., A. Rupert, manager of the " est
& Slade Grocery Co., and a number
of others, and for a time there was
quite number of prominent citizens
carrying revolvers owing to those
threats. 1t is known that at meet