The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1910-07-30

ATTEMPTED ARSON
Aaron Wainwright and Henry Butler
in Jail Charged With Serious
Crime at Pollock.

Ss'uSuOtOu SpfuhS hf us uuFot iuSt
Saturday night, by the attempted
burning of house. aud the following
account in the Town Talk of Tuesday,
July 26th, gives n statement of the
case as developed SO far:
As a result of an alleged attempt
to cause an inceDdiary fire at Pollock
on last Saturday night, Henry But
Ter, a white man, was arrested in this
city at eight O'Clock last night and
is now in Jail at Colfax, and Aaron
Wainwright, young white man,
was brought to this city from Pollock
this morning and is now in the par
ish Jail here, both men being charged
with the crime.
At 8 O'Clock last night Chief of Po-
lice f. NJ. Blessing received phone
messagefrom Pollock requesting him
to arrest and hold Henry Butler.
The chief "got busy" and soon locat-
ed his man in Aycock & Brodia's sa-
loon, near the Union depot, and plac-
ed him under arrest. The Pollock
authorities were notified Of the arrest
and Deputy Sheriff j. l.. Pinkston
came here on the 10 O'Clock Iron
Mountain train, got Butler and took
him to Colfax over the Valley road.
Deputy Sheriff Pinkston was ac-
companied here by the following citi-
zens of Pollock, who came for the
purpose of interviewing Butler and
trying to get a confession from him:
q. A. Foster, cashier of the Bank Of
Pollock; j. H. Walker, merchant of
Pollock; C. U. Robinson, justice Of
the peace, and Joe Lee, consta BILE.
When the gentlemen arrived here,
Butler had been placed in Jail and
they called on him there. AS soon
as the accused saw Justice Robinson
he asked to have a private talk with
him, and acknowledged that he had
set the building on fire, but stated
that he was forced to do SO by Aaron
Wainwright, saying that Wainwright
held revolver in bis face and threat
ened to kill him if he refused.
After getting Buffers confession,
the party returned to Pollock on the
Mountain train, and Wainwright
was arrested and brought to this
city this morning by DR.. F. o. Max
well, Justice Robinson, Messrs. j. M.
Jones and l.. W. Smith. Wainwright
denies his guilt and says that he can
prove an abb.
The building where the fire was
started on last Saturday night, is a
two-story frame structure and be-
longs to Mrs. NJ. F. Wainwright
mother of one OF the accused, and il
occupied by Mrs. Ben Price as q
boarding house.
Had the fire gotten a good head
way, Pollock would have again SUI
fered another big confagration.
We learn that two attempts were
made to burn this building on last
Saturday night, the first being made
at 10 O'Clock when fire was discover
ed under the rear portion Of the hous'
by child who was sitting On an ad
joining front gallery. The blaz'
which had been started in a lot o
old clothes, shavings, etc.. was ex
tinguisbed with little damage.
The second attempt was made be
tween IL and II O'Clock the SAM
night and at the same part of tn
building. This time lady in tn,
house heard a Itch strike, and look
ing out quickly recognized Butler
face by the light of the match. Al
alarm was given and Butler succeed
ed in making his escape from Pollock
1t was learned that he had gone t,
some saw mill town or logging CAM
above Pollock, and the officers an,
citizens have since been trying to 10
cate him until yesterday Afternoon
when they got wind of his having
been seen in AIexand ria yesterda,
morning. They at once took tn
matter up with the chief Of polio
and the arrest followed.
| The town of Pollock has been sui
fering great many serious losse
| by fire within the pa st few years, an
most of them are thought to hav
been of incendiary origin.