The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-05-13
HA NIS0N 10 N
TRIAL FOR Z
ARSON

Before Judge John A. Marshell iu
The United States district court Thurs
day. the trial OF Frank Hanson, for
mer postmaster OF Fillmore, Utah. or
the charges OF theft of the United
States mail and stamps and the dc
struction OF government property by
the postodlce, was begun. This case
has become quite celebrated In the
legal annals of Utah. because OF the
many peculiar circumstances and In
cidents surrounding II. and the fact
that the defendant ic brother OF VII
lard Hanson. former county attorney
and George Hanson. secretary TO Unit
ed States Senator George Sutherland
Hanson appeared in court, accom-.
panied by his brother Willard
The first witness called was ]. c.
Kelly, present postmaster at Fillmore,
who testified that Hanson came to the
pCstoffice about O'Clock on the after.
noon Of the day OF the fire. He was
abort to close the postcfilce when
Hanson called and offered to put up
the shutters on the outer window.
This the postmaster refused. Then he
took the postmaster TO q room In the
rear 10 show him where n lock had
been broken by burglar and he
seemed TO take a good deal Of notice
of the arrangement of the rooms.
Miss Hazel BeaureSard Of Fillmore
was the next witness and she told OF
havlne mailed a letter to her brother
In Salt Lake City on the afternoon OF
the day the postoflice was burned. She
was shown letter and identified II
as the one she mailed and said she
thought 1t was burned In the fire"
In the opening statement II was
announced that the Beauregard letter
was found In Hanson's house.
Former Sheriff Black said on hear
Ing the alarm Of Are he ran to the
postoilce- and tried TO enter the build
ing. but the flre was too strong He
then tried 10 get TO the window go
that he could get records that were
kent on table near 1T, but the flames
burst out and he was driven back
Sheriff Black. under cross-eXamin-
alton. said he met Hanson the day al
Ter the fire. He was indignant and
intimated that the sheriff had made
statement that "hc had burned up
the postof1ce." This the sheriff de-
MED
Some Damaging Testimony
Ira Warner young man about 20,
was next called and he gave some
damaging testimony He stated that
about II 30 on the night Of the fire
about half block from the postofhce,
he met Hanson. Hanson was not
dressed up as usual He wore slouch
hat RULED down over his eyes, his
coat collar was pulled up. he wore no
collar or tie. and witness had never
seen him dressed that way before
Twice the witness said. Good even
ing" to Hanson and got no reply
Then he grabbed his hat and recog
piZod the former postmaster Han
son told Warner to mind his own
business" He walked with Hanson
to the end of the block and the latter
said he was going to Lon Huntsman 5
Witness left Hanson and met friend
Winnie Trimble. and he asked him
To go over and see II he knew Hanson,
which he did The defendant, instead
of going In the direction OF Hunts
mans house. turned toward the post
Office. The witness followed him and
saw him 60 into the wagon shed be-
tween Stevens store and the postoi-
fee. Witness went into the shed, but
could not find Hanson. He thought,
perhaps. he had gone to the park, so
the witness climbed the fence and
got into the park. but he could not
And Hanson there. Warner got home
10
not fallen asleep when his sister came
and told him. stevens store Is burn
Ing down" About half an hour after
he arrived al the FIRE, Hanson came,
He was then attired In stiff hat.
with collar and tie and black suit
The night after the fire witness
met the defendant. Hanson said ru-
mors were about that he had burned
the postoflce You know when went
home" said Hanson. Witness replied,
"I know when | left you" Hanson
continued. II was home In bed hours
before the Are broke out Again Han
son said: II was lying in bed read
ing and heard the fire alarm. and his
last statement was that he "smelt
straw burning"
iJHuTlbb l<tHtls tN-'ihN i'AN' N''NA
Fillmore. was next called and his ap-
pearance on the stand was the occas-
ion of calling from the defense sew
eral strenuous objections to his testi-
mony relative to searching the Han
son house and finding the ten letters.
Attorney Booth asked the witness II
he searched the Hanson house after
the postofIlce fire and he replied In
the Affirmative,
The next question asked was what
he found "in the room occupied by
Frank Hanson?"
The witness replied that Sheriff Ro-
lev found letters on the top OF cup
board that were posted the night of
the fire. There were ten letters IN
all He was shown the letters and
identified them, one being addressed
to Joe Bcauregard. Salt Lake City.