Putnam patriot., 1911-03-03
City C0urta.-Fuller Judge.

Bone, charged with an attempt to burn the building known as the old Fisher shoe shop, on the evening of February 18th, was begun Wednesday evening, and was not finished when court ad- journed at 10:30. The hearing will be resumed this, Thursday, evening.
 Archie Cotton, Mark H. Wilson, B. K. Smith, and F. G Letters, testified in turn as to the smell of kerosine, the piled-up boxes and shavings they saw at the scene of the fire. Wilson also stated that Bone told him that he did not care if the building burned to the ground, as he was entirely out of it.
 John D. Dorsey, Bone's former part ner, was the next witness. Said he and Bone were equal partners up to last December, when he bought Bone out. Bone continued to work for him up to two weeks ago. Witness had been missing coal for week, and had caught Bone taking two hods to his home. Stopped him and asked him what he was doing, and was told that as he had run out of coal he was talk ing some to tide him over until he could order some, and was going to re- turn it. He took it back when he was told that witness thought that he, Bone, had been out of coal a good while. He got through work that morning. Bone held mortgage on ma chinery secured by insurance made total indebtedness at S4, TOO. Had about s6,500 insurance on plant, stock and building. Always had more than one thousand dollars worth of stock on hand. First heard of the fire Sunday morning.
 James Belland said he had worked for Dorsey about two years. Bone had said to him on two different occasions: "lf you want to get your money you had better do so, as l am going to put Dorsey out of business The last time he said this was the night before the fire. He noticed where the fire was, and there were no boxes in that spot when he left on Saturday about five o'clock.
 J. Richard Carpenter said that Bone came to his office the 16th or 17th, and asked if Dorsey had paid the insur- ance yet. He was told that witness thought so. Asked what policy GOV cred hts interest, and was told policy on machinery.
 Thomas Tripp said he was employed two mornings by Dorsey and told to watch to see who was taking coal. The second morning he sawBone take two hods.
 Robert Hurley, State policeman, said he had investigated the fire in ques. ton. Talked with Bone about it, who told him he had been in company with had treated him dirty and would like to kill him. He used vile names con- tinualIy when speaking of Dorsey. He asked Bone how the fire started, but he refused to commit himself. At first he said he didn't go into the shop, then he said he did. At first he denied that Dorsey caught him taking coal, then admitted he did. Said he had an alibi, and had some of the shavings with ke- rosine on them in his house. Bone met Dorsey one day and told him he would get him yet.
 The State here rested, and the de- fense began. Defense is an alibi.
 Dorothy Bone, aged 7Iyears, Marga- ret Bone, aged fl, and Mrs. Bone, wife of the accused-all testified that Bone ate his supper, had smoke, and went up to bed, and was there in bed when the fire alarm rang. Margaret was shown statement which she admitted she had signed, which said she was in Wool worth's store when the fire alarm m rang. She said this was not true, that she was at home in her room. She said she did not know what was in the statement when she signed it. It was not read over to her. Said she was eX- cited at the time. Mrs. Bone told of the coal incident, and said that her husband had told her to order coal and she had forgot it, and so husband went to get some to carry them through un- til they could get some from the deal CTS. Did not use coal in kitchen stove as it made too many sparks. Burned wood, which came from the shop. Did not run the steam heater except on special occasions, when it was very cold. Denied emphatically being in Woolworth's store when fire alarm rang.
 Bone took the stand in his own be- half, and told substantially the same story he gave out after his arrest-how he went home early and laid down un- til supper time, then had a smoke and went to bed, as his eyes troubled him, as he had got a cinder in one of them. Said the entire family was at home when the fire alarm rang. Denied say ing to chief Wilson that he did not care if the building burned. Went to see Carpenter about insurance upon ad- vice of counsel. Did not know insur- ance policy was made out In his name. What he told Belland was, that he was going to foreclose mortgage and that he had better get his money. Denied making threats in Hurley's presence. Might have said he wouldn't commit himself, and that he had an alibi.
 Court adjourned to Thursday even ing.
 Letters are now painted on the