Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1911-02-10
ARRESTED ON
CHARGE OF ARSON
Luke Scamardo Behind the Bars
Awaiting Trial for Alleged At
tempt to Burn Store OF
Scamardo G Cash.


At 2 O'Clock this morning an alarm
of fire was turned in and the depart
ment was called to another blaze on
Main street. The inside OF part OF the
DAILY building occupied by Scamardo
& Cash, dealers in general merchan-
disc, was in flames and only the
prompt and efficient work of the fire
men averted a serious property loss
and possibly great confiagration. In
less time than it takes to tell it line
of hose was laid from the Haswell
corner and stream of water with
good pressure was thrown on the fire,
extinguishing it before it could spread
to other parts of the house.
The fire is alleged by the officers
to be of incendiary origin and on the
circumstantial evidence manifested
Luke Scamardo, a member of the firm
whose stock was partly destroyed, was
arrested and is now in the county Jail
awaiting an examining trial on a
charge Of arson. The story of the fire,
as related by Night Policeman Albert
Worley, is as follows:
II left the Exchange hotel, accom-
PANIED by Oscar Martin, to make one
of my usual rounds to see if every
thing was all right. We walked down
the street and when we reached the
back end of w. ]. Higgs' store We
heard noise, but were unable to To-
cate the direction. Walking on across
/ the street toward the back of Mar
Wills sore we stopped on the corner
to see if the noise could again be
heard | looked over to the front of
Higgs' store and saw somebody come
to the corner, look around and then
walk along the side toward the back
street. AS is my usual custom, |
walked over to meet him to see who
he was. When l got in speaking dis
lance | called out and asked him who
he was. He did not answer me, but
kept walking on with his face turned
away from me. | stood and waited
until he got to the International &
Great Northern switch track, when
called out for him to stop and tell me
who he was. He walked back to me
and said, 4 am Scamardo.' His voice
was shaky and he appeared nervous
and excited. passed few words with
! him and he went on. | watched him
until he got about a block away, then
being somewhat suspicious we went
to the back door of his store. | saw a
light through the crack under the door
and, knowing that they did not burn
lights in there at night, | watched it
for an instant and it grew in bright
ness and | heard flames roaring. We
then ran around to the corner of
H.ggs' store to get to Main street.
When we turned the corner we could
see the light of the flames on the
buildings across the street and knew
that the store was afire.
1T could not have been over two
minutes from the time | met Scamardo
and talked to him until we discovered
the fire. We ran then to the front and
discovered that the floor. the fixtures
and tie merchandise in the building
were burning on both sides of the
door. sent Martin to the fire station
and | began to shoot and halloo to
give the alarm. The boys got there
in hurry and l stationed a man
there and told him not to let anybody
get in or out of the store. l then had
party telephone for Sheriff Come.
and turned the matter over to him.
That is the story of the whole thing
and is just how it happened
The sheriff was interviewed and
following is his story Of the arrest Of
Scamardo:
when Policeman Worley told me
the story l took him along and we
went to Scenarios house and called
for him. He came out and l told him
his store had burned. I asked him if
he had been to town and he said he
had. l then asked him what ne went
for and he said he had been to the
Central depot to meet party. | asked /
him if he passed by his store on his |
return home and he said he had. | !
then asked him if he went in the store
and he said he had not. asked him
# he had the keys and he said that
his partner CASH kept the keys.
at being only short distance to
Tash's house, all three of us went
here and called for him. I told him
bout the fire and asked him if he had
he keys, he replying that his partner
Scamardo) had them. Cash had not
cen Scamardo up until that time, and
vhen I placed them face TO face Cash