The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-08-02
CHARGED WITH SETTING
FIRE TO ELECTION RETURNS
His ACCusGT Is Ed. Robertson
At Present a
constable,

The preliminary Tearing of Walter
Wilson, charged with setting fire to
election returns stored III the county
court house on the night of April 26,
was opened at 1890 o'clock this
morning before Justice Seton. owing
to the size OF the crowd the hearing
was held in the district court room
Walter Warren, clerk OF the SUI
perior court was the first witness
called, he told of being In the court
mousse on the night Of the fire until
10.30 o'clock with Constable Ed
Robertson, after which he went down
town, of being at the fire station
when the alarm was turned I'M He
went to the court house. The halls
We're filled with smoke but no trace
OF the flames could be dis covered for
some minutes Al number OF people
were present at this time. After ex-
aminlng the interior OF the building
the witness ran with others to the
outside of the building, he having a
promonition that something was
wrong with the ballots stored in the
vault under The county clerks office
fearing that an attempt would be
made to destroy the election ballots.
Smoke was issuing from very
small window in the vault where the
ballots we're stored, Warren testified.
He also testified To the finding Of a
bundle Of papers a few feet from the
window, consisting oil a literary di-
<, st and three copies of the Chicago
Record Herald. While attempting to
get into the vault Wilson, who was
standing near, informed those work
ing on the fire that there was a SIDE
window near County Judge Strangs s
office that could be opened Warren
also testified that Wilson had helped
him carry ballots In and out OF the
vault on the afternoon Of the iire-
Fire Chief eruber Testifies
Fire Chief Gruber, the next witness
called, placed the time Of the fire at
1920 His testimony was a corrop-
oration Of Warren's
Lon Aiuxlow testified that he saw
Wilson at the fire about 80 minutes
after It's discovery He also saw the
cloth and papers found.
Constable ed Robinson. who swore
to the charges against wilson, was
then examined He related o story
similar 10 that OF Warren, That ne
saw Wilson after the hre had been
discovered
Afternoon Session
Assistant Fire Chief Branhan, @as
the 8rst witness called after dinner
lie Identified a cloth submitted as
evidence as the same picked up OUT
side the vault window lie "a5 pres
ent. he testified, a the hndlhs oi
the papers t,
Assistant County Attorney swank
testified 90 having been in the court
aouse an evening Ihey smeiiei
smoke bat usts unable 60 locate
any blaze. swank also testified t9l
seeing Wilson after the discovery o.
the FIRE in the vault
T. A. Higgins. district court repof I.
or testified that magazine iouno
near the vault had been in 1ulse
4nston's Office the evening before the
office was locked The Literary ~
eest. which bore Judge Lawrence T
name had been borrowed read anu
thrown on the floor
walter Humphrey. O8'ce depAlt N,
fhe time OF the fre. was etaInih
and corrobomted testimony gwen w
other witnesses.
Judge MnfOu Brown who "eafl t.,
election contest the afternoon oi tNt
fire. told of ordering Waiter war; I. y
20 put some of tine elesdoa feeoi
la his safe. He testified tFat b. "a9i
Was lu the court COON several liiis'
during the afternoon, 8nt ne was Nl.
|able fo cay whether Wilson was A
Ifhe room at the time lhe order wa.
ISSUED g.,
IA numbor of witnesses remain .
T be- examined