The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-06-01
SECURE MANY PROSECUTIONS
Urges Department Chiefs to Make
Every Effort to Secure Convictions
for This Glass of Crimes in All of
tbs Wisconsin Cities.

the state fire marshal's department has
there been such general demand for the
investigation of suspicious fires as since
the first of this year. So many fires
of a suspicious nature have been re-
ported, calling for investigation, that
the regular force has been unable to
handle them promptly. Temporary APP
pointments of. extra men have been
made, and still it has been impossible
to take up all Investigations promptly.
1t is the aim of the department al
ways to do so, as right after the fire
is the most promising time to get evi-
dence, and, at best it is extremely hard
to get evidence Of a convincing nature,
and delay often gives the opportunity
to remove discriminating evidence.
The reason for this increased demand
for Investigation may be due partially
to different causes.
As a rule business has been rather
dull the past fall and winter, and some
business men found their balance on the
wrong side Of the ledger and We're
tempted to look to insurance companies
to make up this balance.
Another reason, no doubt, is that the
work of the department has become
! better known, and local authorities
have taken more interest in this work
and made more careful inquiry than
in the past, in that way bringing to
light discriminating circumstances,
which were formerly overlooked.
This greater local activity and CO.
operation has contributed largely to
the success of the department the past
few months.
Ten prosecutions have been COM
menced, in which this department has
been interested.
Each of these have been either sue
cessfully terminated, or ara IN fair
way to be soon.
prosecutions have been started, and the
defendants either convicted or bound
over for trial.
Robbins-The store and dwelling of
F. A. Trip was dynamited resulting
in fire which completely destroyed it.
w. F. Finegan secured confession
from Walter Grossman and John Hol-
lowensky to having discharged the dyn-
amite. They are awaiting sentence.
Green Bay-The store of John
Baum was set on fire and an investiga
ton by T. M. Purtell and G. Fl. Kiland
resulted in the arrest of Julius Peters,
discharged employee and he has since
| been bound over to the circuit court
for trial
Oshkosh-The residence of Mary
Roberts was destroyed, investigation by
W. +. Finnegan resulted in the arrest
of the owner charged with burning the
property for the purpose of obtaining
insurance. The trial of this case has
just been completed, the jury finding
the defendant guilty and sentence is
pending.
Beaver Dam-The barn Of John CAM
was destroyed and the local authorities
arrested VIM. Peoples on the charge
Of having stolen 3 horse from the build
ing before it burned. A confession 10
tanned by S. S: Summers and sentence
for the crime of arson is now pending.
Boscobel-Two barn fires of clearly
incendiary origin called for an investi-
cation which resulted in the obtaining
of confession by S. S. Summers from
Chas. Dawson and Roy Mclaughlin,
They later entered plea of guilty
and received sentences of years in the
state reformatory and 5 years in the
state penitentiary respectively.
Chippewa Falls-Three attempts were
made to set fire to the residence of
John Dolan. The local authoriti es ar
rested Alphonse Price and the investi-
cation was then taken up by j. E.
Florin, who later assisted in the trial.
Price was found guilty and sentenced
TO ter years in the penitentiary.
Milwaukee-And Molka and Step
hen Sulxiewiecki were arrested for at
tempting to burn the store building oe-
cupied BY them. ". G. End assisted
1 in the investigation and the first trial
resulted in disagreement Of the Jury
The second trial just closed resulted
in the release of SnkieWieck and the
conviction and sentence Of Molka for
1.-TWO years.