The Hartford herald., 1911-12-06
GREAT SCHEME
OF FIRE BUGS
Is Thought to Have Been
Discovered.
TnE WntNINc 1l ncD0cITInN
THE WORBING OF DEPOSITION
Seems to Show DiabOIicaI Plot
of wholesale DeStrDc-
zion BY Fire.
AS REVEALED AT owENsBORO

The Owensboro Inquirer of Sun
day says:
1t has Just leaked out that about
four weeks ago a very sensational
deposition was given by E. d..
Hodges, formerly president of the
Ohio Valley Dry Goods Company, on
behalf of the Insurance companies,
| in the case OF }. X. Laswell, trustee.
who is seeking to recover about
$15,50O Insurance on the stock of
goods destroyed by fire on the night
of December 7, 1910. ...
The deposition of Hodges, to-
gether with a number of other per-
sons who also corroborate Hodges
in many OF his statements, is given
in the case against the Hamburg
Bremen Fire Insurance Company,
and while they. we're marked filed
in the Circuit Clerks office, it is
known that they have been under
lock and key, and will probably be
until the case is called for trial be-
fore Judge Birkhead at the ap-
preaching December term of court.
Hodges is a farmer, and lives
about seven miles south OF Owens
boro. When the Ohio Valley Dry
Goods Company was incorporated
he was given the title OF president
by Charles Cohn. who owned a con-
trolling interest in the store. The
firm began business in Owensboro
on West Second street. and at the
same time Cohn was also largely in
terested in the Green River Dry
Goods Company at Morganfield.
which was also destroyed by fire,
burning up over 100000 worth of
property in that town.
In Hodges deposition ii is stat
ed that on the morning of the fire
in Morganfeld. he was in the store
at that place. when man unknown
to him came into the store and af-
ter having talk with Charles Cohn,
he was given a check for SS5. sign
ed by the Green River Department
store. and drawn on tie OwensbOro
Banking Company. Hodges says
that Cohn also gave this man, who.
he afterwards learned had register
ed as n. Howard. Cincinnati. SIS in
money, and that CohD took the train
for Owensboro that afternoon. Dur
ing the night the store was set on
fire. and the next day Cohn was
hack in MorPanfleld and seen in a
secret conference with Howard. and
that both were seen TO leave on the
same train together that night.
In his deposition Hodges also
states that on November "a. 1910.
the day Cohn left greensboro and
never returned, that the same Mr..
Howard came into the Ohio Valley
Dry Goods Company's store and call
ed for Cohn: that as soon ms they
met. Cobn gave him T1odges> a
quarter 10 go out and get drink:
thpt he did go out cf tho store. hrt
returned end Vowrrd Nc1 purchased
a curdurov suit complete,
On tits tip 10 Owensboro. II.
Howard registered at the Roby
House as II. Wood, Cincinnati, o.
Dispositions have also been taken
showing the hand writing to be of
the same person. Howard also goes
by the name of Fred Boone. and is
better known in Chicago as Jack"
The deposition of Hodges shows
that Cohn left owensboro on No
vember "a, 1910, and on November
2S. the creditors of the Ohio Valley
Dry Goods Company fled an invol-
untary petition in bankruptcy, and
on the night of December Z the
store burned.
At the time of the fire Hodges
was registered at the Rome hotel in
Omaha, Neb.. having been there
from the 5th to the 9Th of Decem-
ber.
After Hodges returned to Owens
boro, an attempt was made to in
vestigate the cause of the fire by
Fire Marshal Neikirk. and a board
Of inquisition was held before Ref
cree Dean on behalf Of the creditors
Of the Ohio Valley Dry Goods Com
pany. in which Hodges testified. but
in his deposition given on behalf Of
the insurance companies. he stated