Omaha daily bee., 1911-02-10
Council Bluffs
SIGMAN FIRE CASE ON TRIAL
Suit for Fire Insurance Brings Out
Sensational Testimony.
HORSES IN BARN WERE TORCHES
Police Repeatedly Investigate Prem
Uses and Alarm Comes Hour
After visit of Fire chief
and Detectives.

Testimony OF a damaging character was
introduced yesterday in the suit OF A. Sig
man against the Monongahela Fire Insur-
ance company 10 collect 5000 insurance
upon dozen head Of horses and other
contents OF the old Green barns located At
5lj East Broadway.
The suit Is being tried before Judge Green,
who IL holding an extra session OF the dis
trict court to help out Judge Thornen The
barn was destroyed by fire on the night Of
January 3d. last year, an hour or more
after midnight. and after sensational
rumors had been aflost that the building
was TO be destroyed by IRE for the purpose
~ collecting the insurance on the horses.
The police department had been notified
and Chief Of Police Richmond had men
watching the barn nightly for more than
two weeks The fire department was also
alert and expecting an alarm.
Chief Nicholson OF the fire department
testified yesterday that he had made sew
erAl searches OF the barn prior 20 the fire
seeking incendiary devices He testified
that on the night Of the fire he went 10
the barn after midnight In company with
Police Detective Richardson. and the two
made a careful examination OF the exterior
Of the place finding every door and window
closed The rumor had come that the
building was 70 be fired that night, and
the chief testified that he urged Detective
Richardson 10 break into the place, assert
ing that II there was a train laid to set
the fire they would be able TO find II.
Alarm In an Hour.
Richardson. however, declined to take tn,
responsibility and the fire chief went TO his
home. He had been in bed about an houi
when the alarm came in. When the fire
men came from the nearest station No. 4
but two blocks away. the interior Of tn,
building and haymow we're filled will
flames
Fireman Dunlap OF No. testified thai
one OF the tortured horses rushed from tbs
barn sheathed IN flames. They caught the
animal as IT dashed down the alley and
turned the hose upon 1t, but the water die
not put out the flames. The firemen tried
10 rub out the fire with their hands. bu
the flames would start up again immed
lately after the stroke. The hair OF tn,
suffering horse seemed to be soaked with
some nflammable oil.
J. l.. McCalmont and Tom Dunno whC
lived directly across the street from tn,
barn, were the first to see the fire ant
rushed 20 rescue the horses They saiC
all Of the animals in the back part o.
the barn appeared TO be blazing like burn
ing torches. They saved the only two tina
were got out.
Former Alderman c. II. Huber. ownei
of the building. testified that he founc
two-gallon jug OF kerosene hidden in tn
hay NOV. Richard Foreman. who appear
TO have been the chief source from which
the rumors of contemplated incendiarisn
came. and who testified before the gran,
jury that failed to indict Sigman, swor
that he took three fairly good horses from
the barn at sigman's request and went Il
South Omaha and traded them for 81,
plugs which we're among the animals de
stroyed and for which insurance Is sough
at 500 head. The exchange was made
few days before the fire
Defense Enemy started Fire.
sigman's defense Is that II the fire wa
Of incendiary origin It was set by a
enemy which he hopes this suit will dis
close. II was shown oonolusively that h
left the barn about o'clock on the nigh
of the fire and went to bed immediatel
y after AZ his home on Harrison street an
was in bed asleep when the fire we
started. The case has been on trial fo
three days and is attracting large crowdi
The insurance company has several nor
witnesses, including police officers an
firemen, who viii give oorroborative test
mony. Sigman has been on the stand ne,
times and has been subjected to griffin
cross-examinRtions. He IL a fine lookin
man. we'll poised and has stood the strai
we'll He came to Council Bluffs fro
Rapid City, and Il well known anon
Black Hills stockmen.