Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-20
REPLOCLE ON
STAND 5 HOURS
FORMER EMPLoYE OF CROFT co.
SAWS he SAW WAGON LOAD d.,
or SEED HAULED AWAY.

Centeryille. Feb. 17.-Ray Repiogle
held the witness stand for nVe nours
IN the Hendon arson case as ne tolo Oh
circumstance after circumstance eA-
ceedingly damaging to the defense: his
testimony coming as it did as a climax
r., q series of other circumstances re-
lated by other witnesses made a oeciu-
ed impression. He was employed py
/ the A. c.. Croft Co., from FEBRUARY lasl
fill month or more after the nre, as
teamster. His home is ABOUT wv
blocks from the elevator with an uh-
INSTRUCTED view, and the stable Whei1
he kept his team just across the uaeM
from the elevator. He told OF solns
mt that night to look after his norses'
first about O'Clock and then about ~.
During the evening he saw two wagon
loads of timothy seed driven away ny
the Hendons and about 10 O'CLOCK tWo
loads of shelled corn hauled out ny
The hands of prominent Moulton resi-
dent with a farm in the country.
Replogle continuing said that Tue
day before the fire he was KEPT ousy
hauling out lumber to the aenuon
lots, where they were preparing "
build house, and he TOOK "lhuo"s,
doors and other things that wouiu ho'
be needed for sometime. IN resuln
inc from his last trip he saw Mr. CloI.
and William Edwards talking tose.ne.
in buggy, and Dick Hendon PACK ~
the elevator with loaded "ason'
sideboards on, and covered over VIZ. w.
the boards. When he asked MI
, Croft for the keys to the elevator ~
=, aurino the day Mr.. Croft respond
ed that he would get them TOR MN,
ord helned him unhitch and walked,
with him as he took the team 10 Tue
harm then turning about returned
10 Mr.. Edwards who was waiting
for him. During the fire the witness
said he and others threw stones ana
clods against gasoline barrel IN
which gasoline was kept outside the
building, but too near the fire to ap-
nroach and it sounded as If empty.
Various witnesses had testified tnat
The FIRE spread remarkably fast, ana
one of the first who arrived SAID ne
thought at the time that he smelleo
pasoline. Another circumstance relat-
Cd nv Replogle was that the evening
before the fire he saw Mr.. Croft ana
lin Hendon take out typewriter
some timothy and some clover and put
in Mr.. Croft's wagon. After the nre
No tvprewriter remains could be seen
Nv the witness in the ruins About
1ilo sacks Of timothy seed seen by MIN
an tha elevator as late at $50 O'CLOCK
tho day before the fire, yielded put
eipht sacks when shoveled up a1ter
the Are. witness saying that the only
mart destroyed by the fire was some
an the outside, the center remaining
all right.
When the defense got hold of Mr..
pan,oo1a he was asked il he didn't
threaten Mr.. Croft since the nre II no
didn't give him some money to Keep
quiet. Witness said he tried TO COZ
lect about $500 In back wages claim
ed to be due him, and hnaiiy com-
nromised with $4O0, though Mr.. Croft
pnIv admitted at first that he owed
him $40. The defense sought to
show that the witness tried to black
mail Mr.. Croft and did In ef1ect force
him r. nav more than was due.
Norman Burgher testified that he
went to the fire soon after the alarm,
and that when he looked out OF his
window Immediately after the ex-
nlosion there was large and lurid
flame. and that the fire spread re-
markedly fast.
The trial is attracting much atten-
ton. the court room being filled to
standing room, and about 100 wit
nesses from Moulton being constant
" on hands in the corridors as they
IRE excluded from the court ROOM
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CASTORIA FGInfants and Children