The Mankato free press., 1912-10-11
F|REBUG IN LAWS GRIP
TELLS STORY TO POLICE
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily.
Hugh Kelly in cell at the city
Jail passed up the dope" last night
that he was the firebug that started
the fire at the home of Otis Dolson,
102 West street, early Sunday morn.
ing. The fire was in two story
frame dwelling and had been started
in two places on the west side OF
the house. The flames had worked
back into the house against the wind
and had a good start on the inside
but the prompt action of the fire de-
partment soon had the flames under
control. The northwest corner of
the house was badly burned and the
interior was pretty well smoked up
and disfigured, but most of the furs
niture was removed without much
damage. The insurance of $500 will
probably cover the loss. The family
was permitted to return to the house
during the day. 1
The fire was discovered at about
one o'clock by Clarence Miller, son
of Mr.. and Mrs. C. w. Miller, WHO
reside on West Front street. He
rushed at once to the scene and at
tempted to awaken the inmates. He
made considerable noise and thoughl
he had succeeded in arousing them
from their slumbers, and then put
off to send in an alarm to the Gem
trail station. Meanwhile, Frank Lang
the barber, who lives near by, saw
the fire. He fastened to the burn
ing dwelling and aroused Mr.. and
Mrs. Dolson in time to save them
from being burned to death. !
Odor of Kerosene. 4
The odor of kerosene was what first
created suspicion that the fire had
been of incendiary origin and upon
a more thorough investigation it was
found that the west side of the
house had been thoroughly saturat
ed with the oil. Mr.. Dolson seemed
satisfied that some one had set his
house afire and his wife agreed with
him strenuously. Dolson said thai
about a week ago his wife came
home with two men, Hugh Kelly and
Ia fellow named Rogers, all pretty
we'll the worse for liquor. Some
words ensued between Dolson and
Kelly, resulting in free-for-a -all
scrap in which Kelly came out see
ond best with dent in his head
made by a shovel in the hands .Di
Dolson. Kelly left the house vowing
vengeance, and the fire is the result
Chief John Lulsdorff of the fire de
partment was convinced that the fire
was started by someone and sihe
;nf of h,,
Donahue, who with Officer Hovie
went to work on the case. An inter
view with Mr.. Dolson convinced sth4
chief that Kelly was the man THEY
should apprehend. 1
Found An Oil Can.
Sunday morning Chief Donaihue
made a search of the Dolson prem
ises and found five gallon oilocan
in the weeds few rods FRONT the
house. Soon after this, FrankaSZsl
mer, driver for the Nationalf Re
fining company, whose plant is 10
Gated at Poplar and D streets, in,
formed the chief that the company S
warehouse had been broken into and
a five gallon can of kerosene taken
and the faucet of one of thee oil
wagons left partly open, ahrge
quantity of oil having escaped. Tracks
were discovered around the oily wag.
on and Chief Donahue followedfthem
from the oil house to Dolson 'spaomi
cile. Upon looking up HughsKelly
it developed that he resided with his
parents at the foot of Rock street
He was found there and Immediately
brought to the police stationI and
held there on suspicion. SlMelly's
shoes, pants and coat were saturated
with coal oil, which he saidi was
gasoline used to remove some espots
and he supposed that he hadsspilIed
some on his shoes accidentally He
denied that he had been near Dol.
sons premises the night befope and
said that he had gone hogies about
eleven o'clock His parents also
testified to this.
In an interview with Kelly yes
terday afternoon he Acknowledged
that he knew Dolson and said that
he had worked for him atfdifferent
times but had had nothirigs to do
with him for year. About ia year
ago he said, he had had b rumpus
with Dolson but had not been near
his premises for long time!
Tries to lmpIicate Mrs. Do1son.
When Mr.. Dolson came too the po.
lice station about nine otclhck last
night he asked to be permitted to
see Kelly. This was granted. After
a few minutes conversation Kelly
wilted and "came across'n with his
story of guilt. He tried to iapAicateMrs.
Dolson in the plan to bufnr the Dol.
son house. Not only tha1fbut Kelly
claimed to Dolson and the police Of
ficers that he and Mrs. Ddlson had
concocted bold plot toppeduce Mr..
Dolson to ashes Kelly 4claimed to
the officers, so they sstated, that
Mrs. Dolson was tired sofs her hus-
band and wanted to getpfid of him.
The plan was, so KellyfTlaims, for
Mrs. Dolson to get D6lHen asleep
and then she should leave sthe house
Kelly claimed to the police that the
woman told him where sfBs could get
the kerosene, and she wasted in the
barn on the premises HhHe he went
after the oil. Mrs. Dolsap, so Kelly
claimed. gave him thee matches to
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