Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-17
ELEVATOR FIRE
WAS PREDICTED
A5 THARP TELLS OF VISITING
THE BUILDING AND FINDING
CONTENTS DEPLETED

Centerville, Feb. 16.-That the burn.
ling of the Croft elevator at Moulton
was actually predicted by man who
visited the place the afternoon before
the fire was the startling testimony in
the case against the Hendon brothers
for arson in burning the elevator at
Moulton last August in the trial in
progress here. Alb Tharp told Of
various visits to the elevator, and 60
ing through it the day before the fire,
and finding it SO depleted in contents
that on his way home he told August
Post that there would be a fire over
there before long. He said he also
told his wife the same thing, and told
her he was going to caution the city
marshal, but she advised him to keep
still. The defense made fierce on
slaught on his testimony, and began
laying grounds for impeachment as
they did with one or two other wit.
nesses.
That an effort was made by the de-
Tense to have damaging witnesses
leave the state was introduced as testi-
mony by the prosecution. H. H. Evans,
a former employe Of the A. c. Croft
seed house, stated that the evening
before the fire Mr.. Croft asked him If
he wanted to make $40 that night, and
that after the fire that he was again
approached and offered deed to a
house and lot In Moulton if he would
leave the country and not testify. His
brother had testified the day before
that he had been offered $500 to leave
before the trial. The defense sought
to show that these witnesses had ap- |
preached both sides soliciting pay for
testimony and had been turned down !
by the defense. Questions were asked |
with the intent of showing that it was |
reported that jackpot of $1,000 had |
been raised by those interested in tho
prosecution for the purpose Of in
fluencing testimony for the state, but !
the way the questions were put the
court ruled them out.
The state has proceeded to
its case by showing that
the Hendons hauled a large quantity
of timothy seed to West Grove, eight
miles from Moulton on the Wabash, a
few days before the fire. Much was
made Of the fact that when Jim Hen
Ion. identified by various witnesses
is the man who gave his name as John
Smith, went to the West Grove bank l
% cash a check in payment for seed. (
le was very insistent against taking
lraft or certificate of deposit, even {
after it was found that the bank had
exhausted its currency and had to go
,ut to one Of the merchants to Dor :
'ow enough money to pay the check in
ash. Several parties identified Jim
Tendon as Smith. A farmer, Mr.. Har- {
'ett, near West Grove, said that as '
le was starting to West Grove one day !
bout August IA he saw man CON-
ng down the road who got over the !
ence, passed around him, and then {
,ot back into the road. He went back
caring he might harm the family at
ome and found him hiding behind a
ledge. The stranger said he was on
lis way from Burlington to Moulton
O get work in the round house. Mr..
Jarrett picked him out in the court =
DOM as Jim Hendon. The state sought
O show it was Hendon on his way
lome after being to West Grove to +
orange for the sale of some seed. Mr.. r
Jarrett said he saw the same man
Jack in West Grove the neaxt day, s
Irving out of town with an empty ,
wagon. John M. Fry, a West Grove
business man, said he figured up the
iced that Mr.. Gleason bought of the :
nan giving his name as John Smith,
md he identified Jim Hendon as the
nan. J. r. Colliver, a farmer near I
Vest Grove, saw the transaction of
,ashing the check. The bank cashier
old of the affair, too.
D. W. Burger. farmer near Moul-
on, told Of going to the Croft eleva-
or to get some plaster the day before
he fire, and on finding he got the
wrong kind drove back after the help {
lad left, and saw Mr.. Croft and the !
Iendons back Of the elevator talking ,
ogether. J. S. Gregory, retired
armer, said he was at the elevator the
afternoon before the fire and Mr.. Croft
when asked what he was going to do
With certain clover seed said he was !
going to take it out home with him ;
hat evening. Said he looked through j
he elevator and judged there was
about 100 bushels Of timothy in it,
Ind possibly car Of lumber in shed.
Co., which was damaged by an ex-
olosion, as follows:
rn1fNo yorN3ortfnni