Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-04-10

The first Of Gilmans So called arson
cases was brought 10 trial in the dis
trict court this forenoon when Randy
Long, accused in an indictment of Set
ting fire to the Is. +. Ingraham black
smith shop, was arraisned for trial.
Dell pepper. also OF Gilman. was in
dicted with Long for the same alleged
crime, but the trials Will be separate.
The cases are OF particular interest
to Gilman. from which the state anu
defense have subpoenaed more than
forty witnesses. These, and others OF
the town. made an audience in the
court room when the trial began that
represented large part OF the male
population OF the town.
jury Quickly Secured.
A jury was secured and the opening
statements of counsel were made be-
fore court adjourned for lunch The
following are the jurors; G. W.
Speicher. H. c. Lounsber-y. Homer
Heishman. P. Springer, Z. 3. Ward,
Tom Wilson. Charles Ingraham, c. ".
Edgar. j. l. Wagner, Charles Auls,
o. K. Slayer. and {. P. Cook.
Much reliance will be placed in the
testi1n ony regarding the tracks found
in the snow at the blacksmith shop to
convict Long, County Attorney DAILY
said in presenting the case. The de-
Tense will. in general, be proof that
Long was not near the burned shop
until after the FIRE, the defendants al
torney said in outlining his case.
Shop Burned Feb. q.
The Ingraham shop was discovered
on fire about midnight of Feb. q by a
boy named MOBILES. said County Attor-
ney Daily in repeating the details o.
the history of the case as be presented
il TO the jury.
Later the boy. after giving the
alarm, put out the fire: then the crowd
gathered, many of them having come
from the G. +. Stansberry home, where
I party was in progress.
They found inside the shop gunny
sack rags soaked with kerosene and
gasoline. and kerosene and gasoline
near by" said the county attorney.
a lantern was procured, and then
tracks We're found leading from win
dow in the northeast corner OF the
shop to the G.. A r. hall. The crowd,
attracted by a noise. as of some heavy
body falling, that appeared TO come
from the direction OF the hall. sur
rounded the hall, from which a short
time later me Randy Long and an
other man
The state alleges that no satistac-
tory explanation has been made Of
Longs presence in the G a. r. hall SO
late al night. but il is claimed that
Longs partner, pepper, said that they
were watching 1ngr@ham's shop 70 see
If he were selling liquor.
Defense is General Denial.
In addition TO setting up claim in
defense which amounts 10 an alibi
Longs lawyer, made a general denial
OF all the important details Of the
states allegations Of the defendants
guilt.
I'VE will prove" said Longs at,or-
ney. that there were many people at
the shop soon after the fire was dis
covered, but that the tracks in the
fresh snow were not found FOR some
time after men and boys had been
walking all about the place.
The authorities at Gilman have
taken 1t for granted that Long was
guilty from the start. and have over
looked many important details. We
will provS that Long was not al or
near the shop until long afterwards.
And If we show that we will eliminate
the conclusion that the tracks in the
snow were Longs footprints.
We will show there was no motive
why Long should set fire to Tngranam's
SHOP, and that Long had no inag,nary
wrong to right"
Because Of the large number OF wit
nesses IL will probably take two o..
three DAYS TO try the case