The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1914-03-06
Nan Who Has Served Two Terms In
State P1ison Tells Story Of De-
structioa Of Bsmidj Lumber Mil
Watched Night Man Twice Make
Rounds And Then Crept TO Sec
ond Story Used Kerosene
MARSHALL rU1r1kroN HERE

Prisoner Expresses Wish To Be Sen.
tenced as Soon Al Possible And
Have Thing Over With"
Frank Warner. SO years Of age.
who has served two terms In the
state penitentiary, and who less than
a year ago was examined az to his
sanity before Judge Clark, late last
evening admitted that 1t was he who
set the fire which destroyed the Be.
midi Lumber mill early yesterday
morning at q loss OF approximately
100000.
He was arrested soon after by
Sheriff johnson.
A crack in the heel Of his
shoes and a telephone message are
the clues which led to his arrest and
confession. Warner is the man who
was sent to prison from here follow
ing the shooting of man at Turtle
River. He was justice of the peace
at the time, and the crime was COM
mittee following a row of long
standing. His other term follow
ed his conviction for burglary. Last
July he was tried in Judge Clark's
court as to his sanity. where the ex-
+amining board, found him to be suf-
fering from alcoholism and he was
released, The testimony offered
showed that Warner has threatened
the lives of several persons and With
out any cause whatever.
Shoe Proves Clue
While telephoning to Sherm
Bailey yesterday Warner told Of hav-
ing seen the fire and made state
ments which caused suspicion, To
Egether e. =. Mcdonald and Bailey.
Warner walked to the scene Of the
fire where Che dmprint Of the shoe
|of the latter was compared with
those of the man who was supposed
to have. lighted the fire. Warner
knew that he was under suspicion
but willingly accompanied McDon-
aid and Bailey to the mill, believ-
ing that the snow had covered up
all tracks. When he found that the
tracks had been covered by Sheriff
johnson and the imprint was per-
feet. there being crack in the heel.
he admitted having set the fire. This
all took place yesterday afternoon.
Refuses to Confess
Warner steadily refused to make
confession, and not until midnight
did he do so. In his confession he tells
Of having come to Bemtdji Monday
from the farm Of Pete Recker, seven
miles east Of here. and that he had
$1.25. which he soon spent for
board.
n 4
Assists in Putting Out Fire
At the fire OF the Bemidji Brew
ing company barn Wednesday after
noon Warner gave much aid to the
firemen. After this fire he obtain
| ed a quarter from sherm Bailey,
with which he secured supper.
- : . = -.
Spend Evening In Saloon
The evening was spent shaking
dice, and Warner confeases that hs
remained in saloon until II
O'Clock when the place was closed.
At 2:30. he claims to have gone to
fthe mill where he hid and twice
saw the watchman on his hourly
rounds. At 1880 after seeing the
lMatchman he crept to the second
STORY OF the mdN where he poured
thalf q pint Of kerosene on some
shavings and lit a match with which
the fire was started. He waited
until the fire had obtained . start
and then ran to the Bem4dji road.
and re-entered this city by way Of
lNymore.
Valves Hearing
EARLY this afternoon Warner WA
taken before D. II. Fisk, court COM
missioner, where he waaved prelim-
inary hearing, the charge Of arson IN
the third degree having been filed
against him. Arson in the drst
degree constitutes the burning Of Q
building whAph is used for livins
purposes, in the night time. while ar
son In the second degree is the burn
ling of a building used for living pur-
poses, in the day time. Arson in the
third degree is the burning OF a
lbuilding not used for living purposes.
Wishes 70 Plead Guilty
! At the county Jail this morning
Warner. expressed q desire "to have
1.-The whole thdng over with - soon
las possible. . At the preliminary
lhearing he requested Graham n.
Torrance. county attorney, to- notify
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