davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16
Forcing a
Confession

Having thus mace substantial
I breach in the "Hindenburg line
Ct the defence. the detectives pressed
their attack with yigor, and soon Sc
cured a confession as to the burn
ing Of the Exchange Hotel, another
case in which Wood had acted as
torch
At this point the trail led directly
tc men who were higher up. The
Exchange Hotel was barn-like and
Improbable property OF some twen-
ty rooms, which had finally been
closed. 1t was purchased by a real
estate man named Drew, who
promptly secured a policy of $4,000
upon the building, and additional in
surance upon it's contents, through
a broker named Skies, both men
being leading spirits in the Arson
Trust. 1t was Skies who engaged
the professional services Of Wood,
the "torch," the latter, in this case,
assuming the nom dc fou Of 7.
Ward.
Drew had certain incendiary prep
aratiuns in mind, but to give an eX-
panation for the unwonted activity
ir a place long vacant he let it be
understood that he had in mind the
rcopening of the hotel. Ward or
Wood, therefore, proceeded to have
carted away several loads of ashes.
There was a sound Of hammering
within the building. Neighbors re-
allied that csrtain repairs were
logically to be expected, but could
rot kEow that these repairs con.
sisted in mailing up all Of the win
Luws and putting cleats before the
doors to prevent their being opened.
Ward, purchased a gasolene stove
tcr the Kitchen, after which it was
quite natural that he should have q
flyc-gallon can Of gasolene also de-
l.ycred. Thereupon the simple pre-
cautions were complete. with the
single exception Of pouring gaso.
lene down the dumbwaiter shaft
and adding a touch Of flame Mt the
lGttom of the shaft, after which
Ward" quietly walked out of the
back door and sauntereh down the
street.
Presently smoke and fame ap-
reared. and the hremen, Of course.
responded, but found it difficult to
overcome the precautions made TO
lcep them out In short. 1t made q
beautiful fire. Drew and Skies.
having ostentatiously left town upon
the preceding morning, were, OF
course. provided viii alihis. There
wpre plenty of suspicious but no
cSnyicting evidence until Wuo'! WAS
RULED out from unGer the ,lle o.
lumbCr.
In the light OF the confession IL
was not dilrcult to secure indict-
ments against a.l three men, but
that against Wood was annulled, IN
view Of his having witnessed for the
state.
Every one familiar with trials re-
a,izes. however, that indictments
ore but one step toward final incar.
ce-ation, and that many times erin
inals have slipped through the
r.eshes upon mere technicalities. An
incident resembling this occurred in
connection witt the case Of Drew
and Skies. BoiA men were indicted
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

upon J"O cnarges' one, tnat or con
piracy, md the second, that Of
turning % dcfraud. The conspiracy
case was brought 10 trial, and con.
yictions wer, secured, but tho Jude.
ment was promptly appealed by the
defence, and the defendants were
released upon bail.
Technicalitics
Impede Justice
Fearing a reversal of the conyic-
zion through possible weakness In
lie conspiracy charge, the prosecu.
Ton brought the men again into
court for burning 70 defraud. In
this case great pains were TAX, 70
keep every step Of the prosecution
free from the slightest technical er.
rcr. This second case likewise re.
suited in conviction, and was also
appealed. Because Of various com.
r.icaticas Of legal nature the ap-
real upon the second case was the
1rst % lie decided by the Supreme
Court. To the great disappoint-
ment Of the prosecution a technical
slip Of one word in one Of the
charges made by the trial judge mad
nullifed all Of the pains which they
bad taken. At one point the Judge
had inadvertently referred 10 the
crime as larson" instead Of "burn-
ing to defraud." The statutes Of
that state give larson" a technical
definition not exactly applicable in
the case ot the Exchange" fire.
Here was an excellent example Of
the distinction between "legalism"
and Justice" since the facts Of the
case were not impugned. Thus
weeks Of work might have gone for
raught had not the appeal upon the
first case been decided by the Su.
preme Court, with the conviction for
conspiracy sustained. The two
"trust magnates" were given quar-
tcrs in the penitentiary at Joliet
and the authorities heayed sigh Of
relief.
There was, indeed, good reason for
their relief, for there was some
thing more than suspicion that the
Arson Trust did not stop short Of
murder when they believed it in
their interests.
One Of the pals Of Wood was man
known as Shorty" Shannon, also
professional "torch" for the trust.
After Wood was arrested and locked
in the county Jail shorty Shan
non made n confession, and stated
that he had set certain fires. One
day Shannon came into a saloon,
and while visiting with some men
around the bar drank beer with
them. lie at once fell over on the
floor dead. Through a strange CO.
incidence, there was no coroner's in
quest, and the body was buried at
once. Strange condolences, how
ever, were characteristic Of the ac-
tlyities Of the trust" While Wood
was in the Jail woman who was a
friend and neighbor Of Skies visited
lin, and brought him a lunch. He
efterward said his suspicious were
aroused, but he ate part Of a ba-
mana and Immediately became vio-
lently III, having every symptom OF
arsenic poisoning. Before the de-
tectives could get possession OF this
food it had been destroyed, and no
trace Of it was ever found.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

COR 10y him. but at once assigned ah'
transferred to his wife.
The fire was not long in coming.
BY something more than colnc''
dence, it broke out on a night whsA
the street. were so slippery that 1t
was difficult for tho Fire Depart
n.nt TO reach the house. Never
,hole,., the fremen succeeded again
in frustrating the expectation tina:
the fro would burn up its own cTi-
tsnce. Later it was testified that
". had said, "If that house ever gets
On FIRE IL will burn Ike torch. y
RE blaze was soon extinguish-d,
and the premises bore the familiar
signs OF n carefully prepared crime.
Five distinct "fire traps" had been
urepared on different floors. Open
iacs had been made in walls for con-
Meeting fuses, consisting OF ropes
6, braided muslin, covered with oil
ard lard. Piles of kindlinC ard cot
ton. saturated with kerosene, were
."und at various places. Il was
clearly professional job, quite
what had been expected by those
WHO were watching the new pur-
chaser.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16
Firebugs'
Organization

Such gangs as the one described
Above may be organized as carefully
as a baseball team. They are really
aegregations Of specialists, each Of
whom has his particular part 70
play. They usually include one or
nore men technically known as
torches" for the actual starting Of
the fires, and. above these, a moro
or less complicated organization in
which each man has his individual
function. 4 crooked fire insurance
sgent is an important factor, one
or two adroit and plausible takers,
one or more strong arms" in case
Of necessity, and always one or more
men of standing in business or poll
tics. 10 allay suspicion. In this lat,
ter connection a banker may be Of
special value.
A case Of this kind occurring a
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16
Conviction
Difficult

A iayman might think that there
would hardly havo been tho slight
est difficulty about securing a con-
vict;on, but those engaged upon the
case well knew that they were deal
ing wit. en- adroit and resourcefu'
criminal, whose political influence
was so great that it had more than
once served to eXtricate him fron,
difficult positions. 1t was realized
that in dealing with w. witnesses
were likely to disappear, or to recant
and evon that judges had been
known to give him the benefit OF
himsy technicalities, where the
moral certainty os his guilt was un-
doubted. Therefore, the detectives
set themselves to run down every
corfrmatory clew, and it was only
after some clever work that the case
vas made complete.
It was highly characteristic OF W.
that upon the morning following the
fire no went to Hall and faced the
representatives Of the Fire Mar
shals Department with the bold
claim that somebody had attempted
10 destroy his property, and that he
must insist that they leave no stone
rnturned in tracing the criminal.
This tho hnrshaPs men agreed to,
adding significantly that If the cvi-
dence involved him, they would make
another effort TO bring him to JUS
tice, as they had often tried to DO
before.
Then began the piecing together
of the case. Holes were found bored
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16
Pyronaniacs
Dangerous

Such stories could be multiplied
Indefinitely. Most Of the cases OF
burning TO defraud are sordid and
unpicturesque. Not all incendiary
fires, however, are based upon this
motive. Occasionally the trail VIII
lead to a clearly defined case Of re-
venge, which sometimes does not
stop short Of intentional murder OF
4 peculiarly cowardly kind. More
frequently, however, it will be traced
TO one Of those strange perverted
pathological cases known as pyro'
maniacs. Pyromaniacs are among
the most dangerous Of all enemies
.Cf society, even though it may not
te possible to assign ia them fun
measure Of moral responsibility
a very recent case Of a pyro-
maniac in New Jersey, who con-
fessed t. having set more than forty
fires, ;ncluding ono which caused the
less of lie. and who gave the prob
ably sincere excuse that he did II
~ quiet his nerves" is case IN
point.
Taken all in all, the problem OF
incendiarism in its various aspec"
is q ,srge one, not merely to the ur-
derwriters, but to the community
Always a contemplate and coward
" crime, it contains peculiar ele'
rents Of danger 10 society IN tna'
fires so set may easily cause loss OF
!fe, being generally at night time
and not infreQuently spreading I"
c,her buildings.
As already stated, the NatlonSi
Eoard of Fire Underwriters, IN Se'
tive cooperation with the state hfe
marshals in all parts Of the country
and with local fire and police de'
partments and sheriffs' offices, is en-
Gagged in an earnest effort to make
this crime so dangerous to its par.
ticiparts that they shall abandon u
for safer fields. Indeed, incenaf
arism is increasingly becoming
vocation Of hazard TO those prae'
Using il, and even such ingenloo,
methods as those above deserioea
very frequently furnish the oe''
possible evidence against the criin''
mails employing them.
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

hind. 7! no danger had been ex-
pccted the canary would naturally
have been left in The house in the
care of the young women who re-
nained. IT, on the other hand, they
did expect q fire and desired to save
the life Of their pet, a cage is a con-
spicucus object to be carried through
the streets by people who desire to
avoid attention. Thus the canary
furnished an essential piece Of evi'
dence which was corroborated by
the discovery of clothing ard other
personal belongings that had also
been taken to the house where it was
found. All in all, the evidence was
50 complete that the jury was not
especially impressed By the defend
ants protestations Of innocence.
IN the background Of this case
stood the sinister figure OF w, al
thovgh the much desired evidence
was not at frs: forthcoming. It was
later j,roycG that his was the direct
in- land. bet The young women we're
SO loyal to this master criminal that
they allowed themselves 10 be con-
victed end sent to prison without
betraying Kim. It was not until
some time later, when he was con-
yicted upon another crime and &C
tually put behind bars, that they
broke down and admitted his part IN
their fire.
His final apprehension came about
in an interesting way. During the
Investigations connected with the
case lust Narrated the detectives
learned that W. was negotiating for
the purchase Of a twenty-five room
house known as - Hall. In the
light Of his peculiar reputation The
circumstances seemed suspicious.
Suspicious
Circumstances
The house, while Of frame con-
struction, was finished and dec
Grated in an extravagant fashion,
hut a change in the character OF
the neighbOrhood made it no longer
desirable for residential purposes.
BY this time the state fire marshal
was watching w. closely. As soon as
the Hall negotiations were learned
of. the Fire and Police departments
and the sheriff's office of the city
we're put upon their guard, The
local insurance agents were request
cI TO see that all insurance hould
le cancelled, and that no other
should be issued if the family moved
away. although this request was not
complied with. As soon as W. Sc
cured possession Of the property
the transaction was handled in the
rame of his wife-he succeeded IN
obtaining insurance to the value of
s17.50O, the insurance being paid
New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

yea- or two ago in the Middle We..
WI show well recognized type. y
,~br whom We will call ". was presi-
syn, OF - bank and had considerable
|ss-c.al Standing in his community
Where. cf course, hii s@iliation with
criminal gang was not suspected.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12
Public Sale

The undersigned will sell at public
sale. at his residence, FIVE miles north
east of Celina, l-2 south of Neptune,
and 2 miles north OF Idlewild station. on
Tuesday, October g.. 1917, commencing
at O'Clock pm, sharp, the following
personal property:
Pour head Horses-consisting of sor-
rel mare, IS years old, weight about
100 pounds; l roam Percheron mare, II
years old, In foal, weight about 1900
pounds; roam Percheron mare, years
old. weight about 1900 pounds, and !
roam mare years old.
Farm IMPLEMENTS Consisting OF one
Mccormick mower, S foot cut; Dia-
mond riding breaking plow, ! Bremen
walking breaking piow, Hoosier grain
drill, Keystone weeder, hay loader,
/ McSherry Shoe drill, / disc harrow, l
New Idea manure spreader, loft. har-
row, / double-shovel plow. single
shovel plow, Little Jap cultivator, l
Turnbull wagon and bed, narrow-tired
wagon, buggy, / road cart, mud boat,
extra set runners, set double work har-
ness, set single driving harness, set dou-
BILE driving harness, log chains, double
trees and single trees, and other things
too numerous to mention.
Also work bench and tools and black
smiths vice.
Terms of sale-All sums.of..SS and un-
der cash; over this amount credit OF 9
months will be given, purchaser giving
a bankable note. per cent off for cash
on credit sums.
ISAAC HAINLINE.
E. r. Bevington, Auctioneer.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12
JOHNSON new FUEL
ADMINISTRATOR
Cleveland Man Likely to Accept
the Position

Columbus, Oct. 10.-It is expected
that Attorney H. H. Johnson. CIeve.
land, will accept the position OF Ohio
fuel administrator and ne will make
Columbus his headquarters. Johnson
was in conference here with Governor
Cox. State Food Administrator Crox.
ton and J. NJ. Roam, head Of the state
coal clearing house, also discussed
the situation with Johnson.
The governors office gave out q
sharp statement in reply to the re-
quest Of Federal Fuel Administrator
Garfield for specific" information as
to Ohio coal needs Il insisted that
all the information given Garfield to
date has been specific" and went so
far as to say that the state will fur
nish him with the names and ad-
dresses of families If he desires To
have them.
Attorney General McGhee supple
mented his Monday list Of 205 needy
municipalities with many more, giving
Garfield in each case the exact num-
Der Of tons needed by each.
Demanding ten cars Of coal from
the state, Mayor o. R. Wade of Fos-
toria telegraphed to Columbus off.
cials. II the coal is sent on the city
will use a part of 1t and the rest will
be divided among local dealers.
Lima nigh school and half dozen
grade schools we're closed for lack OF
fuel. Mayor Simpson said that he
will seize the first 10 carloads he can
get and take chances with the authori
ties.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12
Will MOVE FROM
CAMP SHERMAN
Eight Thousand Selects TO Go
to Southern Camps.
ORDER EXPECTED At ANY time

Five Thousand Men Will Be Sent to
Montgomery to Join the Ohio Ma
tlonal Guard Division and Three
Thousand to Camp Pike, Near Little
Roek-officers Instructed to Be Pre-.
pared For the Movement.
Chillicothe, O., Oct. 11.-Instruc-
tions have come to officers here to be
prepared to move 5000 men from
Camp Sherman to southern camps.
Five thousand men will be sent to
Montgomery, Ala, to join the Ohio
national guard division. Three thou
sand will be sent to Camp Pike, the
national army cantonment three miles
north Of Little Rock, Ark, to help fill
q division at that place.
the order for the movement Is eJ-
pected at any time. 1t may come IN
10 days, officers at division headquar-
Oers said.
The men will be drawn largely from
IL depot battalions into which a largo
per cent Of the late arrivals at Camp
Sherman have been placed. It Is not
announced how they will be picket.
That will be left largely to the COM
manders in the depot units. The prob
able plan will be to ask for volunteers
and then, If the required number is
not raised, the remainder will BE-
drawn by lot.
The announcement came through
Major General E. F. Glenn's headquar.
ters following receipt Of instructions
from the war department to be pre-
pared to move the troops. Immediate
steps will be taken to name the men |
who are to go, so tnat if the order
for their entraining, comes in the next |
few days time will not be lost.
1t is not known II the movement
will take place before the next and
final contingent Of drafted men start
coming In the week Of Oct. II. Nor
Is 1t known If the men will be sent
south before 1900 Oklahoma negro
selects are transferred here for train
ing. officers were inclined to believe
that 5000 will be sent south before
Oct. II. That will give more barracks
loom for the incoming rs per cent.
The announcement that those sent
south will come from depot battalions
means that many late arrivals here
will be named to go to Montgomery
Dr. Little Rock. All line regiments
we're filled as fast as men came in, 81
hat the fighting" division, regardless
If the depot brigades, would be re-
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12
SHELL SUBMARINE;
ITALIANS KILLED
American GUnneTS Fire When
Signal In Unanswered.
washington, oct. 9.-vICe Admiral

Washington, Oct. 9.-Vice Admiral
Sims cabled the navy department that
an American patrol vessel. on duty at
night in the war zone, had fred on an
Italian submarine. which failed to an
swer recognition signals. killing one
officer and one enlisted man. Secre.
tary Daniels at once sent a message
TO the Italian ministry OF marine, ex.
pressing the deepest regret over the
unfortunate occurrance, and tender.
ing his and the American navys sym.
pathy for the loss of life. The navy
department issued this statement:
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12
TO TRY PUBLICITY
Plan Announced at Chicago to Fight
High Prices.

Chicago, Oct. ia plan to fight
high food prices with publicity was an.
nounced by Harry A. Wheeler. food
administrator for this district. House
wives, under this plan, will be inform
ed daily through the newspapers Just
what the price Of staple articles
should be. The price will be fixed by
a committee OF three, representing
the federal food administration, whole
Gale grocers and retailers. A com.
mittee representing the retailers al
ready has fixed the margin Of profit
they are to receive on potatoes, -four
and sugar. On potatoes the maximum
profit will be 10 cents a bushel, with
an additional 10 cents for delivery.
The profit on standard brands Of -four
will be 81 a barrel. On sugar It will
be thres-fourths OF a cent a pound.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12
IVORY STOCK FARMS
Fifth Annual Sale

OF CHESTER WHITES and o. /, c's. OF
WEDNESDAY, October II. 1917. at Mont
ezuma. Ohio. Locatlon-sale viii be held
on my farm, az miles southeast OF Mon
tezuma. and miles southeast OF Celina
o.. beginning at 1880 p. m.
IS head best individuals. prize winning
strains of Chester Whites and o, /. C's oi
March 1916, farrow. grand. good grow
thy bunch-cholera immune and virus
treatment.
The herd Boars are Invincible Boy, No
S4Sl7; Ohio Wonder. No. S46O5; School
masters Giant.
The Iums OF this offering ara: Daisy
SaSi2. ivory F.ss TAI 70. rutz 571!?. Pran
Ic Queen f; "a. Ivory Bell $3.50. Early
Bird '6O02 and a host Of others.
Terms of sale-All sums OF s25 and ill
der cash without discount. ovrr S25. six
months credit viii be given. WITT G p,r
cent interest from date OF sale or one
year 1t per cent interest from date OF
sale.
ccommodations-Frec entertainment. to
visiting free ders at the Ashlcy Hotel Go.
lima, on I'fh, before sale, Free convey
ance on day of sale from CctIlp and
Montezuma
Frank A. c. SChWietOrnan
MOntezuma, Ohio
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12
THE CELNA DEMOCRAT

"The navy department has been in
formed by Vice Admiral Sims that re
Gently an American patrol vessel
while on patrol duty at night, encoun
tered an italian submarine and that
when the latter failed to answer the
established recognition signals, the
patrol vessel opened fire. which result.
Cd In the killing OF one officer and one
enlisted man before the identity of
the submarine was established. Vice
Admiral Sims is thoroughly investl.
eating the unfortunate occurrence and
reports will be forwarded later to the
department"
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12
Labor Opposes Dry STATE.

Cincinnati, Oct, II. - Statewide
"bone dry" prohibition was known t.
be In disfavor at the session Of the
Ohio State Federation OF Labor here
when resolution against prohibition,
introduced by John Gillian OF the
Cigarmakers local union No, 4, after
being given "a hours consideration
was adopted with only one dissenting
vote.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12

cruited At the earliest possible mo.
mont TO full strength.
The result Of the decision to fill the
line regiments first aud the depot
brigades later naturally gave first ar.
rivals In Camp Sherman permanent
berths in the line regiments and caus.
ed the late G,-iyals to be shunted to
the depots. That is where a great
number OF the go per cent" men went
and that is where many OF the next
Is per cent will 20.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12

Woman's friend is a Large Trial
Bottle of Sanol Prescription. Fine
for black heads, Eczema and all
rough skin and clear complexion. A
real skin Tonic. Get 35c Trial Bot
tie at the drug store. adv.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12

Our old friend Rev. A. H. Roebuck,
who went to Mercer to make his future
home on quitting the ministry a few
weeks ago, made The Democrat friend
lY call while in town Tuesday. He ia
looking like youngster and is getting
ready to put Ohio on the water wagon.
]. c. Kruger, for so many years res
ident of Center township, has turned his
farm over to his son and moved to St.
Marys, where he recently purchased
property. He was in town Saturday and
ordered his paper sent to him there.
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12
PROMISES RELIEF FOR OHIO
Garfield Admits the Possibility Of q
Coal Shortage.

Washington, Oct. 1.-THE posslbil-
ity Of coal shortage this winter was
admitted by Fuel Administrator Gar
field for the first time. To cope vita
the situation he announced a plan for
proratlng the country's fuel supply
among the states.
Emergency shortages, now flooding
the fuel administration, will be met
from 100000 tons of uncontracted
free" coal located by Garfield. Relief
The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-10-12
NeM pemoeratIe LIeensera,

Columbus. Oct. 1.-The state liq.
uor license commission announced the
following appointment OF Democratic
liquor licensers: For Fairfield county,
James link to take the place OF
Francis Reicheldorfer; for Marion
county, 70. ]. ShoenlRub to replace
Richard Horn. and for Washington
county, P. ]. Quinlan to replace James
Harper.