Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-03-02
ITALIAN GR0CERS
ARE CLEARED Of
|NCEND|ARY CHARGE.
JUDGE kOENiG FINDS NORTH
SIDE GROCERYMEk NOT GULL
TY OF APPLYING TORCH TO
STOCK.

were arraigned before Justice koeni
on a charge OF attempting to defrau
insurance company, and found no
guilty by George koenig. 1t was a
legged that Augustine and Sylveste
fired the Wolfe building at the corne
OF Marquette and La Sale street
early Monday morning with the hop,
OF collecting insurance on their stocl
CT groceries.
Deputy Fire Marshal Wagner wal
present at the inquisition this morn
ing. The grocerymen were defende,
by Attorney Harold l.. Nicholson
while States Attorney George S
Wiley was the prosecutor More
than dozen witnesses we're in court
most OF them having been summoned
there by the state.
The Italian following of the two
grccerymen practically filled the cour,
and all paid strict attention to the
trial.
StrubeI en- Stand.
Oscar Strubel, who resides above
the grocery store, was the first to
take the stand. Strubel stated that
he was awakened by the fire about 9
o'clock Monday morning and hurried
ly aroused all the members OF his
family and then sounded the warning
to the Locander family. who had the
apartments across the hall from him.
! When he arrived downstairs the fire
was burning very freely on the floor
OF rear room. The light from the
| flames made objects discernable in the
room. He neither heard nor saw any
one leave the store prior to the fire
AT 1890 o'clock, however, he heard
some one down in the store, but did
not pay any attention to the noise.
,...ssera...- George Stevenson.
George Stevenson, foreman Of the
IRE department, was the next to be
called Stevenson testified that he
was summoned to the fire by a tele-
phone call at 2:le o'clock Monday
morning. When he arrived there he
found the blaze confined to the rear
portion OF the store The fire had ap-
parently started on the floor OF the
building The stove pipe OF small
stove was laying on the floor. He did
not know whether the force from the
water knocked the pipe down, or
whether it fell out of place during the
course Of the fire.
There was no indication OF an eX.
plCsion Of any kinw. On examination
Stevenson stated that he had talked
with Sylvester the next morning after
the fire and that he tSlyvester) stated
he was in the store at $50 o'clock
Sunday evening.
Boissenin on Stand.
Fire Chief Joseph Boissenin was
called, ?but could give very little evi'
dence Of material benefit in cOnnec-
ton with the origin of the blaze. He
stated the character of the fire and
Tie condition the lremen found in
tho store
Oflcer Henry Monroe. who was
making his police beat in that neigh
borhood, stated that he talked with
Sylvester in the doorway Of his store
at 8.3G o'clock Sunday evening.
Later he was standing near the Wolfe
building from the hour OF 1890 to
1:@0 o'clock, and at that time he saw
no one enter or leave the building.
The attempt Of the state to show
that the defendants had endeavored
to secure insurance from Fred Hathe'
way last July was thrown out and Mr..
Hathaway was not permitted to tell
why he did not hold the insurance on
tho building. de stated that the men
made application for policy and that
one was granted. but it was only in
use a few days when it was cancelled
Sylvester and Augustine, when
called to the stand, denied the charges
that they were guilty of applying the
torch to their stock.
Richolson Makes Plea.
Attorney Harold l.. Richolson made
an excellent plea for his clients He
stated that not particle of the testi-
mony submitted would warrant his
men being held to the grand jury. He
carefully reviewed the case and dealt
with every phase of it. Without tes-
timony to show that the defendants
are guilty Of any crime, ! ask that the
case be dismissed" said Mr.. Richol-
son in his closing arguments.
Attorney Wiley attempted to show
that there was suspicion of crime,
and that as this was only prelimin-
ary hearing, the men should be held
TO the grand jury. He showed where
tile pair had insured for more than
their stock was worth.
Jurtice Koenig ruled that the case
be dismissed as there was not proper
evidence that the men were guilty or
firing the building
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