South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-07-12
FOUND GUILTY
IN ARSON PLOT
Calvin Lincoln, 81, Last of
Four Defendants, Convict
ed at Winchester.
international News Service:

lawn Lincoln, % years ola OF Key
stone, Ind, was found guilty on a
charge Of conspiracy TO commit ar
son, by jury in circuit court here.
The jury announced that IL had
reached a verdict last night but the
verdict was not made public until
this morning when read by Judge z.
E. McGriff. Of Portland, sitting as
special judge in the case.
Lincoln is the last OF the four
men who were indicted in connec-
ton with the burning OF a store at
Ridgeville, Ind. Jan. 10, 1915.
Frederick Drake of Marion, COM
mitted suicide at his home while out
on bond. after having been indicted
by the Randolph county grand jury;
and Elisha Roberts OF Ridgeville.
and Enoch L. Pearson OF Van
Buren,, are both serving sentences
of from two 10 fourteen years at the
state prison. having been found
guilty in the circuit court here.
The store which was burned was
purchased by Pearson and Drake
and according to the testimony
brought out during the trial the
stock which was insured for $12.-
600 had been depleted until its ag-
gregate value at the time of the fire
was about $500. Lincoln will be
sentenced within the next few days,
il is expected.
The case against Lincoln involves
one of the most complicate chain
of events brought TO light in any
court in the Hoosier state. The state.
which is represented by Pros. Atty.
Ernest Dunn, and Newman T. Mil
Ter. attorney for the state fire mar
shall, charges that Lincoln took
Elisha r. Roberts TO Ridgeville on
the night of Jan. 9, 1916, where
Roberts set fire 10 a store owned
by Enoch L. Pearson of Van Buren,.
and Frederick Drake of Marion. 1t is
also alleged that Pearson and
Drake. who had purchased the store
at Ridgeville but that owing 10 the
fact they failed to profit during the
operation of their business they at
tempted TO hire Burr Mackey to
burn the store, and offered him $50
for doing so. Mackey, however, the
state contends. refused 10 accept the
offer and about nine months later
they employed Roberts, who did the
Job on the morning Of Jan. 10,
1916.
Indictments were returned
against Pearson, Roberts, Lincoln
and Drake. charging each of them
with the crime set forth in the in
dictment upon which Lincoln is now
being tried. Pearson and Roberts
have been tried and both found
guilty and sentenced TO the state
prison for from two TO fourteen
years. Drake, however, committed
suicide at his home at Marion. while
out on bond after having been In
dicted.
Attempt to Prove Abb.
In the trial of Pearson, who re-
sided at Van Buren,, and Roberts,
who is also a resident Of Van Buren,.
an attempt was made TO prove an
alibi but both men were found guilty
by the jury. The Judge presiding at
the trial OF Lincoln is Judge Emer-
son McGriff, Of Portland, Ind.
Prior to the burning Of the store.
| IL is charged that the stock was
covered by insurance aggregating
| approximately $4,000 but that at
the time of the fire the stock had
been depleted until its total value
was but $500.
One Of the star witnesses for the
state during Lincoln's trial was
John Burlington OF Van Buren,. TO
whom the automobile. in which it is
alleged Lincoln drove Roberts TO
the scene Of the fire when 1t was
burned. was sold. Burlington stated
that at the time he acquired the
automobile from Roberts. Roberts
said, IF anybody asks you where
you got this car tell them II is none
Of their business. You know 1 am in
little trouble and this car figures
/ in that trouble"
The testimony given by Bufing-
ton was presented by the state with
the purpose OF proving that Roberts
and Lincoln together visited the
scene Of the burned building on the
night of the fire and that by estab-
fishing that fact for the jury the
verdict rendered in the case against
Roberts will make the case of the
prosecution thoroughly established.
Among other evidence which was
| introduced during the trial was doc
uments in the form OF books kept
| by the firm from the time of the
/ purchase Of the store until the fire
which resulted in the returning OF
4 the indictments against the four
/ men. OF which Lincoln is the last to
be tried. The daily receipts and the
I daily expenditures OF the firm were
both shown by the state from the
books Of the firm itself which were
not burned when the store was fired