Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1918-04-25

the fire department aided
were stayed in their hun
res in the block.
ire. This was put out by volun-
.eer bucket brigade.
Watched Suspicious Characters
Bert Wells was attracted shortly
after three o'clock by the suspicious
actions of two men in the vicinity Of
the fire. Mr.. Wells had gone to his
shop, back Of the Haskell Garage, to
get an overcoat. AS he turned the
corner suddenly he almost collided
with them standing on the corner at
the Liberty street side of the Haskell
shop. When he returned, they were
still there in a whispered conversa-
ton, He went to the City Hall, and
while he stood watching the fire, the
two men came to the City Hall cor
ner and returned to the corner of the
Haskell shop. They did this three
times. Both of them were strangers.
Mr.. Wells drew the attention of
]. C. King to their actions, and Mr..
King watched them. Later, they dis
appeared only to reappear at the Ho-
er-Woodbridge Garage shortly, where
they watched the fire a minute or
two and then left.
The police were notified, but the
men had gone and could not be locat-
ed.
Sheriff ]. G. Ford with the assis-
tance of his garden hose put out sew.
eral small blazes in the outbuilding:
around the Jail Friday morning
which had started from the sparks
of the Ringo fire.
Mrs. NJ. R. Wise's property, which
was in her room at the Ringo, wa
totally destroyed. Mrs. Wise is visit
ing in Kansas City, and was not in tn
building at the time. Mr.. Wise wa
also out of Mexico.
The property of R. A. Bradley,
| w. Woodbridge, and Mr.. and Mr.!
Foster was practically all burned
Mrs. Foster, with her twin babie
and little daughter, had barely tim
to clothe herself partially and thro'
something about the children befor
the fire forced her to rush from tn
building.
History of RingO
In speaking of the Ringo Hotel an
| its history, j. H. Sallee, one of Me'
ico's oldest residents, said that whe
the building was opened in 1866 bi
ball was given, which was one of tt
largest social affairs ever held
, this part of the State at that tim
, Colonel Thomas was the first landlol
and one of the show places of Cel
trail Missouri.
A tragedy is connected with tt
| building Of the hotel. Kern Whit
7 one of Mexico's prominent citizens
2 an early day, who was later one
r the best city marshals Mexico ev
had, was walking by the buildii
r when they were laying the found
r ton. One of the negro mortar ca
riers pushed Mr.. White into the e
y cavation and when Mr.. White pull
e his gun and struck the negro ov
. the head the laborer became great
g incensed and announced that he "
e going to kill Mr.. White. Later
d the day, when the negro started
n Mr.. White, the latter pulled G
and shot him. There was no tri
v the shooting being justifiable by
= who were familiar with the conditio
Previous to the erection of the X
Is 90 Hotel on 10 present site, Silas
i, Dobyns had a two-story grocery ST.
tx on the lot. Mr.. Dobyns was the ia
d. er of Charles Dobyns, Of this eli
re | Adjacent to the grocery store was
a Ledger office, the paper at that I'll
r being under the management OF
10 d. H. Hunter. Both of these bul
r ings were burned shortly before VIZ
began on the erection Of the Rir
n Hotel.
er Mr.. sallee says that the contrac
d. was anxious for the completion OF
is building, as winter was approach
and worked one Sunday. Mr.. Sal
90 and number of other young men
Of the town assisted them in carry
.st mortar to push the completion Of
pc, structure.
o. w. X. Potts, father Of viii
NO Potts, was the contractor who b
led the Ringo.
Insurance and Losses
be The Ringo Hotel building was
he ned at over $4,000 and to replac
ct. today would cost more than SIS,
,ad according to local contractors. l
tb- the property of MA. Alex Carter
children and $4,000 insurance
.ng carried on the structure alone
iall The building occupied by Frank
ich Cords Shoe Shop and G. b. MO
,eo White Kitchen was the property