The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-01-17

That n gun battle with the lncendia-
rles followed Eagles discovery OF their
presence In the building, and that as
he was firing on one or more OF them
he was struck down from behind by a
slungshot welded by another OF the
gang, II the belief OF authorities investi-
eating the fire.
A hole slightly more than an inch
across in the frosted glass OF the private
office Of G. G, Reed head OF the firm,
the shattered glass In a bookcase door
IN the private office and the finding
Of a 3s-caliher bullet In the back OF the
bookcase Saturday morning--these are
the evidences OF how Eagle attempted
to shoot II out with the firehugs, before
he was struck down and abandoned, his
body TO be consumed In the flames, for
all the firebugs knew.
Recovery Expected.
The fast growing fire had severely
burned the unconscious watchman's
hands when he was found by firemcn
He was rushed to st. JoHeph's hospital
where DR. J. s. Winters attended him
Dr. Winters expressed his belief thai
Eagle would fully recover consciousness
before the day passed, The confusion
on his head was caused by a slungshot
the doctor said, II produced eoncus
sion Of the brain, but no fracture OF tbs
outer skull.
The fire had gained great headwa!
when II was discovered.
Firemen on duty at hook and ladder
truckh0use No .. Poplar avenue nea
Main street. we're startled at 2.02 o'clocl
Saturday morning TO see flames mount
ing skyward from the three story build
ing occupied by Reed x Duecker The,
| sounded an alarm, A second was sen
IN at zoos. when Fire Chief Mike FitZ
morris arrived at the scene.
Three Floors Afire.
There was fire on all three floors AM
| flames were leapinR through the ROOT
when the flremen first got the alarm
| The blaze was confined 10 the rear en-
Df the building supplies on the secon
and third floors were greatly damaged
and the fire ftend also wrought havo
In the basement. The first floor reai
near the cellar door. where the body Q
Eagle was found. was the slightet
| damaged the western or roar hal
uf the building The front. which con
tRined thousands az dollars worth (
Until supplies, machinery, betting AN
the like was damagAd only ny Water.
E44a l1@abiIfty that the Natshma
hka Been injured ~ A faii after
Mscosered the biase and had tried
| FIRE the fire signal--four shots--wt
secuted by the flremen, who say thu
II
| tions Of the Reed 4 Duecker fire mui
have been discovered before II grew
the size they found II. To bear o,
this contention. they point to the bull'
hole IN the office glass partition, fire
inside the building, but outside the o.
flee Because the shots were fired ir
side the building. they figure. they weT
not heard outside.
Investigation as to the origin Of III
blaze Is being made Police are &C
| operating with Fire Chief Fitzmorri
But the real story, viii undoubted
come out when the watchman can te
what happened.
G. c. Reed, head Of the firm, state
Saturday morning that they were ope
for business and in the market for o
ders az usual Headquarters were q
tahlished in the Reed e Duecker ware
house, Exchange avenue and Mort
Front street, at the start OF businei
Saturday The loss Is fully covered
insurance, Mr. Reed snid
Reed & Duccker moved from the
Front street offices last July into u
building In which the fire occurred.
formerly had been occupied by Kahn
Bach. wholesale dry goods merchant
When the mill supply house took 1t ov'
IL was renovated and remodeled.