The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1922-02-12
THREATS IN
LETTERS To
]. H. WAGNER
Evidence of Incendiarism
Follows Burning of
Baptist Church


EAST LAS VEGAS. y. NJ. Feb. IL
lncondiarism has been virtually es-
tablished as the cause OF the Normal
school and Baptist church fires.
This became known today. follow
Ing destruction % the church early
this morning uy flames the probable
cause OF which aroused suspicious Of
iiremen when they stepped into the
building.
Two letters threatening 20 destroy
buildings in which Normal school
classes are being held were received
by j. II Wagner. president of the
university. Secrecy regarding these
missives has been maintained but t
became known definitely today that
the president received tho letters.
Both letters threatening future
places OF holding classes were mailed
locally and wero written on paper
used extensively at the Normal school
The misHives were n yellow Manila
paper believed to have been obtained
at tho school One was mailed at
the old Town poatonice and the ether
In the East Las Vegas office.
Thus far. II was said at the post
ofico today, the postofficc inspectors
have not been notified. with the re-
Nutt that no investigation has been
undertaken by those authorities Las
vegas police have been advised 81
the receipt Of the letters
With the receipt Of the letters ant
the Circumsutnces surrounding the
baptist church FIRE there il a strong
belief that the church destruction b.
the first step IN the firebugs scheme
OF carrying out his threats
When fircmen went into the church
this morning the fumes of Kerosene
were 80 strong that IL was difficult To-
breathe. ono % the mon told Tine
Herald correspondent. Investigation.
this fireman said. failed To reveal "a
Cuntalner OF any nature that might
have held Kerosene This leads to
the theory that the nrebug poured
kerosene IN large quantities in tn"
church before ignltinF a.
Col Jose u. Seua Of Santa FD one
uf the regents Of the sluuul. en-
phatically denied to-day that letters uf
"a threatening nature had been re-
Uciycd by Mr. Wagner However IN"
Herald correspondent was informed
hy source beyond question that the
two letters have been In the prcsi-
dent- possession for several days air.
Wagner BE- attending "a teachers con-
ference In Gallup. and could not be
reached by telephone today
Postmaster Long was az loss to-
day to explain why the postal depart
ment had not been notified ~o that ~
investigators could take up the probe
POSTAL inspectors may be called later.
although nothing definite on what
iuru the investigation b. taking could
o.. obtained here tonight
The utmost secrecy hh~ been main
taincd regarding the threats.
u was not until after the Baptist
church burned that word 81 the fire.
bugs threatsncd action became
known.
IIcsides the presence ~ kerosene
fumes in the building this morning
another condition that points to q
frehug back OF the Baptist church
blaze ~ the fact that tho furnace ana
stoves OF the building were without
IRE Friday except one stovc used
when Normal ciasHcs met However
thir stove was without fire after
o'clock.
a meeting Of the directors Of the
church was held In the afternoon aud
AT that time there was no fire about
the building one of the prominent
members OF the church hoard today
declared IL was his belief the fire wa
of inrcndiary origin,
The board members at tho meeting
yesterday wcro 4 ~ Harris F =
WeHncr. Harold Coz. -. 81 Sperrs
and J. NJ. cook and the ltey. ~. !.
~
Cox had force OF wurkmen at IN,
building last night eNcaNating "a bas"
meut tor the sunday school rooms of
the church Tn, w0rkmcn left tbs
building at O'Clock ana there wd'
no trace uf fire at that time Police
have been guarding the buildings Il
which the Normal Glasses were move
u was announced today However
tho firchug must have secreted him
self until the guard had made th'
rounds of that section uf the city ans
then applied fire to the building
When Patroiman kreger last saa
the hatlding before he discovere'
flames burning through the roo
there was nothing of a suspicious ma
ture about the building lie did no
see any enc lettering in tho vicinity
However. when the patrolmhn re
turned from other parts OF the cit
the firo was we'll under way Whei
fire destroyed the Normal schoo
building more than week ag
various buildings throughout the cit
were Obtained to continue the schoo
term until the universltys structure
rebuilt.
sevorai days ago Mr.. Wagner re-
oeived the threats that all % th
buildings housing the Normal wor
would be destroyed by fire. Thcs
letters were reported TO the poles
Thus far 40 clue besides the letter
and the fact that kerosene obviousl
was used In the church fire has bee
ohtalnad