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


EAST LAS VEGAS. y. NJ Feb. Ii
lnccndiarism has been virtually e..
tahiishcd as the cause OF the Norma
school and Baptist church fires
This became known today. follow
ing destruction OF the church earl.
this morning by flames the probabl,
cause Of which aroused suspicions OF
fircmcn 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
miEsIves have ben maintained but u
became known definitely today that
the president received the letters.
Both letters threatening future
places Of holding classes were mailed
locally ana wera written on paper
used extensively at the Normal school
The missivcs were yellow Manila
paper believed to hn been obtained
at tho school one was mailed at
the ola Town postonicr ana the other
In the East las Vegas Office.
Thus far. II was sald at the post.
onicc today the postouice inspectors
have not been notified. with the re-
suit that no investigation has beer
AlhlhllNhNH Wy NfNNf NhANNhlANlA-Na IL
Vegas police have been advised Ul
th" receipt OF the letters
with the receipt OF the letters and
the circumstances surrounding ths
Baptist church fire. there is stronf
belief that the church destruction j.
the first step In the firebugs sohem'
Of carrying out his threats.
when fircmen went into the churci
this morning. the fumcs OF keroson,
were 40 strong that II was difficult &,
breathe one of the men told Tn,
Herald correspondent. Investigation
this fireman said. failed TO reveal q
Contancr of amy nature that NIGH
have held kerosene This leads Il
the theory that the fircbug poure,
kerosene In large quantities In tA'
church before tgnitiug &c.
Col Jose -. Sena of santa re. one
uf the regents ~ the sonool EN-
phatically denied today that letters %
"a threatening nature had been re-
ceiycd by Mr.. Wagner However. The
Herald correspondent was infurmr,
by source beyond question that th'
two letters have been IA the prcsi.
dent possession Tor several days Mr.
Wagner is attending teachers con
ference in Gallup, and could not be-
reached by telephone today.
Postmaster Long was at a loss to
day To explain why the postal depart
mcnt had not been notified 30 that a.
Investigators could take up the probe
Postal Inspectors may hc called lntci
although nothing definite ON VIII,
turn the Investigation o. taking couls
be obtained here tonight
The utmost secrecy has been main
tanned regarding the threats.
II was not until after the Bnptis
church burned that word 81 the fire
hugs threatened action hccam
known.
B,-ides the presence of kcruscn
fumes IN the building this morning
another condition that points 10
firchug back of the Baptist churcl
blaz, is the fact that thq furnace an
stoves Of the building were withou
fire Friday except one stove use
when Normal classes met However
this stove was without IRE after
o'clock.
4 meeting of the directors of IN
church was held IN the afternoon an
at that time there was no fire abou
the building one Of the prominon
membcrn OF the church board todn
declared Il was his belief the fire wa
uf incondiary origin
The board members az tho mcctin
yesterday were 4. a. Harris r.
u
and j. M. Cook and the Rev. NJ 1
Fcrgcson. pastor OF the church MI
Coz had force of workmen At tn
building last night eNcavating bass
mont for the sunday school rooms a
the church Tho workmcn left IN
building at O'Clock and tncre Wa
no trace OF fire at that time holir
have been guarding the buildings I
which the Normal classes were move
IL was announced to-day HOWcNc
the firebug must have secreted him
self until the guard had made IA
rounds OF that section OF tho city an
then applied fire 10 the building.
when Patrolman kreger last sa'
the building before he discovore
flames burning through the ro,
there was nothing Of suspicious ma
turo about the building He did nc
see any one lettering In the vicinit
However. when the pntrolman r.
turned from other parts OF the en-
the fire was well under way. Mhc
flre DESTROYED the Normal Hcho'
building more than week a.
various buildings throughout the cil
were obtained to continue the scho
term until the university structure
rebuilt.
several days ago Mr. Wagner y
ccived the threats that all % ~
buildings housing tho Normal wni
would be destroyed by fire Tho
letters were reported to tho pole
Thus far no clue besides the iette
and the fact that kerosene obvious
was used In the church fire has be-
obtained