“The Mount Pleasant News”, Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Tuesday, July 22, 1930, page 2

Its bad business. Nothing has so stirred up the town in many years as the arrest of Mrs. Bessie King, manager of the King Hardware company on the east side of the square and Mr. George Brown, a clerk each charged with the crime of arson in connection with the disastrous conflagration which was discovered during the early morning hours of July 6th and which caused heavy damages to the stock of goods and to the building. Nothing of the kind has happened in this community for years, hence the intense interest, the storm of rumors and counter rumors, grape vine information, charges, counter charges, stories, gossip and scandal. Before it comes to an end it promises to be one of the big affairs of the county.

The fact is, the fire fiend has made the premises at the King Hardware store a sort of play ground for many years. The fire department has been called there oftener than any other place in the business district. Years ago, two very disastrous fires wiped out the buildings with heavy loss. The last one was many years ago, so many in fact that no one can recollect the years, but it must have been in the seventies, because when the writer came here in 1888, sturdy trees had grown up through the piles of brick and debris. The vacant place was given entirely over to weeds and underbrush, year after year, until in 1901, Mr. George Spahr secured the property and erected upon it the present substantial structure.

The first occupant of the building was the firm of Price & Spry, who put in a stock of hardware and furniture. Later Mr. Harlan Spry withdrew from the firm and Mr. Frank Price conducted the business until 1918, when he sold out to the firm of Coffman & Dunne, who carried on the business until October, 1920, when they traded it to Dr. King of Batavia. Mrs. Bessie King came here at that time and has been the active manager of the business for nearly ten years.

But the fire fiend continued to play about in an inconsequential way which did not attract any attention. One evening fire was discovered in a pile of trash at the alley. No damage was done. At another time, fire started under the furnace apparently from over heating. It was discovered at once. Another time George Brown awoke in his bed in his room on the second floor of the store to find it ablaze. He was badly burned and more seriously injured by falling down the elevator shaft in his efforts to get out of the building. It was generally thought that he had gone to sleep and a lighted cigarette had done the rest. Again, a fire started on the same floor and unquestionably from an electric flat iron which had been left with the current turned on. The iron burned through the ironing board to the floor and a neat little blaze was started but put out at once.

Naturally so many fires called forth considerable comment. The fire of the first of the month however, resulted in another outburst of comment and criticism. The air was filled with charges and yarns and rumors. Some of the charges were as ridiculous and improbable as such stories are on such occasions. Other circumstances were of sufficient gravity to call the attention of the state fire marshal’s office to it and an investigation of the fire was ordered. Agents of the insurance companies also had an investigator on the grounds for a number of days. The result of the investigation appeared to satisfy the state agents that there was a reasonable belief that the fire of July 6 was of incendiary origin. On the strength of evidence offered acting county attorney J.V. Gray, a warrant was applied for at the office of Justice of the Peace J.T. Whiting, who immediately issued the warrants for the apprehension of Mrs. King and Mr. Brown charging them with the crime of arson.

Now what happened on the night of July 6th. Here is Mrs. King’s story. This story the State of Iowa will deny and attempt to pick to pieces in the court room. The state is not giving out its evidence. How strong the evidence against Mrs. King or Mr. Brown or how weak cannot be ascertained until the trial. The fire took place during one of Mrs. King’s big special sales. The sale had been going on for a number of days. Several car loads of furniture had been purchased for the occasion so that the stock was abnormally large.

Saturday evening had been a busy one at the store. Many people came and went. There was a big dance at the rear just across the alley. At the staircase leading to the second floor, Mrs. King maintained a large cooler where ice water was kept on draught. The young men attending the dance had gotten in the habit of entering the store at the alley door and helping themselves at the water cooler. The practice grew as the fame of the chilled water spread. On the night in question, a warm one, there was an unusual demand for ice water from the dancers and Mrs. King insisted that the back door be closed. It is stated that Mr. Brown objected as it might make enemies. At midnight the dance closed. At the same time the King Hardware store closed. Besides Mrs. King there were George Brown, the other defendant, Mr. Cantwell, a regular clerk, and Mrs. Lola Havens, who has been helping there evenings. There were also a number of persons visiting and waiting. Mrs. King and Mr. Brown went to the restaurant for a bite to eat and then returning to the store each took their own car and left town. This was probably about 12 20 in the morning. There were no signs of fire, no smell of gasoline. A number of people were sitting in the park. Some of them saw Mrs. King and Brown leave. One or two remained in the vicinity until at least after one o’clock and saw no one enter the store nor saw any signs of fire or suspicious circumstances.

There is no doubt that Mrs. King drove directly to her home at Batavia. At least when the telephone operator here called her after the discovery of the fire, Mrs. King answered from her home. As soon as possible, she and her husband hurried back here. Mrs. King goes to her home at Batavia almost every week end. George Brown also is in the habit of going to Burlington each week end to spend it with his mother. No effort was made to reach him, but he states that he was in Burlington when the fire started.

The fire broke out about half past two o’clock. Or rather it was discovered by Mayor and Mrs. Newbold at that hour who gave the alarm. The fire department was soon on the grounds and put up a splendid fight and soon brought the flames under control, but not before damage to the amount of perhaps $35,000.00 had been done to the stock and buildings. The only explanation Mrs. King could offer was that a cigarette stub had been thrown down carelessly by some of the lads who came in to get ice water and that after smouldering (sic) for several hours started the fire. She offers no other suggestion.

The next step in the matter was the appearance of the insurance adjusters. Mrs. King demanded a full settlement for entire insurance of $25,000.00 There was an immediate suspension of negotiations. It is understood that the same thing occurred in an attempt to settle with Mr. Hoaglin. Then appeared a representative of the state fire marshal’s office, who put in full time investigating all the circumstances connected with the fire. Then a representative of the intelligence department of the insurance company, appeared, a young woman, who also did some investigating.

As a result of this investigating, the deputy fire marshal signed an information before Justice of the Peace Whiting charging Mrs. King and Mr. Brown with the crime of arson. The warrants were promptly served late Saturday evening by the sheriff’s office. Mrs. King immediately called her attorney Mr. F.S. Finley, who also appeared before Mr. Whiting. Just what happened there is not quite understood, but it is reported that the deputy fire marshal got gay with Mr. Finley and Mr. Finley got gay with the fire marshal and then, the fire marshal laid a heavy hand on Mr. Finley and Mr. Finley angrily ordered him to take his hand away. Then the deputy fire marshal ordered some one to arrest Mr. Finley and Mr. Finley laughed a mean laugh in rejoinder. Then the fire marshal demanded that the sheriff arrest Mr. Finley and the sheriff agreed to do the arresting all right if the fire marshal would charge Mr. Finley with some crime. At which point the incarceration of Mr. Finley seemed to lose interest. Immediately Mr. Finley applied for a change of venue which was granted by Justice Whiting who assigned the case to Justice Laird. All parties thereupon moved to the court of G.W. Laird, who promptly held the defendants under bonds of $2500.00 each and set their preliminary hearing for this forenoon. Bond was furnished and Mrs. King and Mr. Brown were released.

That is the King version of the circumstances surrounding the fire. The state is now at the court house attempting to wreck Mrs. King’s story and establish sufficient evidence that will justify Justice of the Peace Laird to hold the defendants to the grand jury. The hearing is now in progress and has been since mid-forenoon. Mr. J.V. Gray appears for the state and Mr. F.S. Finley for the defendants. The hearing may last into an evening session.