CORONERS JURY DECIDES JAIL
FIRE STARTED BY PRISONERS

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Coco-cola Bottles and Cigarettes
Found in Cell -- Reeves Testifies
that Boys Were Searched.
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HEAR 18 WITNESSES.
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Verdict Rendered by Coroner's Jury,
Meeting at Maiden Under
Direction of R. L. Washburn.

MAIDEN - A verdict that the Maiden jail fire which took the lives of three prisoners Saturday night was started by one or more of the said prisoners was returned here late Thursday night by a jury which met under the direction of Coroner R. L. Washburn, of Conover.

The men who died in the fire were Forrest Crouse, Henry Abernethy and Wilson Hewitt, all of the Bandys Crossroad section of Catawba county. The three had been arrested separately on charges of drunkenness and placed in jail only an hour or two before the fire broke out.

County Solicitor Russell Whitener, of Newton, examined 18 witness at the inquest. They were as follows: L. W. Strutt, chief of police; H. S. Reeves, night policeman; R. P. P. Wilkinson, mayor; Edison Willis, Bob Finger, Dewey Williams, Tom Kanupp, J. E. Hodges, A. A. Lineberger, T. D. Finger, Jack Sigmon, Wade Smith, Harry Lee Keener, Ernest Hawn, Harry Hudson, Jack Parker, Waly Keener, and Willard Baucom.

Chief Strutt and Policeman Reeves testified that Henry Abernethy was locked up about 8:00 o'clock, Forrest Crouse about 8:15, and Wilson Hewitt at 8:45. According to the officers the three were not disorderly but had to be helped to the jail.

Strutt and Reeves also testified that there was no fire nor any lights in the cell and that they searched the three prisoners, removing all matches and other articles which the prisoners should not be allowed to keep in their possession.

All witnesses testified that the alarm was given between 9:05 and 9:15. Edison Willis and Bob Finger, two of the witnesses called, stated that they came out of a grocery store, and when they started to walk up the street they heard peculiar sounds, but failing to hear a call for help, continued their walk.

After a moment they passed nearer the rear of the town hall, and realized that the jail was on fire. Rushing to the front entrance of the hall they gave the alarm.

It was at this instant that they heard the cry for help. The voice coming described as that of a phonograph gradually slowing (unreadable) away.

They attempted to reach the cell, but the density of the smoke prevented them.

Upon the arrival of the volunteer firemen two of the prisoners were found lying near the door, while the other was back in a corner where the fire was said to have been burning most.

After the fire was extinguished officers found Coco-cola bottles, one of them broken, in the cell, and also an opened package of cigarettes and a box of matches in the pocket of an overcoat which was not completely burned up. It is thought that friends of the prisoners had entered the building and had given the articles to the prisoners.

Officers Strutt and Reeves testified that immediately after placing the last prisoner in the jail they had a call to "Chinatown", a colored residential section, at which place they were making an investigation when they heard the alarm.

The coroner's jury was composed of A. C. Black, J. B. Whitener, T. H. Caldwell, David Gaither, D. H. Thorne, and A. B. Whitener.

The verdict returned by the jury was as follows:

"We find that the deceased came to their deaths as a result of a fire originating in their cell where they were confined as prisoners in the Maiden jail, which fire was started by one or more of the deceased prisoners."

Article from The Catawba News Enterprise - February 19, 1935



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