Two Arrested For Firing of Burt Garage

James Gilland and Dan Williams of Lemmon Implicated in Confession

Mott, N.D., April 12—(Special to the Tribune)—James Gilland of Lemmon, S.D., owner of a garage at Burt, N.D., which was destroyed by fire about two months ago, and Dan Williams, also of Lemmon, have been bound over to the next term of district court here on charges of arson following the work of E.J. Pepke of Bismarck, state fire marshal, in investigating the fire which had evidence of being of incendiary origin. Pepke was assisted by L.V. Duncanson and J.K. Murray, sheriff and state's attorney, respectively, of Hettinger county.

Gilland was given a hearing, at his request, while Williams waived examination. Bonds were fixed at $5,000 each.

Lovell Jones, whose signed confession, according to the authorities, resulted in the arrest of the other two, is being held in the custody of the sheriff as a state's witness.

Were to Get $75 Each

Suspicions were aroused, according to Pepke, when it was found that the garage was heavily covered by insurance made payable to Gilland. Jones' confession, Pepke says, states that Gilland agreed to pay Williams and himself $75 each to burn the garage at Burt.

They drove together from Lemmon, arriving at Burt after midnight, the confession states. Williams broke the glass, scattered two gallons of gasoline in the garage, and then threw in a lighted match which caused an explosion, after which they made their getaway without being discovered.

Lives of several people were endangered by the explosion and fire, as they were sleeping in two buildings within 100 feet of the garage. The only clue upon which the authorities had to work was the finding of a flashlight which had been dropped by the men in making their getaway. Jones, at the time of the fire, was a transient baker working at Lemmon.

The Bismarck Tribune, 4/12/1928