THE WAUPACA POST

January 17, 1886

 

Fire Bugs at Work.

 

Ole Christianson’s Scheme to Raise Money Sends Him to Waupun.

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Fred Chady Goes Over the Road For a Promise of $25.00

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            Last Monday morning, about 1:20 o’clock, the fire bell rang an alarm and Ole Christianson’s saloon building was discovered to be on fire.  The engine was out in short order and the flames extinguished in about twenty minutes.  The fire was in the 2^nd story and all the furniture left was ruined.  The fire was the work of incendiaries, and Fred Chady and Ole Christianson were arrested within two hours after it broke out and lodged in the county jail.  Chady weakened immediately and confessed to touching a match to a pile of kerosene saturated combustibles, prepared by Christianson for him, and that the latter was to pay him twenty-five dollars for the job.

            Christianson had been watched by Sheriff Carroll and under-sheriff Ralph Rowe for a week.  The story of the plan to fire the building is a long and interesting one and is about as follows:  Rodney Chesley went to his cousin, Dave Chesley, a week ago last Tuesday and told him Ole Christianson had tied to hire him to set fire to his saloon building, offering him $50 to do the job.  He said he had given him no definite answer, as he thought he ought to be punished for even attempting such a job, and asked Dave what course he should pursue.  Dave advised consulting with Ralph Rowe, which was done.  Advice of the authorities was taken and it was concluded to let Christianson burn the building and see what would come of it.  Rodney then worked with Rowe and Dave Chesley, holding conversations with Christianson, and getting all his plans and secrets from him, which were heard by the two others, concealed near by, and a plan was agreed upon by which the building was to be fired last Thursday night. In the meantime Christianson had sent his wife and family out of town and prepared for the fire.  Christianson went out to Brown Peterson’s Thursday night.  While he was gone Rowe and Chesley went up to his rooms and found a lot of blankets and other stuff piled around the stove in the kitchen, thoroughly saturated with kerosene.  Christianson came down Friday morning and was greatly disappointed in finding everything as he had left it.  Rodney then informed him he had decided not to go into the job.  Christianson threatened to kill him if he ever divulged his secret.

            Friday and Saturday nights were spent by Rowe and Chesley under Koontz’s warehouse, watching.  Somebody saw Rowe go into the building and told Christianson, who was wandering about, that a man had gone into the building and was still there.  Christianson went into the machinery shed, hunted around for a while, and then went down on the elevator, struck two or three matches, but discovered nobody, and left.  Rowe and Chesley were there, though, and watched the performance, ready to arrest him if discovered.  Saturday night they found Christianson and Fred Chady together, and concluded he had selected the latter for his tool. Sunday Christianson was seen coming out of his rooms carrying his fur coat, and was watched until he left town.  It was then known for a certainty that Chady had consented to burn the building that night and arrangements were made to capture him after he had seethe fire.  The officers of the fire company were told to be in readiness and Sheriff Carroll, I. P. Lord who had an insurance risk on the building, and Dave Chesley concealed themselves and awaited developments.  About 1:20 Ralph saw Chady going towards the building, and a few minutes afterwards the watchers saw him go into it and come out again in less than a minute.  He had touched a match to the train though, and the fire soon burst out.  Chesley ran out to arrest him but he ran like a deer and soon distanced Dave who sent three bullets after him, but failed to stop him.  He was found about an hour later at home in bed, arrested and taken to jail, confessing the whole scheme on the way.  Christianson was arrested about the same time and was found walking the floor of his brother-in-law’s house. Both appeared before Judge Webb Tuesday morning, Chady pleading “guilty” and Christianson “not guilty”.  The latter after consulting Judge Cate thought better of it and in the afternoon was brought before the judge again and put in a plea of “guilty”.

            Both Dave and Rodney Chesley are entitled to a good deal of credit for their share in bringing the guilty parties to justice.  Chady is naturally vicious, but for the past two or three years has been on his good behavior and friends of his family had begun to think he would make something of a man, after all.  Christianson was heard to tell Rodney Chesley about other affairs in which he was engaged which, if true, confirms the general impression that he is about as tough a character as ever came to this city.