State v. Reader

The property which the defendant was charged with burning was a jail, or calaboose, in the incorporated town of Iowa Ealls. The evidence is undisputed that the building in question was burned in the night time, near morning, on or about the first day of September, 1881. The defend*528ant at the time was residing upon a farm with one Pierce, about three or four miles from the town. During the ,night of the fire, however, he stayed in town. He had previously been confined in this jail, and made threats of burning it. On the evening previous to the fire, about 10 or 11 o’clock, according to the…