An alert night watchman saved the Steinfeld's store from pyromaniacal rats.
From the Arizona Daily Star, June 14, 1916:
RATS START FIRE IN STEINFELD STORE
Night Watchman Discovers Blaze and Douses It Before Firemen Arrive
Rats gnawing on matches are believed to be the cause of an incipient blaze discovered about 11:45 o’clock last night under the base of a display case behind a counter in the dry goods department of the Seinfeld store.
Night Watchman Carl Walk discovered smoke issuing from under the box-like base of the case, and thinking that the fire was in the basement, hurried down only to find there was no fire. He then came back to find flames bursting from the bottom of the case and on both sides.
He turned in an alarm and then quenched the blaze with water. When the firemen arrived, they broke open the base of the case with axes and found a charred rat’s nest among the rubbish. It is supposed that several matches were among the trash brought by the rats to build their nest and that by chewing the matches was the cause of the fire.
The damage was slight.
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It would appear the rats fled like guilty children caught playing with matches.
In the same edition, a fraud case was decided quickly, although the charges could have been more severe.
CHAS. HOFELT FOUND GUILTY IN FRAUD CASE
Government Tried Douglas Man on Charge of Using Mails to Defraud, Instead of Luring Girls Into State of Arizona
After being out fifteen minutes, the jury in the case of Charles Hofelt, charged with misusing the mails by transmitting fraudulent newspaper advertisements, returned a verdict of guilty as charged in the indictment.
It had been intended to try Hofelt on a charge of luring girls to Douglas for improper purposes on promise of employment, but yesterday the government decided to try him on another indictment. On this charge, Hofelt was alleged to have inserted in Denver and Los Angeles newspapers advertisements of a book selling for 25 cents, entitled, “opportunities for Labor and Employment in Mexico.”
According to the evidence, Hofelt never mailed books for any of the 20 orders received, but did refund money after he was arrested.
He claimed that he was to get the books from a man named J. C. Carson. Inspector Stone, of the postal service, testified that in an interview with Hofelt he admitted that Carlson was a fictitious person. Hofelt denied this on the stand and maintained that Carson resided in El Paso.
Testimony to the effect that Hofelt had afterwards inserted an advertisement in the El Paso Herald for a housekeeper, signing Carlson’s name, was introduced, and numerous letters from applicants were exhibited to the jury, many of them being from widows.
Addresses to the jury were made by Attorney A. I. Winsett, representing Hofelt, and Attorneys Pattee and Flynn for the government.
The case against Mrs. Nellie Wiseman, charged with conspiracy to violate the immigration law by bringing in a girl for improper purposes, will probably be begun this morning in the federal court.
In other news, a shipment of booze by railroad was so eagerly anticipated that crowds awaited the train. When the train carried no liquor, the disappointment must have been palpable.
CARLOAD OF BOOZE FAILS TO APPEAR
Regular Circus Crows Watched for Argosy From Kansas City
News that a car of intoxicants for personal use, shipped from Kansas City by Schiller Brothers, in accordance with a court order compelling railroads to transport it, was to arrive in Tucson yesterday evening, caused much excitement among thirsty Tucson’s, officers sworn to enforce the law, and railroad officials who are supposed to shoo off shipments of the tabooed stuff in accordance with a decision of railroad attorneys at Los Angeles last week. However, the car did not arrive so far as was known yesterday evening.
County officials were more or less uncertain as to what should be done in case the car arrived. County Attorney Hilzinger tried to get an opinion from Wiley Jones, attorney general, but Mr. Jones was in Nogales and was not located in the afternoon.
Mr. Jones himself, who arrived in Tucson on the afternoon Burro, stated yesterday evening that he could not say what action he would take until he had seen the court order accompanying the shipment, if such had been made. He refused to commit himself further.
He stated, however, that according to the personal use decision, railroads had a right to carry intoxicants for personal use, although they of course ran certain risks. He stated that he had been very much misquoted on the matter and had never made any statements that railroads were prevented from carrying intoxicants for personal use by the decision. He stated that he had not been advised of any court order in regard to the shipment of liquor for personal use into the state.
Mr. Jones stated that he would be a candidate for attorney general at the coming primary. He stated that he had been at Nogales in the Baca Float tax case which was argued yesterday before the superior court.
We can offer no news as to the nature of the "afternoon Burro," but if we find out, we'll let the readers know.
