Looking back: Private detective arrested for arson; man charged with ‘wife desertion’ and ‘bigamy’

The rodeo clown has the dangerous job at diverting fierce bulls away from downed cowboys during the bull riding competition. Shown here is Mickey Bagnell, of Spokane, Washington, who will be a nightly attraction at the War Bonnet Roundup, on tap Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. at Sandy Downs Arena. Clown and novelty acts are just a sidelight to the tough western-style competition, featuring 200 professional cowboys. Caption dated Aug. 10, 1977. | Courtesy Idaho Falls Post Register IDAHO FALLS — EastIdahoNews.com is looking back at what life was like during the week of July 28 to Aug. 3 in east Idaho history. 1900-1925 BLACKFOOT — A local private detective was being held in the Bannock County Jail, The Bingham County News reported on July 31, 1913. A. Smith was suspected of being the man who, a few nights earlier, had made two unsuccessful attempts to burn the home of county prosecuting attorney C. Douglas Smith, of Blackfoot. A railroad man on his way home in the early morning hours happened to see the blaze. The paper said that because the railroad man saw the fire before it got out of control, he played a role in preventing the total loss of the attorney’s home and possibly his life. The detective was arrested in Shelley by Bingham County Sheriff Jones. Deputy Sheriff George Crane then brought the man to Pocatello on the train. “Smith refuses to talk of the case, professing not to know why he was arrested,” the article reads. “He is either stalling or is really in ignorance. He told jailor Bob Lewis this morning that he was not the man who stole a Mexican’s clothes. The sheriff’s office knows nothing about such a case.” The paper said the detective, at some point, was employed by the county attorney to gather evidence in certain criminal cases at McCammon. The detective filed an unreasonably high claim for expenses which the county attorney refused to approve. “Meeting the county attorney on the street a few days prior to the attempt to burn his home, the detective used strong words and threatened to get even with the attorney,” the article states. The detective was in town the day before the attempt was made to burn the attorney’s home. The next morning, the detective’s room in an east side loading house was searched and a pair of overalls, smelling of kerosene oil, was found. A gunny sack and a bunch of cotton waste saturated in kerosene had been found at the attorney’s home. The detective changed his room after the fire incident. He then left early in the morning and was later arrested. 1926-1950 GRACE — A local man charged with “wife desertion” was found in California, the Caribou County Sun reported on July 28, 1932. William A. Williamson left Grace in 1923 for California. Williamson was accused of abandoning his wife and four children. His whereabouts were unknown until he was located years later in Long Beach by authorities in 1932. “It is understood that he faces a more serious charge in California, that of bigamy, having since leaving Idaho married a California woman,” the paper reads. Sheriff Woodward left Idaho and was traveling to Long Beach to transport Williamson back to Idaho jurisdiction. 1951-1975 BURLEY — Four people involved in a “freak accident” with a two-ton truck miraculously survived, The Burley Herald reported on July 30, 1959. Cassia County Sheriff LePage Layton said Kenneth Schoen, of Rupert, was backing his truck down Lake Cleveland Road to allow an oncoming car to pass. Next to him was his wife and in the open truck bed was Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Barney, of Rupert. Layton stated the car’s motor died as Schoen tried to back the truck off the steep road that led to the lake area. The truck ran into rocks causing it to flip completely over onto its top. The Schoen’s were taken to the Rupert Hospital and treated for “slight injuries” before being released. The Barney’s were not injured. Damage to the truck was estimated at $200. 1976-2000 POCATELLO — A 23-year-old man was arrested on charges of drunk driving and escaping from the custody of an officer, the Idaho State Journal reported on July 31, 1977. Police said Craig E.C. Palmer struck a vehicle twice in the Smith’s Food King parking lot at Arthur and Custer around 10:30 p.m. He then tried to drive away from the area but an off-duty city detective arrested him. At some point, Palmer was taken to the Bannock Memorial Hospital after police said he complained of a sore shoulder. He then escaped from the hospital by running out of the emergency exit. Palmer was again apprehended around 2 a.m. and charged with escape. He was placed in jail on a $600 bond pending arraignment.The post Looking back: Private detective arrested for arson; man charged with ‘wife desertion’ and ‘bigamy’ appeared first on East Idaho News.
Source: eastidahonews.com