Gulfport, Mississippi, USA
1916 - Narrow Escape In Courthouse Fire For Jury Members. Biloxians on Collins Murder Jury Tell of Narrow Escape at Gulf Port This Morning. Judge Gleason Loses Coat At Courthouse.

Is Awakened by Smoke About 12:30 o’clock This Morning, but is Unaware of Danger and Turns Over for Second Nap-Jury Saves Records.

Biloxi, January 18. Members of the jury in the case of Ben Collins, charged with murder, who were locked down in the jury rooms of the courthouse during the fire, consider themselves fortunate in having escaped death in the conflagration that destroyed Harrison County’s courthouse. On the jury from a special venue were seven men from Biloxi and vicinity, these being Judge T.H. Gleason, Dan Peacock, Joe Ott, Willie Jones, Ed Fowler, Leo Ohr and J.A. Coody the latter residing in the Back Bay section.

Judge Gleason Loses Coat
Judge Gleason lost his coat in the fire, but declares that he is glad to have escaped without a more serious loss.

“I was awakened by smoke about 12:30 o’clock this morning,” he said this morning on his return to Biloxi in a conversation with a representative of The Daily Herald. “I am particularly susceptible to smoke and I noticed that it was thick in the room in which we were located on the west side. Willie Jones poked up the fire about the same time and, a little bit later, I went back to my bed and covered up my head to avoid the smoke. I must have awakened other members of the jury, for several got up about that time, the door was opened and, a little later, a window was opened. This caused a draft through the room and then we noticed that the room was filled with smoke and all the members of the jury began coughing Blowing, being almost suffocated ads a result of the smoke. We then realized that we were in danger and there was a scramble to get our clothes. One of the bailiffs went to get his clothes and took up mine by mistake and threw them down. This is how I lost my coat as I could not find it in the smoke and darkness. At the time of the fire we heard the alarm whistles being blown, etc., but we thought that the fire was somewhere else.”

Members of the jury were taken in charge by the two bailiffs and working as a unit, they succeeded in saving a large part of the records of the courthouse. The members kept together and talked to no one, and after the fire, were shunted from place to place, some of them being nearly frozen in the early morning hours.

Simpson’s Loss.
Willie Simpson, one of the jurors, lost his shoes, hat and overcoat, but later secured his overcoat.

Members of the jury were discharged in the Collins case by Judge J.H. Neville this morning about 9:30 o’clock and later returned to their respective homes on various cars of the Gulfport and Mississippi Coast Traction Company at Biloxi.

The jury, which was composed for the most part of Biloxi citizens, would have probably reported to the judge in the Collins case this morning. All the evidence in the case was in by 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon and it was planned to hear the arguments, but one of the attorneys in the case asked for a delay in the delivery of the arguments and the jury was locked up for the night pending the arguments in the case.

The fact that the jury was discharged without attorneys for the defense or state being present may importance, say those who have been informed of the situation. Just what will be the result of the fire as pertaining to the case is not known, but it is believed that the case will again go to trial at the next tern of circuit court.

“The fire was over at 2 o’clock,” continued Judge Gleason, in speaking of the conflagration. “The clock in the belfry of the courthouse struck 2 o’clock this morning and within a few minutes it fell in a mass of flames and embers.

“No one can say as to how the fire started, but it is believed that it originated in the rear of the judge’s bench in the circuit court room. It may have been burning an hour when we were awakened by the smoke.”

The Daily Herald
Gulfport, Mississippi
January 18, 1916

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