Retired judge offers $1,000 reward for leads in John Looney House fire; commissioners hear split on courthouse screening

Retired probate judge Wallace White Jr. told the St. Clair County Commission he is offering $1,000 “as a reward money to any person, with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for burning down the John Looney House,” and asked that the county publicize the offer to attract further donations.

White said the historic house “just caught fire, you know, burned down,” and asserted he believed the fire was deliberately set. He said arson is “one of the hardest things… to prove because most of the evidence normally is destroyed by the fire,” and urged anyone with information to come forward.

The judge introduced members of the St. Clair County Historical Society who are supporting restoration efforts. Commissioners and staff clarified that government funds for historic projects must flow through the county’s Historical Commission, a body appointed by the commission, while the Historical Society typically raises private donations. Chair (speaking from the dais) said the commission has in the past pledged seed money to such projects and that money can be routed through the Historical Commission for eligible work.

White also used his time to criticize what he called intrusive “body searching” at the Pell City courthouse. “If we’re gonna search one person, we need to search everybody,” he said, arguing for consistent rules and dignity for routine visitors. Officials in the clerk’s office and county staff pushed back, saying screening has prevented weapons from entering public areas and citing specific incidents in which deputies found knives, guns and other weapons during screening. One clerk representative said deputies “diffuse situations” and that screening protects staff and vulnerable visitors.

Commissioners acknowledged the competing priorities of public safety and public convenience. The chair said the court system is operating under guidance from state judicial authorities to provide security and that the county’s role is to fund and work with the sheriff and court officials on appropriate measures. No formal change to screening policy was adopted; commissioners said they will keep the issue under discussion and try to balance safety, dignity and legal requirements.

The commission did not vote on county funding for restoration at this meeting; White said he and others would coordinate publicity and donations and asked county staff about engineering and restoration feasibility before seeking additional county money.

What happens next: White and Historical Society members said they will pursue donations and engineering assessments; commissioners signaled they will consider formal funding or project referrals through the St. Clair County Historical Commission if restoration is feasible.