The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-10-20
4 .Es,n,sn,s Sssor-:s::,.eness

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REJECTING NgT. Law rEE' 8 ADVICE 4sD GETTING
INTO STATES PRISON FOR LIFE-AS ATTE,lPT
TO DErRAuD AN INSURANCE. COMPANY.
New York SUM-
The trialof Emma Orlak on the charge of
arson in the FIRST degree occupied the Gen
eral Sessions the greater part OF the day.
The main facts IN evidence are as follows:
Miss OrIak occupied three rooms OF the first
floor OF the tenement No. 1142 Second ave-
nue., the other apartments being tenanted by
families named Mcdonald, Lohrman, and
Leason. She had kept house for herself, en-
Pertaining her brother and another person.
as boardcrs. For four years or more she
had her furniture and wearing apparel in
sured for $500. About the first Of August
she announced to her neighbors an intention
10 move. The absence Of her boarders and
the occasional removal of trunks and boxes
were thus accounted for.
On the night of the Sd of August she in
vited Miss Sarah Mcdonald, a young lady
belonging to one of the families Of the house,
to sleep with her, saying that she was afraid
to be alone. Miss Mcdonald consented, and
the two went to bed together about
half-past II. Miss Orlak said she could not
sleep with light burning, and before re-
firing removed kerosene lamp from the
bedroom to one of her adjoining rooms,
leaving the communicating door slightly
aiar, Miss Mcdonald went to sleep. About
an hour afterward she was awakened by her
hedfellow getting into bed second time
with a strong smell of smoke about her
clothes. She said nothing, but lay awake.
In about fifteen minutes Miss Orlak got up
again and quietly dressed herself Then she
went into the room where the lamp was,
and when she returned to bed the smell OF
smoke about her clothing was so strong that
Miss Mcdonald was thoroughly awakened
and somewhat alarmed by it. After lying
down again Miss Orlak seemingly went
into heavy sleep instantly. Within two
minutes Miss Mcdonald heard cracking
noise in the room where the lamp was, and
rising in bed she saw flame and smoke.
She sprang out of the bed and shook Miss
Orlak until signs of wakeiulness were
given. Then she ran into the ball and
Shouted "Fire," and called TO her mother,
up stairs. Her energetic measures soon
brought assistance. The fire was confined
to one of Miss Orlak's trunks, and was
| speedily cxtinguished, having burned no.
thing but the trunk and small spot OH the
floor Another spot on the floor, within
few feet Of the trunk, was saturated with
| kcTO>cIc, Dul N.to iiob buthSu' ~ f'SS-N.
day the charred trunk contained two or
three handfuls of partiaIly-burned rags, and
! the frame was charred and bIackened. Miss
| Orlak went to tie insurance agent. Mr.
Joseph Hartman, and told him she had had
Il fire, and by his direction prepared Il
schedule of the burned property, which
made it amount to over $500. The result of
Firc-Marshal Sheldon's inquiries was Miss
Orlak's arrest.
Mr.. Knitting, in view Of the oyerwhelm-
ing proofs against his client, vainly eutreatet
her to plead guilty of arson in the third Gle.
gree, being encouraged thereto by a quasi
promise that the punishment should not eX'
coed three years in the State prison. But the
little woman was firm in her declarations
that she was entirely innocent, and insisted
upon trial. The jury rendered verdict
of guilty without a minutes hesitation, and
Recorder Hackett sentenced her to imprison'
ment for life. In doing SO he said that IL
rejecting the advice of her counsel she ha6
shown heart hardened for crime, and the
only place for her, consulting the safety o
the community at large, was strong-Darret
prison. She was carried out of the court
room In halffainting condition. .5