Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-08-20
South Duke street. back Of Gers pottery

OF the hre, about a-half hour before it
| occurred, Painter was ut ROckland and
hbOcust street. and was going toward the
place where the fire occurred he was by
himself.
Augustus Stcinwantlel testified that he
lived near Betz's ON April 18th he saw
Painter this night at the fire shortly
after halfpas ten o'clock he was dis
turbed by the barking of the dogs belong
ing to Betz he went upstairs and heard
a noise as if some one was running then
looked and saw the fire in the straw shed :;
Painter was there and was. trying to pull
down the hay ladders he was swearing
and smelt Of liquor he said he cared
nothing about the stable but did for the
dunno brutes. On trial.
were taken to the Cooper house by the
sheriff and two tipstaves were sworn to
keep watch over them.
Saturday Morning.-Samuel Ruby and
George McCunley, who were convicted of
malicious mischief, were sentenced this
morning. The former was sent to prison
for six months, and the latter for two and
half months.
a Long sentence for Rape.
Christopher Lentz and Fred'k StrObel,
committed rape on the person Of Lizzie
Weidncr, were each sentenced to pay
fine of $50, and undergo an imprisonment
Of fourteen years. The extent of the sem
tence for this crime is fifteen years.
Tho Betz Fire Case.
Com'th vs.. BrysOn Painter, arson.
Augustus Steinwandle was called to prove
that Painter stated after tho fire he was
going home, not to Daniel Rittenhouse's
witness believed that he lived with his
sister on Beaver street.
George Gensemer testified tina: Painters
sister lived in an alley between Prince and
Beaver streets witness lives in that vicin-
ity and often saw Painter pass the house,
going in the direction Of his sisters.
VIM. Carr testified that on the night Of
the fire he went to the barn after the fire
was discovered and saw Painter there. He
(Painter) handed him two keys and told
him to go to the Sun hose house and light
it up: witness went there and found sew
eral men. He told them to hurry up as
Betz' barn was on fire one man named
Finefrock said IL know it is - There was
Il small fire in the engine then. When wit
ness got back to the fire the American en-
gne was there.
John Sales, testified that he knew BrysOn
Painter for years saw him on the night
OF the 18th Of April last, about II o'clock,
he was coming from BetZ's barn witness
first saw him between the wagon shed and
the garden fire could then be seen at the
south end Of the barn Painter was run
ming up the lane about $50 feet from the
barn when witness first saw him he was
running from the place where the fire could
he seen as he saw witness he ran back to
the barn without making any noise
or alarm witness followed him to the
barn, and he said Don't go in the barn
the horses arc all loose ;" this was not
correct, as the horses were not loose then
yet young Mr. Betz came to tho fire soon
afterwards. Witness was on his way
home this evening he was walking and
lie was attracted to the fire by hearing u
man call "Fire, fire, fire." and heard raps
ON the door Of MIR. Betz.
On cross examination the witness was
asked whether he was intoxicated ON this
night he positively answered that he was
not, if he drank anything on that night it
was very little he never disputed with
anyone in regard to the reward he once
said that he wished lie had not said any
thing about the case, as he could then have
gone to work on his fathers railroad Con-
not have any conversation with Painter
spoke to him once. and that was about 4
dog which Painter wanted to sell. A num-
Der of witnesses who saw Sales at the fire
on this iSht testified that he was sober.
Tho Defense.
Z. X. Martin, esq.,, opened the case by
telling what they would prove. They
would show that upon this night tho ac-
cused was ut home, and that instead of
being guilty of arson, i'e was the hero of
the occasion !; as when he went to the fire
he did all i'll his power to save the stock
and premises he sent for the Sun engine
company.
Mary Painter, the mother OF the do
fendant, and Nathaniel RittenlhOuse, were
called. They testified that ut the time Of
the fire BrysOn lived with tho latter wit
ness. RittenhOuSe swOrc that Painter Was
lying ON the settec in his house when the
alarm OF fire was raised. The witness was
awake and reused uD Painter, who ran out
and raised an alarm witness went to the
barn with young Mr.. Betz and Painter,
and got the cattle cut saw Sales
he asked witness ii he was
the person that he spoke to in the lane, and
he told him that it was Painter came in
at about half past nine o'clock, or shortly
after that night, and took supper with wit
ness he remained there until witnes went
to bed il 1t had not been for witness and
Painter arOusins Betz, the cattle could
not have been saved.
x. Did not tell Charlotte or Lizzie
Betz that he (witness) went to bed at
nine o'clock.
In chief-Sales behaved like a
drunken man smelt liquor on him that
night did not tell VIM. Carr that he could
swear that Painter was ut home ut half
past eight O'Clock on this night.
Mrs. RittenhOuse, testified that she
discovered the fire and awakened her hus-
band and Painter, both of whom were in
the house she never told anyone that she
could swear that Painter was at home ut 8
o'clock that evening.
Henry Hawthorne, who lives near Mr..
Betz, testified that he heard the alarm Of
fire and when he went down to tho barn
Painter was there. From the time witness
first saw the fire an incendiary would have
had time to escape before any one taking
the route that Sales did could have reached
there !; he did not know where Sales met
Painter ; did not see Sales that night, wit
ness thought the voice Of the man who
awakened him sounded like Brice.
Jacob Painter testified that he met his
brother and two young men on Lime
street in the neighborlOO of ten o'clock
Or before after talking some time Brice
started with witness. stating that he was
going home. Witness stopped at his
home on Locust street and his brother
went on saving that he was going home