Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-09-17
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
THE FOLSOM FIRE.
Statement In Court of Henry Weber
Concerning Ii.

Concerning 1t.
In Judge Van Fleets Court yesterday morn.
ing Henry Weber, against whom an informa.
ton had been filed accusing him of arson, in
starting the fire which caused such great de-
struction of property in Folsom recently, was
arraigned add entered a plea of guilty. The
testimony of Deputy Sheriff McComber was
taken as TO the time the fire broke ont. and the
Court decided that the crime was arson of the
second degree. The defendant was then asked
if he had anything to say, and responded as fol-
lows: My father induced me to set the fire
He said that if would burn the place he would
give me q portion Of the in surance money Now
he keeps out of my way and has gone back on
me. would not have thought Of burning the
place Il my father had not suggested It.
understood that the building was Insured for
1900 and the stock for S325. My father and |
other and we spoke in that language when he
made the proposition to me. l set the fire
among boxes of papers in the back room. When
| started the fire my father lefl the house and
fornia aud q years of age. On the day the fire
was set had several glasses Of beer. NV father
treated me to two glasses after he had made the
proposition about burning the place NV
mother is dead. / am subject to epileptic fits
and had enc last night. ] don't think they az
feet my mind, but they leave me weak"
Making inquiry, Judge Van Fleet ascertained
that the fac. of the defendants asserting that
his father had melted him to commit the crime
had been known to the officers for two or three
weeks, Dat no steps had been taken for the
fathers arrest. He thought this was an error.
as, II the young man 5 statement was correct
the parent was really the guilty marty
and the son, his mind being acted up0n So
thoroughly by one naturally having great infll-
ence over him, could be considered merely as n
tool. He suggested that an arrest be made and
the matter thoroughly investigated In order
that the case might be fully understood before
final action regarding the present defendant he
NFHFFN
Friday.
Yesterday afternoon Constable Harvey ar
rested Charles Weber, father of Henry he
being il the city, and Justice Post fixed his bail
on charge OF arson, at 5000. 1t was given
shortly afterwards. The case viii come before
the Justice for examination on the 9th instant
BIT NebDer has been resident of Folsom for
about four years. having formerly lived in Deer
valley, Fl Dorado county. AS i citizen of that
place there has been nothing brought
against him. While residing in Deer val
ley he was at one time tried for murder,
but was acquitted. Deputy Sheriff McComber
who arrested young Weber and worked UP the
case against him, states that he did not arrest
Webber senior because OF there being such di-
vision OF sentiment in Folsom upon the subject
While some of the citizens were inclined TO be-
ueVe almost anything bad about Weber an
equally large number declared their belief that
the son was an imbecile, and they would not
consider his statements good evidence. 1t was
finally determined to let the matter rest until
the young mans case came up in the Superior
Court, and act upon the developments made, it
being considered tolerably certain that the
father would not attempt to get away. The
statement made by Henry Weber in Court yes
terday, IS 20 the amount of insurance, appears
TO have been correct. The insurance companies,
however, have declined, under the circum-
stances TO pay the loss Mr.. Webbers business
was that Of q dealer in harness. sadd.ery. etc l
In speaking of the matter last evening he as
serted most positively that there was not Il par
ticle Of truth in the charge made by his son
against him. He says the young man is weak
minded, and that all who have had much ac-
quaintaGce with him are aware of the fact. He
can only account for the statement made in
Court upon the theory that the youth was
worked upon to do as he did by suggestions of
lighter sentence if he adopted that policy. Pro-
ducing gold watch, the cases badly melted,
from his pocket, Mr. Weber asked, " Do you
suppose, II l had caused the fire, and had re-
moved my yaluables, that ] would have left
this watch behind?' He declared that he only
asked a suspension of judgment on the part Of
the public, and felt confident OF his ability to
show that there was no motive for his desiring
the property burned and that the charges
against him are unfounded.