The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-05-14
THE BENTON FIRE.
ISAAC wALTMAN TRIED FOR
ARSON.


on Wednesday afternoon OF last week,
charged with setting fire to building in
the village of Benton on Monday evening,
March 8. He was represented by Messrs.
1keler & Herring and j. B. Robson, and
the Commonwealth by District Attorney
Bilimeyer and Col Freeze. The defendant
entered plea of not guilty, and the after
noon was spent in selecting jury, each
juror being called separately and interroga-
ted as to whether he had formed or ex-
pressed an opinion in the case. Mr.. Bill
meyer opened the case for the common
wealth The first witness called was John
A. Chaplin, of Benton, who testified to the
fire in the second itory of the Smith build
ing; the fire was breaking through the
stairway from second to third floor; part
OF building was used as dwelling; burst
open door. flame about three feet long 60
ing up stairway; fire was put out; small
dark lantern was found under stairway; no
stove in the room, nor flue; dark night,
showed a little; saw tracks in snow after
fire, around the building, leading from
alley in back of lot to the rear end of
Smith building; traced them from alley TO
porch.
Mrs. j. A. Chaplin, Mrs. A. II. McCollum
and Mrs. Pelffer testified as to noises being
heard il the house shortly before the fire,
footsteps going up and down the stairs.
Other witnesses were called in the follow
ing order, and we give synopsis of the
evidence:
j. j. McHenry Merchant in Benton.
Went home on evening of fire about y,
remained until o'clock, then went back
to store; as | got around the corner at
| Hess hotel, right opposite lamp post, by
the alley that comes into DR.. Patterson's
| saw a man coming between walk and a
run, so fast that it attracted my attention,
and | stopped; when he got near me the
| light shonc on hlm, and he took red
handkerchief and held 1t over his face;
could see his eyes and upper part of his
nose; he passed in feet of me. When he
got past about 90 feet he looked around
blew his nose, and put his handkerchief in
his pocket, and started on a run towards
the bridge; went to the store, and in a
few minutes the alarm Of fire was given
to the fire and when that was out pu
them on the track; | went only to the
church on the hill, then went back and ex
amined track that come down the alley
round lkeler's hotel. 1t went down the
alley, then through the fence through the
Smith lot to the porch; it came out the
same way it went in, then out between the
buldingsit was the same track coming ou
and going in; tracked it as far as sidewalk
and then it was all tracked up till we go
down to Hess's, but there was no othel
track to or from the bridge except Glen
McHenry, Saw Waltman put his foot II
track afterward and it fitted exactly
Would have known Waltman if he badn'
covered his face. Saw two tracks up tht
hill, one went past the church and through
the field, the other went past the house
Saw both tracks when left hotel; they
came together near bridge. One started
|
Waltman since last Fall. Did not know
him in his younger days. Didn't tell any
one who he was before he was arrested
Stores were open when alarm of fire was
extremely cold Was present at Justices
office, about dozen present. Waltmar
made to objection to going to put his foo
in the track, and showed his handkerchief
when asked; cotton handkerchlefs are very
common. AS soon as | opened the door
and saw Waltman | was tatisfcd he was
the man met. | said | had no idea it was
Isaac Waltman until he was brought back
and saw him in the office. Don't know
that l said at the Squire's that Waltman
was the man. Only met with one track
There was another track coming in and
going out. They followed it to Glenn Nc
Henry's houso. 1t did not agree at al
with the other track. Think McHenrys
track was made first as there was some
snow in it, the other was fresh. Glenn
McHenry is my second cousin. | ascer
tanned the difference in the two tracks
| They got Clem. out of bed; don't know
The porch is about 8 feet wide, with roof
Don't know what direction snow fell
porch laps on to Smith building. Glenn
McHenry is about my size, larger thar
Waltman. | said that Waltman wore {
broad laced shoe. / measured the track
it was 10a inches, and little less than
inches across the bottom, about number
orr Sell shoes good many of that size
| Population of Benton is 200 to 250. Didn'
Measure length OF steps anywhere. (Over
coat shown witness) This looks very
much like the coat | saw. examined
track from end of porch out into the from
street. The track from the porch to alley
alley to street and from Hess to the bridg'
was the same. Hess street lamp wa
lighted, also Boyd McHenry's, sufficient Il
give me good view. Saw no one else ol
either side OF the street when met Walt
man. 1t was stormy evening, and ther
was not much travel.
j. B. McHenrH-Live in Benton abou
100 yards from house that was fired. Wa
at my hotel when alarm was given. 1t wa
between eight and nine o'clock. Went u
stairs with water, smoke drove me out, AM
| went down and got help and went bdcl
and we put it ut. Next day found kindln
wood, &c, under steps, pretty well burned
considerable wood still there. After fir
was out saw a keg with coal ashes in il
burned around the keg; saw lantern, dar
lantern, X. Boyer picked it up. 1t was un
der steps where fire was. Followed trac
that j. j. McHenry showed us, from Hess
lamp post to the bridge, only two track
up hill to the church, had a lantern, on
went on up the hill to Davis 1t is littl
over mile from hotel to Davis. Went /
and they said at first there was no on
there, we went out and looked aroun
house and found no track, and then Davi
said he thought we were fooling at lirs
and said his uncle, Isaac Watman, wa
tn ere. After we came back we foun
some one had seen Waltman in town an
we got the constable and went over an
arrested him. 1t was next morning whe
l