Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-08
HIS WIFE TOOK THE BLAME.
Mrs. william Roser saves Her Husband
Suspected of Arson, from Prison Cell.
rN-.,, V,ry World

ftM ApA n N''t''+t
A wifo's devotion saved william !. Ro-
ser of Stanhope. \. j.. from incarceration
in the Newton Jail yesterday on chargoot
arson. Stanhope was visited Sunday night
bv FIRE. About 10 o'clock flame, were dis
covered bursting through the windows Oh
Roser's dry goods store. The block was
COMPOSED Of three-story wooden .trlc-
lures. with stores on the ground iioor aud
dwellings overhead. and the breaking OUT
of FIRE IN any one of them was serious
matter. for Stanhopc has 40 ire depart
ment. The fro was seen tr7t 10y Two
Young men, who ran through the Hila-c
and cave the alarm. Nearly the whole
population of thousand souls was soon
ON the street. The CrOssOn building,
which is occupied by ROscr, by thls time
was mass of flames. and IN half an hour
the entire block WAS ahlazc. The people
in the other buildings narrowly escaped
with their lives, and the Whole blo~A was
soon in ashes.
Suspicion was directed against Roser
from the first. He was newcomer IN
Stanhope. and nobody knew exactly where
he came from. People said that he vas IN
sociable and unpopular. No sooner had
the flames broken out than fifty people
were ready to say that they had expected
Roser to set his place on fire 10 get the IN
surance When the whole block was IN
blaze a search was made for koser, hut he
could not be found. After the tumult had
subsidized he appeared and was put under
arrest upon complaint OF the other store
keepers on the block.
His examination occurred Yesterday at-
ternoor before Justice-of-the-Peace RssclL
The latters Office wasn't half big enough
for the crowds that gathered, and the court
was adjourned 70 the Town Hall. On the
small stage were the Justice. District-At-
tornev SimOnsOn. the prisoner and ms
counsel. LAWYER Ross, and \ constable /;
also on the stage were the prisoners wife
and eight-mOuths-old baby. The BABY was
restless, and Mrs. Roser walked back aud
forth across the stage soothing II during
the hearing. Occasionally she held IL tOlts
father for caresS.
A dozen witnesses were examined
every one prejudlccd against the prisoner.
Among all of them, However, there was
not Il scrap of direct evidence against HIN.
Clrcum.tautlally II was chOwn that ko-
ser's stock Of goods was greatly depicted ;
that he had very little TO lose and Sl,Z0D
insurance placed within few week to
gain. and that he had gone 10 Hacketts-
town insurance agent, who could not Well
survey his stock before writing the policy.
LAWYER Ross moved lor Koser's discharge
on the ground that there was no evidence
against him. but this the Justice declined.
Then the latter asked Mrs. Eoscr IL She
would tell what she knew about the hre.
she offered to take the oath on the family
Bible which the Justice had brought with
him. but the latter shook hls head do
/ biOuSly. q,
You needn't swear unless sou want 10.
said he. with a warning shake OF the hcad.
Remember an oath Is q solemn thing.
Nevertheless Mrs. Koser did take TIE
oath. and, with her baby in arms, she told
her story. 1t was soon after 10 o'clock, she
said. that she wanted T. light lamp, and
found that it had no oil in n. She took II
into the store and filled and lighted 1t
there. She thought then she blow ont the
match. but was afraid that perhaps she
had not.
I'm sure that's the way the store caught
FIRE" said she, with guiverng voice.
NV husband was on the back steps
smoking. he didn't know anything about
il. am sure. If anybody's 10 blame it's
me. and not him" And then She burst
into tears.
The audience moved about uneasily. Lit
tie by little prejudice gave way 10 synpa-
thy. and when She had finished there was a
revolution of feeling rs 10 Koser's guilt.
After a short consultation with the Dis
trict Attorney. Justice Blsseil told ROser
that he was discharged. A cheer arose
from the crowd at the word The deyo-
ton Of loving wife and mother mad clear
ed her husband from the suspicion Of d
great crime.
This is the fourth fire in Stauhope in
twenty years. The total loss was $4,000