The Newtown bee., 1890-11-28

SHELTON.
A. Il. wELToN's TRIAL.

trous IRE IN its history, causing loss OF
property estimated by the fire warden at
$35,000 and infiicting injuries which re-
suited in the death of an aged lady, Mrs
Maria SIic. The origin of the fire was
ut first involved in mystery; but as the
fire was first seen in the office of the
Shelton comb company, where there
could be no reason for suspecting acct
dental tires or spontaneous combustion
and as some one was heard to go into
the Office just before the alarm was given,
u half formed suspicion of incendiarsm
was started. Besides the comb factory,
where the fire was first discovered, the
large block occupied by Horace Wheeler,
with tenants above, with the buildings
Of Radcliffe Brothers, Miss Sarah Hard,
Ousatonic water company, Housatonic
brass company, were burned and build
ings of the Whitlock machine company,
John III. Donovan, were damaged. The
incendiary was for long time unknown,
but Officer George Arnold and Detective
Edward Cronin OF Bridgeport were put
on the case and found sufficient evidence
to cause the arrest of Albert r. Welton
MS principal and Charles w. Gale of An
sonia as accessory. Welton, who is
tall young fellow of % or thereabouts,
has lived In Shelton for a number of
years. He was, at the time of the fire,
secretary and treasurer, virtually man
ager, of the comb company, an institu-
ton which had been doing a losing BUSH
ness for some time. About year and
half ago, he married daughter of A. b.
Rugglcs and 1t was through Mr. Ruggles
that he became interested in the comb
works. He Is son of Rev X. A. Welton,
IN IN so .tair u nj rnl
minister located in the eastern part of
the State. He Is known to many of the
readers of the BEE and officiated for
time at Redding Ridge. Welton, whose
arrest caused social sensation, secured
w. III. Williams of Williams, Wooster
and eager as counsel, while the prosecu-
tion was In the hands of r. l.. Staples
and A. w. Paige. The trial was held in
shelton and occupied many days. The
evidence was heard by Justice David S.
Clarke of Huntington, with whom JUS
tice DIR John G.. Stevens of Monroe sat as
legal adviser. The trials of Welton and
Gale were begun separately, Welton be-
ing on trial first. The first witness call
ed was Horace Wheeler, one of the
heavy losers by the fire. He also holds
number of borough offices and is also
fire warden. In that capacity, ut the
suggestion of DIR G.. A. Shelton, the war
den, he made an investigation of the fire
and the circumstances connected with it.
Welton was one of the principal witness
es before Mr. Wheeler and told his story
more fully there than elsewhere. IL,
In brief, was that he was secretary and
treasurer of the comb company and had
of late been invested with the manage
ment of its affairs. On the day before
the fire, he sent to the Birmingham ma
tioral bank for money to pay the help,
but, by mistake, the errand boy, "Cap"
or "Jakie," as Charles Miller Is familiar
ly called, took check for $3.50, instead
OF $3.50, rs he had wished. When he dis
covered the mistake, it was so late that
IL could not be rectitied and, as the
money sent was In tens and large bills,
he could not pay off the help, but put the
money In the Morris and Ireland safe
saying that he would pay in day oil
two. He went to Gales house to ar
range bullhead fishing exclusion to Ok
ford that night, returned to Shelton anC
had supper there, about O.; went into the
office to see II all was we'll, trying the
safe door and finding it locked. When he
again arrived ut Gales, he found
Gales horse too tired to go to Oxford
and gave up the trip, deciding to stay al
night there. During the night, he
thought best to go to the shop and see
about some patterns of Lincoln's Ga part
ncr) and n line of samples. As he came
through Birmingham, he saw the light
OF the fire and hurried along to assist IL
putting Il out. Mail Carrier Ma,
than ). Bennett, the next witness, who
rang the alarm and called ont the fire
men, testified AS to the location and time
(about o'clock of the fire. Henry w
Vaughn, q conductor on the electric road
xxn al fh.a fret af no tra nh lob .as
just breaking out OF the roof above the
office. He brought Mrs Slie to the win.
dow and was assisted in getting heI
down the ladder by firemen. Burgess
Frederick v. Bowman gave particular at
tention In his testimony TO the condition
of the safe OF the comb company, which
on the morning after the fire, lay with
with the door OIL, partly filed with wa.
ter. Not until Sunday could he make q
examination of the safe and then he found
that the hinges were off the door anC
that there were only bits of burned paper
and books In the safe. George II. Lin
coin testified that, In July, 1850, the pro
icct OF moving his comb works here
from Lcomlnster, Mass, was preached
aud he accepted propositions to form Q
stock company with a capital of $500
In which himself, A. II. Welton, w. Il
Downes, ID. s. Brinsmade, w. G. Atwat
err, George and Henry Beardsley, ID. w
Plumb, the Ousatonic water company
were Interested. ID. w. Plumb was pres
ldent, Welton secretary and treasurer
Lincoln, the only stakeholder who un
derstood the business, was manager from
the time the works started, December |
until about the 30th, when Welton, VIII,
had been salesman, was given his plac,
and he was frozen out. The business wal
poorly managed and lost money rapidly
the books, when examined by Lincoln
showing deficit of nearly $4,000. james
A. Shattpck, one of the men brought
by Lincoln from Leomnster, said thai
he had seen Welton at work at the dool
OF the safe, as IL trying to change tho
combination. When he assisted In tax
ing the broken safe from the ruins of tn,
fire, the bolts OF the door were shot bacl
and the cash box was about Is feet away
Fireman George w. Sherman, who wen
home at O, left the fire securely banked
with fresh wet coal; 1t would 60 out il
nm hour or two. Charles (Cap) Miller
told about his visit to the bank with {
$3.50 check and obtaining the money fol
Welton. Returning, he was told that {
mistake had been made, but thought ht
had done just as ordered. Edwin II
Swift, paying teller of the bank, confirm
ed Caps story of obtaining the money
Teamsters Joseph Lewis and w. Il. Hop
kins saw flames bursting from the root
OF the comb shop over the office. Henry
Rose, who heard a cry of fire about
II 81, rang the alarm bell, hurried dowr
TO the fire and found Welton there. Mrs
Orinda Lewis, who was up with a sick
child, heard some one unlock the Office
OF the comb shop and go In. After a few
minutes, the person came out, shut the
door hard and had been gone but few
minutes when the cry of fire was raised
William Mineriy, whose testimony the