The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-10
MISS BIRCH Is ACQUITTED.
NOT ACCOUNTABLE FOR SETTING FIRE
TO HER STORE

NOT ACCOUNTABLE FOR SETTING FIRE
TO HER STORE
The Reasons She Gave for It and for
Writing Anonymous Letters TO HousE
Nen ofIslip Defaming Her Own Character.
Miss Florence Birch OF Islip was on trial In
Riverhead yesterday for arson In the first de.
gree. She sat between her mother and sister.
Anxiety was depicted on her careworn face.
She frequently leaned her head on her mothers
shoulder and wept She is about % years old.
She was always esteemed good girl and was
admired for her enterprise In CONDUCTING
business OF her own at an early age. She
was leader In tho Good Templar lodge In
Islip and member OF the Methodist Church.
While she was keeping millinery store In the
Smith block in Islip not quite a year ago
young men in tho village began receiving
anonymous lettors rejecting on hor character.
Similar letters were mailed to her. Soon the
whole village was aroused over the letters.
Much sympathy was expressed for Miss Birch.
and an effort was made to ferret out the
author Of the letters. When public indigna-
ton began to flag Miss Brch's store was set
on fro. This was on the evening OF Jan. 70.
1901. and during her absence. The flames
were extinguIshed before much damage was
DONE A few nights following this her store was
entered and her stock Of millinery mutilated
and saturated with OIL Some OF the goods had
been thrust into the stove. while others we're
scorched with q rpd-hot iron. This last ap-
parent outrage led tho citizens OF the village
to appoint an investigating committee. A de-
tective was hired. and after several weeks Of
investigation 1t was decided that Miss Birch's
prosecutor was no other than herself. Her ar
rest followed.
Her trial began on last Monday afternoon
before County Judge Young Considerable
difficulty was experienced in obtaining jury.
as almost everybody smypathizes with the
woman J9S1b Sm nn who f0r owned tine the
titled to extlnguishing the flames IN the store
Rnd also to finding some of the goods saturat-
the scene Immediately utter the fire. and the
witness thought she was suspiciously cool and
Deputy Sheriff Frank A. Rowland testified
rested rest Miss Birch She told him that sic had
t %s1 Siss ssn' sse said tRs. $I6
WHOM, che was IN love applied the match. This
s w BR Mas SieG G v F5sssH when Lewis
Witness im stand. Outing the taking Of his evi;
%sps aosd I'' The o$ how got
her to make confession. The confession
.'f |. Flo. Birch. do hereby state that on the
ip the evening. started fire IN my store in
bors / also. on the following Friday night.
destroyed my goods in the store: Referring to
to FranE Anderson and other young men. I
Tr9te them myself and dE n mot sno% why
When questioned by the detective as to her
motive for setting fire to her store. she is al
legged to have replied that she was in love with
to s yet Fla " ter store 50 she sould Join him.
and she set fire to it thinking TO get the insnr-
anee fnll confession was then read e TO- the
At the time Of opening my store did not
i'll for long time and did not care for the
pany at ALL Soon, after starting my store
fully recovered and was as crazy Tor company
as had formerly detested it. was acQuaipt-
cd with young man who was working work. in the
ond time / came to the city. shopping; he
YSntG me to to to the sae Tt @
at first. When we came out he said we would
90 for, oysters: but instead no took me to a
WhoIe honse iii il he didn't take me away When
ct nne In
teew ThIs Saq +; S ne al VA XII TealE
e ca my utter atai me ' again and took me homs
After an , admission Of her betrayal she re-
S'%ts seemed as n my heart would break 1truyre-
but se. TTtaf s
did not care what I did. I hated God and
everything that was good. and gave way ut
rid OF my store. set tho fire to get my insur::
ance. and then was afraid Of being detected
and did the other to cover II. As for the let
ters. never thought Of doing such thing.
but was lust jealous; o. every girls Attentions
%ia a aey 0t tSe mas " Wsote first
against some one else, and then. as was
afraid of being detected. wrote the other let
tiers so 1t would not be blamed on me. ! am
saved me from terrible destruction both Of
body and soul. and this. thank God will. I
''A0' FLORENCE BIRCH"
sion herself and the. detective testified that
she read 1t to him on the train on the way from
New York to Islip.
The defence was temporary insanity. The
first witness on the prlsoner,s behalf was her
her denehters mind was affected and that she
became hysterical: also that she
wanted to set fire to things. and did burn arti-
Lizzie Birch. a sister Of tho defendant cor
nesses testified 70 an ailment from which she
suffered. DR.. William A. Hulse and DR.. Tru-
man Nicoll both gave reasons why they thought
the girl was insane.
turned With m verdict Of acauitta Miss birch
and her mother and sister wept with Joy when
Il was announced. The jury held the girl was
insane at tho time sine committed the crime
THREATENED BY TWO ROBDERS.
One Of Thea She Recognized rs Her Son