The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-11
FIRED TO GET INSURANCE
WILL WATTS AND "LIzE" RUSH
ING TO BE TRIED FOR ARSON.

Watts Confesses the Burning of Mrs
Rusbing,s House on Kline street and
Implicates "Lizs" Rushing In the
Cr,me-The Girl OF First Denies the
Charge but Finally Owns UO-How
the Deed Was Done.
William Watts, the i9-year-old robber
leader now in jail, who recently gave the
MORNING News history OF his eventfui
criminal career, has made another startling
confession which may result in bringing
him and "Lize" Rushing TO the gallows.
Watts SAYS that Liz :" and he set fire to
Mrs. Rushings house on Kline street, near
Burroughs. March % last. for the purpose
of getting the insurance.
Watts sent for W. H. Daniels, who held
the insurance on the burned house, couple
of DAYS ago and told him that the fire was
of incendiary and not accidental character.
Later in the day he made the same states
ment to a MORNING NEWS reporter.
1.-THE house was insured for $1,000 in
Haines g. Daniels agency said Watts,
land mortgage for the same amount had
been foreclosed, and the house was adver-
tised for sale. Mrs Rushing knew that it
wouldn't bring enough to clear the mort
gage, so it was arranged to onrn u and get
the insurance, pay the mortgage and save
the lot.
THE START OF THE FIRE.
rsMrs. Rushing left the house in the
afternoon and about 7:30 o'clock at night
Lie went upstairs and started the fire. The
lamp downstairs was then overturned 80
as TO make it appear that the house caught
from an exploded lamp. Lie left the house
and stayed there until the fire got a & pod
start and then began TO save the furni~
ture.
1.-THE MORNING NEWS" continued Watts.
"had an account of the fire next morning,
and said something about it having orig
mated from an exploded lamp, which was
Just what we wanted Watts eaid the
reason he made the confession was that he
had told everything else and the FIRE bust
ness was worrying him.
Theyoung criminal told the story to De-
tectives Basch and Wetherhorn, and Thurs
day night they arrested Lie Rushing. She
refused to say anything about the crime she
was charged with, and was locked I'D in
Jail. Friday morning she was taken out
and brought face to face with Watts In
Justice Naughtin's court. She still kept
her mouth closed, and would give no
information.
-. CONFESSED THEIR CRIME.
The prisoners were kept there until the
afternoon, Watts all the while endeavoriug
TO get Lie to talk. Finally she succumbed
and announced that she was ready to tell
what she knew. Solicitor General Fraser
was sent for and Watts and Lie both
admitted the crime. The boy took az
much blame upon himself as the
girl and said he had gathered lightwood
and strewed it along the floor of the loft
for Lie to set fire, and afterward he upset
the lamp, which started the fire down.
stairs.
Solicitor General Fraser asked Watts IL
he realizsd that he and Lie were, accord
ing to their statements, guilty of capital
offense. Watts replied that he was familiar
with the law of the case, aud would rather
be hanged than spend the balance of his
days IN the penitentiary. which he felt
would be the case IL he were convicted OF
all the robberies which he would have to
answer for.
HELD FOR ARSON.
Watts and Lie Rushing were recon-
mitted to Jail on charges of arson and will
be tried for that offe Sc, together with Mrs
Rushing, mother of Lie, as an accessory
at the December term of the superior court
Mrs. Rushing has been in Jail for severa
weeks on charges of having been til,
''fence" keeper for Watts gang of car rob
Ders
"Lize" Rushing is prepossessing girl Of
about Is years of age, and has no appear
ance Of being the criminal winch, according
to her own and Watts statement. she is.
Lie used to be Watts sweetheart in his
palmy days Of rascalitY. He claims that
several times she tried to get him to murder
people here for the purpose of robbery.
The penalty for arson in Georgia is
death or imprisonment in the penitentiary
for life. Watts and Lie either don't real
ize the critical position in which they have
placed themselves or else are so hardened IL
crime that they don't care
The MORNING NEWS account of the fire
the day after it occurred stated that tbs
hremen were compelled to work behind
bulwark of doors and boards because of tn,
aerceness OF the flames. Mrs. Rushing tolt
q reporter at the time that no one was il
the house, and she was at loss to accouu
for the fire, except that it started from
lighted lamp which had been left in tn
dining-room. She was apparently mucI
distressed at the loss OF her home,