The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-07
TRANSFORMATIONS
DISCHARGED BY THE BENCH OF
MAGISTRATES.


Them for Arson-Peter Smith and Eis
Son Jimmy Tell What They Know
About the Beach House Ftre-The
Testimony of Upwards of Twenty
Witnesses Taken-The Lanes Con
graduated
James Lane and Edward Lane were dis
charged yesterday by the bench Of magis-
trates before whom they we're given q hear
ing on the charge Of arson. N attempting
70 burn the Reach house at Tybee.
The verdict was not surprise to those
who heard the evidence, though it may be
TO the general public.
The grand jury room Of the city court
was crowded at 10 o'clock. the hour set for
the hearing. There we're nearly twenty
witnesses present for the state and the de-
Tense.
A number OF the friends OF the Lanes
were there and several shook hands with
them as they entered the court with Detect
i've Morgan.
THE MAGISTRATES BENCH.
Justice Warning Russell presided at the
hearing with Justices Patterson and Ell
singer.
They sat at the head of the long table In
the room while the prisoners sat at the
Chisholm, ESQ.,, and Hon. +. g. duBignon.
Solicitor General Fraser represented the
state.
Peter Smith was the first witness sworn.
He keeps a saloon and lives near the Lane
place on the west side. Smiths testimony
in effect was that his house was about eighty
feet from the Lanes. He saw the fires and
helped put them out. The first fire took
place between and o'clock In the morn
ing He heard the cry of fire and ran out,
saw the fence and shed on fire and discov-
cred that the fire was in the oil
house. He did not see the Lanes at all
until after the fire.
SAW THE FIRES.
The second fire occurred down toward
the beach about 5 O'clock in the afternoon,
and was put out by his son and others.
The third fire was underneath the Lane
house on the west side and was discovered
as they were returning from the second
fire. He did not see the Lanes at any of
these fires.
The next frs occurred upstairs In the
hotel about O'Clock Tuesday morning and
was put out by his son and others.
Two more fires occurred later and several
alarms were given.
On being cross-examined by Mr.. Chisholm,
Smith SAID there had been no fire of any
kind on his place or the adjoining lot be-
tween the two houses that he knew OF for
several days. Monday, after the first fire,
several gentlemen came down and had an
oyster roast on the intervening lot.
The Toshaoh fire, he said, was on
Sunday. Graham's place Is between Lanes
and Toshachs. He was cross-examined by
Mr.. duBignon as to any previous trouble
that had occurred between him and the
Lanes, or his son and the Lanes, and said
there had been none.
JIMMY SMITHS TESTIMONY.
james H. Smith, son of Peter Smith.
gave his testimony as to the fires, which
wOs pretty much the same as that given by
his father. When tho alarm was given by
the Ocean house bell at . O'clock Monday
morning he grabbed two buckets of water
and ran up into the building. He met Ed
Lane on the floor on which the fire was, but
in an adjoining room. He found the fire
between two mattresses In bedroom. and
with the assistance OF Others put it out. Ed
Lane, he said, told him the fire was upstairs,
and he carried the crowd up to find il. Not
finding it on that floor. they returned to the
second floor, where the fire was
discovered. Ed Lane did not
help them bring water nor
do anything else TO put out the fire.
James Lane was in Savannah at the time Of
this fire. Ed Lane gave no alarm. Smith
said the people in the neighborhood could
not sleep Monday or Tuesday nights for
fear OF fire. The Lanes. ne said, did not
give any alarm or render any assistance at
any Of the fires.
On the cross-examination Smith said be
had never md any trouble with either OF
the Lanes nor wronged them in any wav.
de saw fire and fires and discovered two Of
them himself.
WATCHMAN MOBILES STATEMENT.
James M. Noble, watchman at the Ocean
house, was regarded as an important wit
ness for the state. He witnessed all of the
fires except one He testified that he met
Ed Lane at the third fire, the one in
the mattresses. The sixth fire, no said, was
discovered by Mrs. Graham. who gave the
alarm. He ran up in the hotel and found
the burning lightwood knot in the ceiling of
the attic. lie found Jim Lane in the room
above which the fire was. Lane said he did
not know where the fire was. Noble
SAID there was no other wav
for the lightwood knot to get into the cell
ing except through the hole cut for ventila-
ton at the top. He took the knot out and
threw it into bucket Of water. He cav
James Lane from the Ocean house walking
around on that floor of the building lust
Jim Smith, he said, discovered the fourth
fire In the mattresses. Smith and Ed Lane
were looking for the fire when he got there.
MRS. GRAHAM ON THE STAND.
Mrs. Charles Graham was sworn and
gave her testimony. She went down TO
1ybee Monday when the reports
were received Of the fires Came back
Monday night ard went down again Tues
day morning. She was positive that she
saw Jim Lane in the room in which the
lightwood knot fire was discovered. She
was standing in the yard of the Ocean
house and saw light about the size of a
candle In the room, as she thought 1t
blazed up and grew larger and she gave
the alarm. After she gave the alarm Lane
looked out of the window of a room on the
same floor. She exclaimed: "Mr. Lane.
there is a fire there" He replied: "No,
there is no fire here" She ex-
claimed again: There is fire there
and you came from that ROOM" He
replied again that there was no fire there.
he then got oHt on the porch and looked in
at the window Of the room and said he
could see no fire there. The Waterman
from the Ocean house ran over and discov~
cred the blazing pine knot in the roof by
climbing upon a bed post and looking
through the hole in the ceiling. She saw
another blaze about twenty minutes later in
another part Of the building. 1t seemed TO
blaze up and iguite very quickly. She gave
the alarm, but when the crowd got there
they could discover no fire.
ALDERMAN BUFFERS TESTIMONY.
Alderman John G. Butler, a member of
the TYbee council was the naxt vvitness