The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-07

pOncy OF St,uVO on Ioe mouse ana
bar. The Germania Bank held McDonOugh
& Co.'S insurance as collateral. They
claimed that IL was still In force. Mr.. Lane
delivered mp his policy Of s., 900 on his fur
niture ard IL was Cancelled. He could have
claimed five days notice, but did not. The
fire that occurred while he was there oc-
CURED after the policy had been Cancelled.
Alderman K. p. Lowell, another member
of the Tybee council, testified that Lane
had said the fire in the mattresses originated
from Peter Smiths oyster roast.
THE LANES SIDE OF IT.
The state rested them and the introduce
/ ton Of witnesses for the defense began.
James Ryan, a neighhor of Lanes, denied
that he bad told hr. Butler that he had
moved Lanes rifles TO his house, or that
any quantity OF clothing had been removed
there. There bad been only two small
dresses carried 70 his house for
repairs, he said. his wife being
the drsssmaker for Lanes children.
He testified that there were tracks around
the second balcony Of the Beach house on
the east side as II some one had climbed up
there, Mr.. Ryan said he ran in at the first
fire Monday morning and found Lane and
his family all in bed. He was at every fire
and saw Jim Smith there also. Jim Smith
seemed to be the first to discover the firei
Mr.. Ryan was positive that Lane was at
hAo pAnSC WHCA buc lVi tie AkANHODu
knot fire was sounded and was ne third or
fourth person to reach the scene.
Morris Sullivan testified that he saw
marks around the balcony at the southeast
corner of the Beach house as IL some one
had climbed Up there. He said that he
heard Ned Lane say that he caught Jim
Smith tr5 ing to steal his clothes once and
that be would not allow him IN his place.
Lee johnson, the colored boy employed at
the RaaCh housa told of his balny bafora
the council at Tybee aud his treatment by
the police. He was hendcuffed and kept
that way for six hours. Officer Robin
asked him, he said, if Jim Lane didn't set
fire TO the house. The officer threatened him
with six months in Jail and lifetime in the
penitentiary. he testified, IL he did not tell
the truth. These questions and threats were
repeated a number of times. He testified
that Mac Lilly, a negro employed at Smiths,
ran In Mr.. Lanes room early Monday morn
ing, yelled fire and grabbed Mr.. Lanes vest
with his watch in 10 and started for the
door. Lane wanted to know where he was
going with his watch. johnson, the boy. is
about IA years old. He gave his testimony
in straightforward way. he declared
that he had never seen the Lanes make any
attempt TO fire the house or heard them say
anything about It.
AN INFLAMMABLE PILE.
George Boyd. a carpenter, who had
worked on the Beach house, testified as to
there being shavings and chips in the attic
where the iightwood knot was found.
J. G. Toshach testified that he saw signs
around the eastern balcony as IL some one
had climbed up there recently. He testified
also that there were buckets and dishpans
full OF water around the Lane house after
Mondays fire In readiness for a fire. Mr..
Toshach said the fire in bis house originated
In l..
corner OF the building, Chief Lightbody
was with him at the house at the time and
they endeavored to throw the mattress out
OF the window, but the heat was too
great. No one hadIoccupied the room or
been In 10 recently to his knowledge, he
said. He testified that be and Lane were q t
Ryan's house when the fifth fire in the pill
lows broke out. The Lanes seemed very
much excited over the fires and did all they
could to extinguish them.
PREPARED FOR FIRES.
Officer John Kelly, who was ono of the
policemen that took charge of the Beach
house by order OF Mayor Ulmer, testified
that he found buckets and pans of water set
about the house in readiness for a fire.
Miss Katy Lane, James Lanes daughter,
testified that she was on the third floor Of the
house with candle in her hand, when
Mrs. Graham called across about the
fire and that her father was not in the
house at the time. She said that she and
her father and Mr.. Toshach were at Dir.
RyaD's at the time the lightwood knot fire
occurred. They were there also when the
alarm WAS sounded for the fire in the
pillows a short while before.
JAMES LANES STATEMENT.
Mr.. duBignon announced that James
Lane wished to make statement. Mr.,
Lanes statement was to the effect that the
first he knew OF the fires a negro ran into
his room Monday morning early. He
saw him reaching for his watch aud asked
him what he was up to. The negro yelled
hre and ran out. Lane jumped up in his
night clothes and ran out and helped put
out the fire. which was in the oil house. He
telephoned the insurance agents from Tybee
and afterward came up to the city himself
While here he heard that there had been
two more fires at his place. He went down
on the same train that afternoon with Mr..
Wilson and others. Fifty dollars was agreed
on as the amount of damage. He Cancelled
his policy and turned it over to Mr.. Wilson.
That afternoon another fire broke out in the
mattresses in room IA. Lane
was then at Ryan's. He ran
over and found his brother trying to
put the fire out. He then heard that they
we're trying to raise suspicious" against
him. He took extra precautions and ex-
amined the walls and rooms frequently for
signs OF fire.
Mr.. Lane gave graphic description of
the peremptory manner in which Mayor
Timer and the Tybee police took charge of
the house.
EDWARD LANES STORY.
Edward Lane also made a statement cor
roborating his brothers. He said he had
been sick for about three weeks. He didn't
know where the fire was when the first
alarm was sounded and tried TO save some
Of his things first. He then went into the
wash house and passed water out to those
at the fire. All the fires, he said, were To-
Gated from one side Of the house, especially
from the Smith place.
Mr.. duBignon said the defense was will
ing to submit the case without argument
Solicitor General Fraser said he would dc
the same, but called attention to the fact
that the most direct testimony against Lane
was Mrs Graham's, who testified to seeing
Lane in the room above when the burning
pine knot was discovered
The magistrates retired announcing that
it would not take them more than five
minutes to reach a decision. In less time
than that they returned and Justice Elsinger
rendered the decision.
Justice Elsinger remarked the judges were
hungry and he would not take long with
the decision. He said: THE conclusion,
after hearing all the evidence for both
sides, is that there is no suspicion to connect
the parties with the crime with which they
are charged, and they are discharged
I al