Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-12-14
A FIDDLER SUSPECTED
Hunting F. the Man Who Tried
 to Hide Murder by Fire.
EDWARDS SAYS HE DID NOT STOP.
He Was Arrested, Though, Because He Was Seen HurryInE Away From Mrs. Jackson's Burning House - The Dsnd Woman Had Little Money.

JaclCson's Burning House - The Dend Woman Had Little Money.
 PATCno0UE, \. Y. Dee. l4.-The theory that Mrs. Jackson. whose body was burned in the lonely little hamlet of Farmiugville, was killed and the house burned to conceal the crime has been adopted by the author ities.
 A rowing spectacle peddler, Elmer Ed wards who has admitted that he was near CT to Mrs. JaCkson's house when il was first discovered to be on fire than any other human being, has been arrested and ar raigned before Coroner Moore of Bay Shore in Police Justice Charles w. Hawkins parlors in Lake Grove. Edwards denies that he entered MrS. Jackson's house, and there was nothing in his appearance or in his testimony to proVa that he did enter the house and kill the unfortunate old woman. His examination before the cor Oner was not concluded, and the inquest will be resumed in SQuirc Hawkins resi- dence on Friday morning.
 The body of Mrs. Jackson, wEo was a member oi the RonAoukoma Baptist church, has been buried in the cemetery of the Runkonkoma Methodist church. and no religious services were held It was ap- parently concluded that no religious serv- ices were needed, as the body had been so nearly iucineratcd that there was little left of it over which religious rites could be held. It was by the wish of Mrs. Jackson s daughters-Mrs. Hallock and Mrs. Smith of stony Brook-aud their families that the body was buried in Inc Methodist church cemetery.
 Rumors StnI Rife.
 Little is talked of today in the villages and farmhouses in suffolk county that does not refer directly ur indirectly to the death of Mrs. Jackson The finding of a pitchfuyk near Mrs. Jackson's body is no longer of significance, It has been learned from the family of Mrs. Jacksou's daugh- ter, Mrs. Cornrlia lIallock, in Lake Grove, that Mrs Jackson Eabitually kept pitch fork under her bed to protect herself from tramps.
 She was once attacked by a tramp and with the pitchfurk routed the enemy. Fur ther inquiry has also thrown doubt on the widely spread belief that Mrs. Jackson had a large sum of money in her house or even had much valuable personal property. Her earnings as n nurse have been exaggerated.
 \ member of her daughters family says that Mrs. Jackson was not q professional nurse; that she had done very little nurs- ing of late, as her age had prevented her doing severe work, especially at night, and her property consisted chiefly of the house ill which she was burned and the land adjoining.
 Edwards' Dciensr.
 Elmer Edwards was closely questioned by Justice Hawkins Edwards said he had no home. He described various places he had recently visited, and coming to the night of the fire he declared that he had not stopped at the Jackson house,
 He said he looked back after passing if and supposed il was brush heap burning. He had left Tcrry's house, he said, about half past o'clock and arrived at GirOuN s , house after 6 o'clock.
 As the distance is orly mile and HS Ed wards is lame man, those who believe him guilty say he could travel the distance easily in l2 or l5 minutes, leaving him about 10 minutes for stopping at the Jack ! son house Edwards WAS pcrmitte,l to gu on his parole, however, on his promise to be present It the inquest on Friday.
 Police Justice Hawkins and others seem to incline 10 the belief that Mrs Jackson accidentally set fire to her clothing. per haps by the explosion of a lamp, and that she ran to her bedroom to smother the flames with the bed clothing, bu; failed This. however. fails tn account for the common report that the fire was most violent in the unoccupied part of the house.
 Justice Hawkins and Coroner Moore dc not place much CrCdcnCc in the story that a daughter of a woman who lived back Ct Mrs. Jackson's house on the mountains when told by Mrs. Jackson that she stole a dress replied, If mother heard You sIy that, she would kill you." The girls fam lily has moved away, but Coroner Moore will subpoena the girl and her mother tC appear at the inquest.