The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-23
WIND BLEW FROM THE EAST.
so sPRAGUE FIRED MAsoN'S HOUSE
WIN PINE KNOTS AND CANDLES.

This Wa. Done, He Ayers, at the Instanes
OF Mason and with the knowledge OF
Mrs. DeshonE, Who ~ Suing for Insur-
nnce on Furniture She Says Was There.
Mrs. Emma L. DeshonR. a good looking
grass widow. formerly OF Nineland but now OF
Brooklyn. is suing the Merchants Insurance
Company OF Newark in the Circuit Court In
Jersey City. to recover $1,000 insurance on
some furniture which che alleges was de-
stroved by fire. The defendant contends that
the furniture was not destroyed and that Mrs.
Deshong is trying to defraud the company.
Tho furniture was In the Mason homestead at
Nineand. owned by John f.. Mason. Inventor
OF tho Mason fruit jar The house was de-
stroyed by fire OH April 13. 1890. but the COM
pany says the furniture in question was not In
1t when the fire took place.
John L. Mason testified yesterday that he
employed Mrs. Deshong in 1882 to keep house
Tor him In the homestead. His wife was an
invalid and his daughters poor sekeepers
30 he employed Mrs. Deshong to take charge
OF the place at SIS week. She remained
there until 1882. when she removed to Brook
iyn. Mason continued TO live In the house at
intervals until it was burned down iu 1880:
from Mason and produ a bill OF sale. which
was admitted IN evidence. The furniture was
allowed to remain in the homestead when she
removed to Brooklyn until she could find 1t
convenient 10 take it away.
Edward A. Sprague was called as the next
witness for the plaintiff Long before he fin-
ished his testi mony the plaintiff was sorry she
had him called. spragne testified that he had
clear recollection Of the fire; In fact. 1t was
he. who started it.
Il set fire to the premises" he said. at the
request OF MIR. Mason. and with the knowledge
OF Mrs. Deehong., l distributed six, boxes Of
pine knots in the house. barn. and other build
ings and put lighted candle in each box; On
the night OF the lire j received q letter from
Mason instructing me to light the candles
that night II the wind was blowing from the
The wind was blowing from the east that
night. and lit the candles about II o'clock
and then went to bed. All the detail g of the
plan were arranged by Mason. who had ex-
perimented with a box Of fat pine knots. and
l followed his instructions to the letter"
This startling testimony created SEM ation
In the court room.
Lawyer Palmer asked Sprague II he had not
been convicted OF forgery In New York. JUS
tice Lippincott. overrued the question.
had agreed to pay him $500 for telling the
Lawyer John +. Meyer Of this city. who was
formerly Masons legal adviser examined the
bill oil sale and declared Mason's signature to
be forgery The lawyer admitted that he
cages.
freeman Nefus. an adjuster. said Mrs De-
shong toll him him that the fire was OF incen-
diary origin. They had received numerous
Caps. in which the writer's threatened to burn
the buildings and tar and feather her and
Mason.
The defence intends to prove that all the
valuable furniture was removed to BROOKLYN
before the fire. 1t was not shipped at North
Nineand. the nearest station. but from New
field. some distance away. The case will BIO
continued Monday.