The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1894-08-03
MYSTERIOUS FIRES
Which Officers Think May Be
Traced to Mrs. S. J. Taylor.
a Detective Presents Damaging Evil
.dence-Alleged Sensational Conspiracy
to Defraud Insurance Companies.

TO Detraud insurance companies.
NEEDHAM. Mass. Aug. IA rather
tall slim woman, with dark hair and
dark eyes, confronted Trial Justice
Grover in the local courthouse yesterday
afternoon. She gave her age as "a years
and her name as Mrs. Susan J. Taylor
She was charged with incendiarism.
Beside her but few moments before,
but absent during her arraignment, was
another woman, who was charged with
being her accomplice. The latter charge,
however was wholly subterfuge, as
Judge Grover knew that it was upon this
woman's testimony that the grand jury
would be asked to indict Mrs. Taylor as
an incendiary.
The alleged accomplice gave the name
Of "Mrs. Emma L. Foster" an assumed
one. Marshal Whitcomb's deputy, Off
think they have made great catch in
Mrs. Taylor They look for disclosures
with which to startle the community.
The prisoner answered all questions
readily, and bore the official scrutiny aud
examination coolly. Only once did she
hesitate, and that was when she was
asked where her husband was Then
blush stole almost imperceptibly into her
face. she hesitated for a moment, and
finally fatty refused to answer.
The case has awakened no end of sur
misses, and the officers believe many of
them to be true. These general accusa.
tions include
Score of Mysterious Fires
and something like $50, 600 in Insurance
money
A portion of the evidence which it is
expected that Mrs. Foster VIII furnish s
in effect that, while the two women were
tenants of Smith's block in Walpole. on
the eve of the Fourth of July, the sug-
gestion veg made that the fire be set then
and there, and that Mrs Fosters counsel
that 1t would destroy the whole block and
might cause loss of life only prevented
its being done.
Deputy Shaw, State Officer Pratt and
Inspector Dugan of Boston are in high
feather They feel they have now the
necessary strings in hand to uncover one
of the most sensational conspiracies to
defraud insurance companies that has
ever been formed in this state
Looks Bad For Her.
Mrs. Taylor has had an eventful, if not
a mysterious, career. The first heard OF
her was at Conway, N. H., where she had
a fire, the loss of which was $500. From
there she went to Mt Bowdoin in the
Dorchester district, and there another
conflagratiou took place, where the loss
reached 5000.
Leaving Dorchester Mrs. Taylor went
to reside in Melrose, but there is no fire
record against her in that town, SO far as
known. Her next and last field of opera
tion was at Walpole. aud there are TWO
charges of incendiarism made against her
in this town.
Three months ago Mrs. Foster, de-
tective, went to Walpole and secured en-
ployment with Mrs. Taylor as an assist
ant. She reported her observations to
her superiors from time to time, and when
Mrs. Taylor got ready to move into
Plympton's house, State Detective Pratt
and Detective Lamb were ready to act.
At o'clock yesterday morning he saw
Mrs. Taylor leave the house on bicycle.
Accosting the woman, he asked her if she
would not accompany him back to the
house and show him over it. and
She Readily Complied.
In one of the rooms rather startling
arrangement of furniture and room de-
corations was presented.
The room was darkened with black
curtains. The table was saturated with
kerosene and matches were scattered
about The carpets were soaked with
oil, and two or three oil stoves were suit
ably placed here and there. A sofa was
partially loaded with turpentine, and the
draperies on the windows were con-
veniently placed TO catch the fire.
Upon the floor were scattered pieces of
newspaper, and the mosquito netting
smelled strongly of kerosene. Another
sofa in the room was also saturated with
turpentine.
While Officer Pratt was giving this evi-
dence to the trial justice, Mrs Taylor sat
imperturbable, and when he had finished
she set him right on one or two points.
and concluded by saying that she had no
further questions TO ask, as what he said
was near enough right.