Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-08
The Arrest of the Captain OF the
Burned Steamer Colt.

On November & last the steamer w. w.
Colt. lying off the 18th street wharf. was
burned and on Saturday afternoon a war
rant was issued against Capt. James A.
Richardson, formerly her master, charging
him with arson. He was arrested and
locked up at the fourth precinct station
The boat was the property of Mrs. Eliza
beth B. Plass of New York, for whom her
husband. Herbert Plass. was agent. The
boat was in the service as a transport dur
ing the war. For some time past she has
been in the river service. The last season
was a bad one and the boat being in poor
condition was laid up for the winter. She
was regarded as an obstruction to naviga-
ton, owing to the place selected for winter
quarters, and a warrant had been procured
for her owner. Capt. Richardson remained
on board as Waterman. and on the night of
the fire he had entertained on the vessel
some friends at an oyster roast, the party
breaking up about IL O'Clock. Richardson
going ashore with them and returning
about 1 o'clock and going to bed. The
captain stated that he was awakened about
2 O'clock. discovered the fire and gave the
alarm.
The charge is made by Capt. Arthur Nc
Kenzie. adjuster for the New York insur-
ance companies. and II is stated that Capt.
Richardson having sworn he had been Of
fered $500 to burn the vessel caused suspi-
cion to be directed toward him. and when
he refused to go to New York to make a
statement action was taken leading to his
arrest.
At l o'clock today Mr.. ]. Med. Caring
ton appeared before Judge Kimball and
proffered bail of $500 with Joseph B. Grin
der as surety for Capt. Richardson's ap-
pearance on Wednesday and it was accept
ed.
Mr.. Richardson Defended.
The attorney for Mr.. Richardson, in speak
ing of the case to a Star reporter this after
noon, said:
1T is true that Capt. Richardson gave
bond in the sum of $3,OO to answer the
charge against him upon his preliminary
examiL alton in the Police Court. 1 was
busily engaged in my office with Capt
Richardson on Saturday in the preparation
of several affidavits which I intended to
submit to the district attorney for him to
determine whether certain parties therein
named had not formed criminal con-
spiracy to defraud the owner of the Colt
out of an insurance Of $500 he had upon
the same. / could not complete these
papers Saturday, but my object was, with
my associate, Col. Sprague, to have them
ready for the district attorney this MORN
ing. But our efforts were nipped in the
bud temporarily. We are now out on bond
and we will go ahead. This will be an I'M
usually interesting case when 1t comes
up We have certain letters that are to
be explained. 1t does not seem to me that
the corpus deficit is entirely established.
that is to say, 1t Is not clear that the
burning of the Colt was not an accident.
If 1t was arson. then there is evidence
tending in other directions than toward
Richardson. The res justa of the whole
thing is in favor of Richardson. MIR. Plass.
the owner of the boat, wants his $500
insurance. Somebody wants to keep him
from getting it. and I reckon they expect
to be paid for 1t, and they say Richardson
was fool enough to say he did 1t. You
can rest assured we don't intend they
shall use Richardson's paw to get their
chestnuts out of the fire without lively
scrimmage."