The morning call., 1894-09-06
FEMALE FIREBUG.
Mrs. II. Crapo Arrested
for Arson.
Result of an Investigation Into Two
Early Morning Fires at the
PotrerO.

Mrs Annie Crapo was arrested by Fire
Marshal Towe and Sergeant Bennett yesterday
afternoon on the charge OF arson. She was
taken TO the City Prison.
Her arrest is The outcome OF an investigation
made by the Fire Marshal and Sergeant into
the cause of TWO fires that occurred on Monday
morning in a three story frame building on
Tennessee street, near Butte, at the Potrero,
owned by Herbert Crapo, the woman's nus
band.
The first fire broke out at half-past O'Clock
in a rear room OH the second story. 1t was
quickly eXtnguished by the tremen OF engine
l6. Three hours afterward lhe second fire
started on the ground floor, and before II was
eXtinguished II spread 10 all the n00rs, DONG
considerable damage.
The ground floor was stored with old fur
nllure. The CrapOs and their roomerS occu-
pied the second fiat and j. Nj. Crowley and
family the top fiar.
After the second fire was extinguished Cap
tain COmstoek OF the Underwriters Patrol had
his suspicious aroused by the strong smell OF
coal oil that permeaIed the building, and the
discovery OF large bundle OF rags saturated
with the oil which had Deen blackened by The
flames.
Mrs Crapo's husband Is employed at the
Union Iron Works. lie is steady, quiet man,
and left bis vile 10 manage everything con-
nected With the household and his property
The Fire Marshal and sergeant found that
Mrs. CrapO had insured The house Tor $4,000
and the furniture for $500. The house was
$500, an overinsurance on the two oil $1,000.
They also learned from Mr.. Crapo that on
the night of the fires his wife for the first time
since their marriage had insisted upon sleep
ing In separate room. She had been acting
queeriy since the death OF her DaDy TWO or
three weeks before, and he humored ner by
doing as she wished.
When the second lire was burning fiercely he
was standing beside her. and heard her mutter
ing. "GOd is goOd." as she looked at the fumes
He said 10 her, "YOu have done this, ~ but she
made no answer.
When Mrs. Crapo was inteuoeated by the
Fire Marshal she tried to explain the reason OF
the strong smell OF coal oil by tne statement
that while nlliug the lamps she spliled quan.
tlty OF the OIL. But she had no explanation 10
give for the bundle OF rags saturated with oil.
Ihere are other circumstances whlcn the
FIRE MdfSnal does not care 10 ulsclOse wnicn
lett MIN no other course but 10 piace MRS.
Crapo under arrest
Mr.. Crapo made the following statement
unuer oath 10 The Fire Marshall:
ION Sunday last, September 2, had lunch
IN my housr; aiterward l went upstairs: My
wlie acted 10 me In such manner that SAID
10 nei, IL yOC nave any bad ideas In your Dead
you give them up She said she would. / said
this because missed her. went and called
ner nom me basement, thinking she was going
out Then went out and saw the ball game.
i returned home at about $50 p NJ. aud went
TO bed.
II was called there was IRE. got up
and found the room full of smoke. am pretty
sure my wife set the fire. because there seemed
To be something preying on her MIND. she has
maoe sllght hinIs about setting tne mouse on
nre, ana alter the fire she SAID 10 me on tne
front steps after had SAID sonething as TO the
cause OF the second fire. she salc, II takes me
when God helps me- and it was my conviction
she set the hfe, but / did not see her set lt.
AFTER the first fire she said, there are Two
mattresses that were not burned, ana tney
were saturated with coal oil ana II lea NE 10
believe she had saturated them andset the TWO
fires.
''she generally sleeps beside me, but did not
on 'ne nignl OF the fire. Hef motive ~, pu.sus @ i
surance money, as she knew she was insured.
Inc policies were in trunk ana 10 me lfuhh 4
were all the papers. did not know "here IL
waS OF where the policies were
Il am perfectly salts fed. iaough ala not see
her, lnat sne set !he fires. think her mihu Is
deranged. and others have said so TO me-.