The Washington times., 1895-03-28

mics and st. Patrick 5 churches, was begun
lu Judge Miller's court yesterday. Miss
Delaney sat at the counsel table with her
lawyer, Mr.. Lambert, and preserved the
same impassive eountenance she has al
ways worn. She paid careful attention
20 the testimony Of witnesses, but did not
show that any OF it had the slightest
effect on her
Lawyer Lambert entered a plea of
not guilty for the defendant. and william
Henderson, the colored 1anitor OF ST.
Dominic's, was called y the stand, and
testified to the discovery OF fire in the
chapel OF the church last Thursday.
Rev. Father Casey was called, and de-
seribed the location of the chapel and the
appearance of the floor after the fire was
extinguished. lie said that it seemed
to have been saturated with coal oil. No
coal oil is used about the building.
Miss Barbara Bischoff, the organist of
st. Dominic's, testified that she was in
the choir gallery last Thursday about the
time the fire was discovered, and that 81
few minutes previous TO that she saw
lady come out OF the chapel. She posi-
blfNAE -NiAiltcN Aii1S DgjdIieE as ne one,
Detective Carter was then sworn and
told the court OF the manner in which Mss
Delaney was arrested at the Elsemere last
Friday morning. Mr.. Carter was very
retcent, however, when Judge Miller asked
how he had gotten information as 10 the
prisoners Identity ana whereabouts, caus-
ing his honor to make some remarks re-
garding the veil of mystery" which de-
tectiyes like to throw around their work.
SAfFTT .En THE COAT or
Miss Lewis, the natron at No. ! sta
tion house, testified that the prisoner
dress and satchel smelled very strongly
OF coal oil. Miss Lewis was OF the onjnion
that the prisoners mind was uusound.
Manager Bowen, of the Elsmere Hotel.
was next called TO the stand, andd testifien
that from her conduct at the hotel he.
.hought her peculiar form of delusion was
III imagining that she was a good public
singer.
Lawyer Lambert addressed the court in
behalf OF his client. He pointed out that
the testimony so far had utterly failed to
connect the defendant with the charges.
Judge Miller then reviewed the evidence
u the case. He said that the prisoners
felusions in regard 70 the Catholic Church,
and the disguised priests causing her
trouble, undoubtedly appeared real TO her.
and these delusions being brought out
on the day previous to that on which the
two fires occurred, gave rise to a sus-
picion that she did it.
AS rule, he said, insane people or
monomaniacs, when they commit an act of
this character glory and exult in it, and
are perfectly willing to accept the conse-
quences, but, on the other hand, cases are
frequent where the offenses have been
planned for days with great secrecy aud
taution.
In regard to the identification of the pris-
5ner, he said, the witness, Miss Bischoff
not only described her dress, but her face,
and the peculiar expression thereon ina
pressed itself upon her memory. The coal
oil is very important feature in the case
The testimony showed that her clothes must
have been almost saturated with the oil
He was satisfied. however, from the testi-
mony, that the prisoner was not in a con-
iition to be held responsible for her ac-
'ion, and thought that she was entitled
TO make statement, and he would be
very glad to hear It if She and her
counsel so desired. recess of twenty
minutes followed the judges remarks.
STATEMENT OF MISS DELANEY.
Miss Delaney took the stand Iaater and
testified that she had been in the District
about four months. She gave her age as
thirty-five. She was hospital nurse in
st. Luke's Hospital in New York, until She
injured herself in lifting a patient, when
she was compelled to adopt dress ma king
al means of earning a livelihood She
came to Washington first with the iuten-
tlon OF making dresses, but failing in that,
she decided to give concerts.
She said that she was a patient in st.
Mary's Hospital in Milwaukee, under treat
ment for typhoid fever, but was only there
ten days, when she " as taken in a carriage
by a priest to hospital in the country
some place, where, she was detained two
months. She said that she had previously
had some misunderstanding with the priest
who took her to the hospital, and they were
notlrlends. Cross-eNaInined, Miss Delaney
said that the priest was aware that she
possessed secret concerning him.
Were there no charges of insanity or
anything of the kind made when they took
you to the hospital?" asked the court
The priest told the nun in charge that
was out of my mind, and that they must
keep me there, but ] only had the fever
working on me. l was only under treat
ment there six weeks. The rest of the
time l worked as a nurse
She gave very clear account of her
whereabouts during and on the day of the
tires. About IL O'Clock, she said, she
went down to breakfast, after which she
went to the Grand rrny Hall to get a
From there she went to Sanders & Stay
mans music store on + street TO return
some borrowed music, and then returned
to the hotel and took luncheon
After lunch she went TO the Paiais
Royal, and Woodward & Lothrop's, pur-
chasing some handkerehefs al one of those
places, and returning to her hotel, where
she remained the rest OF the day. She did
not, she said enter church that day,
and has never been in ST. Dominic's but
once and was never in 81 PatriUk's. She
was not aware ofthe charge against herun-
til she was lokced up in tue station house
Friday.
CRANK EXPERT INGERsOLL.
Miss Delaney was allowed to resume her
seat, and Mr.. G. R. IBgersoll was then
called. Mr.. Ingerson testified that he
met Miss Delaney at a restaurant on Third
street. near Pennsylvania avenue, where
she used TO take her meals. Mr. Inger-
soil told the court that hs was personally
acquainted with 500 lunatics, as he made
il a sort of hobby, and he knew good deal