Evening journal., 1896-12-01
THE DINEEN ARSON CASE
Prisoner Acquitted BY the
Jury in an Hour.
LACK OF POSITIVE PROOF goF ACT
STRONG ADDRESS FROM THE AT
ToRNEY-GENERAL AND CHARGE
OF THE COURT TO-DAY-DIN-
ZEN NOW HELD FOR BARN
BURNING.

BURNING.
Dennis Dineen, accused of burning
the house, barn and wood-house on
his little farm near Hockessin while
his tenants family was in the house
was acquitted shortly after noon to-
day. The hearing of evidence began
yesterday afternoon.
Anton Cook testified that on October
last he resided on Dennis Dineen's
place, near Hockessin, New Castle
county. He was at home on Friday
night and Saturday morning, October
and 4. His wife awoke him about
2.30 in the morning with a cry OF fire.
Saw his kitchen and wood-house
ablaze the height of a man. Rushed
out with his wife and, seizing ladder,
climbed up to fight the flames.
The heat caused him TO turn and as
he did he saw a white man running
across the first field He looked like
Dennis Dineen, the owner Of the place.
Witness exclaimed to his wife:
There goes the devil who did this
work-Dennis Dineen!"
Deputy Attorney-General Cooper
produced portions OF a dress which had
been saturated in coal oil and ignited
and these Cook identified as those
found by his wife under the rafters OF
the kitchen.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Hayes, wit
ness admitted having said at the hear
ing that he had called out TO his wife
that them tramps will kill us II we
don't go In the house"
CLOTHING SATURATED WITH
COAL OIL
Mrs. Annie e. Cook, wife OF the first
witness, swore that It was 1.50 o'clock
on the morning OF October 4. Saw a
bright light and. looking out, she saw
both her kitchen and wood-house
ablaze, the height of a man. Reused
her husband and helped him put out
the fire.
Witness identified the burned por-
tions of dress as those she found under
the kitchen roof and in the ruins OF
the wood-h house Found the dress satu-
rated with coal OIL Was apparently
the same bodice or basque as she saw
on Mrs. Dennis Dineen in May last,
when the Cooks called on the Dineens
at their home, No. SIT Church street,
Wilmington.
Annie Cook, eldest child, swore 10
taking the particles OF burned dress
or basque. at the bidding Of her mo-
ther. over TO Mrs. II. B. Bottoms, a
neighbor living about mile OF.
IDENTIFIED AS MRS. DTNEB1s's
DRESS.
Mrs. Elizabeth Bolton, wife of r. b
Bolton, swore that the portions OF gar
ment brought to her by little Annie
Cook were the same, she was quite sure,
or a part Of the same garment she had
made in the Summer Of 1894 for Mrs.
Dennis Dineen. Recognized the basque
by her own peculiar sewing and handi-
work. She had made 1t full in front
On cross-examinatiOn, she admitted
that there might be other basques like
that.
OFFERED HIM PAY TO BURN IT
Hezekiah B. Bolton, husband OF the
preceding witness, swore that while not
Dineen's brOther-in-law, and while not
on bad terms with the prisoner, has
! had very little to do with him since
December of last year. In the Fall OF
that year Dineen came to him and said
he had paid 81 900 good money for hii
farm in Mill Creek hundred, but now
]
Il have $1100 insurance on the
| buildings, and if they would only burr
down / would come out about even"
In December of that year Dineer
came to him and said
You know that road cart yol
wanted to buy? Well, I'll give that {,
you II you'll go strike a match to then
/ old buildings" Since then witness hal
] fIe 20. do }, fa NJ
on trial for his life.
BUILDINGS INSURED FOR s1,15O.
Thomas L. J. Baldwin, secretary o
Mill Creek Fire Insurance Company
knew prisoner at the bar. On Octobe
3, last, prisoner held policies in hi
company for fire insurance as follows
House, $3.50; contents, $3.50; franz
barn, $500; contents, $3.50; franz
slaughter-house. Sl25; wood-house
SIS; total, 81, ,150.
Questioned by defendant counsel
Secretary Baldwin admitted that tn
insurance policy was hypothecated Il
S. Anna Morris.
LOOKING FOR DINEEN ALL NIGH
jeremiah Hurley, a Wilmington po
A., uceman. testified that Mrs. Dineel
was lookink for her husband nearly al
} night on October 3. asking officer sey
} eral times to help her find him. as h
! had never stayed out all night before
Did not see Dineen until 4.23. then h
was hurrying in the back alley. II
had apparently been drinking. H
wore dark clothes. Upon cross-exami
nation. witness denied that he had sal
at the preliminary hearing that Dinee
, was drunk.
DINEEN'S WIFE'S ACCUSATION.
Louis Rheinholz, a police officer, {
Wilmington city, went with Captai
Of Police Evans and arrested Dinee
: on October 5. Found prisoner in hi
house asleep on a lounge. Witnes
aroused him and prisoner made no r.
sistance His wife rushed into th
room and said :"Great heavens, tn
is for burning that barni"
Captain Evans cOrroborated tn
testimony and added that the wife r.
! peated this accusation-confessioi
Cross-eXamined, Captain Evans az
mitted that Dineen and his wife wei
often fighting.