The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-08-26
JOHN MORSE PUT. TO PLEA.

He is Charged on Two Counts With
 Firing His House on George Street. ProgresS of the Hearing Yesterday
 The Court Room Crowded.
 The trial of John Morse, who is al- legged to have set fire to his residence on George street of the 18th of last April, was begun yesterday morning in the city court. Judge Dow was on the bench. Assistant City Attorney Bris- tol, ex-Judge Blydenburgh and James III. Webb of the firm of Alling, Webb & Morehouse conducted the case for the state. The court room was crowded to excess and every available chair was occupied.
 The prisoner was represented by Will liam H. Ely, Prentice w. Chase and John r. Wynne.
 City Attorney Bristol read the com plaint, which charged Morse in two counts with firing his house on George street on the night of April 15, with intent to defraud the Security lnsur- ance company. Morse plead not guilty" to the charges and the hearing of the testimony began. The examina- ton was conducted by Attorney Webb Photographs of the house were pre- scented as evidence.
 Ex-Councilman B. Dexter Hubbard, superintendent of the Western Union Telegraph offices in the Union depot, the first witness called, said that he discovered the fire in Morse's house on George street at 11;20 o'clock p. m. He was in company at the time with Asa c. Bushnell. They were walking on George street. between Orchard and Day streets, about block away from the Morse residence when they both saw reflection of fire, which he af- terward found to be in Morse's house. The witness said that he was present from the time the alarm was sent in until the fire was put out.
 MT. Bushnell, who lives at 1919 Chapel street, corroborated the evidence of MT. Hubbard.
 x-Councilman E. c. Coolidge. the in surance man. of 43 Dwight street, was the third witness called. He had been awakened by the sound of bell which he has in his room. Mrs. Coolidge call ed to him that MT. Morse's house was or fire. When the witness reached the house it was burning on the second story. The witness went into the house ! when the fremen did and visited all the rooms. He was of the opinion that the fire started in the library.
 MT. Webb on the redirect examination asked the witness if he had examined the holes which he had formerly said were on the floor of the library to see whether they were burned from above or from below. MT. Chase objected to the question. The court allowed it. Witness said that he had not examined the holes with any such intent
 A short recess was taken at noon, af- ter which the trial was resumed. George w. Lewis, who lives at George and Dwight streets, was called His testimony did not add much to the evil dence for the state.
 James H. Church. the well known builder and contractor, living on Sher- man avenue, was next called. He had examined the house after the fire for the Security Insurance company. He placed the damage at S2,SS7 and valued the house at $40o0.
 -->S Henry L. Morehouse, builder of Meriden, had examined the house. He thought that the damages should be put at $2, ,4S6.
 Fire Marshal Hubbard was called at ? o'clock He was acting chief of the fire department on the night of April 15, being on duty at engine house No ?. He described the character of the fire. On Friday, two after he said Mir frJ J ;es ;,ox 4, . his request. Morse stated that his wife vhad gone away on Monday night to her mothers in Maryland. Morse said that his daughter Minnie and himself left the house at o'clock on the night o1 the fire, he going to his office and she to Mrs. Hunn's. Morse had suggested to his daughter that she had better go to Mrs. Hunn's rather than to re- main at home in the vacant house.
 Morse added that he went back to the house to light the gas because he thought that light had better be burning so as to lead people to think that some one was in the house. He then went to the boat for New York He thought he left the house abou 1915. Witness told Morse that it was a suspicious fire. Morse agreed witt him and promised to assist him all ht could to ingestigate.
 Mir. Ely's examination of thu witness consumed nearly an hour ant resulted in nothing further except tha lamp had been taken from the house by his orders. The lamp was in hi. office and was sent for. It was brass Rochester lamp, dented and melted.
 ho adin11rrad fill c,n al