The sun., 1896-09-26
DENIES SIZE is A FIREBUG.
CARRIE ECKERT WETHDRAWs HER
FORMER PLEA OF UILTT.

i
Her Employers, the su.ith., whose House
| Was Fired, Declare Their Belief In Her
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., she Yves Held
| for tho Grand Jury without Bnil.
Mrs. Smith acolded mo because I didn't
| polish the stove good and was mad and built
| a fire under the corner of the house. peddler
| from Freeport camo along AMI put 1t out. That
WAS on Thursday. On the Tuesday after that
Mrs. Smith scolded mo again because didn't
wash the clothes right, and made another hre
| with chips and sticks and paper under the sido
| OF tho house, and Mrs Smith saw II and Mott
| Smith put IL out"
| This Is the statement mado TO Justice OF tho
Peace z. H. Wheeler on Wednesday by Carrie
| Eckert, the girl who Ia nccused Of having tried
| 10 burn down the house of her employer, Mott
Smith, near Rockville Centre, l.. I. Iester-
day she denied the truth Of tho statement.
Mr.. Smith Is kindly old farmer. He did not
| suspect tho girl of having tried to hurn the
house in which he ani his wife lived. He said
yesterday that he did not yet believe that she
| had made the fires. Ho had no idot who was
| responsible for them. He has no enemies. he
said. Carrie Eckcrt and her sister worked for
Mott Smith two or three years ago. That was
lust after the girls mother married Charley
Masel, o laborer, and came to Rockville Contre
from Rockaway Beach. Two weeks ago tho
Masels sent word TO Mrs. Smith that Carrie
would like to work for them again, ana ..,rs.
Smith replied that II Carrie wanted TO como
for 81 week sho might. The girl came int"
tho Smith household on Monday, Sept Ia.
Her duties, as Mrs. Smith enumerated them
yesterday, were making the fires. helping get
breakfast, washing the Dishes making peds'
picking up In the yard. sweeping scr9bbinG.
securing, running errands, and lots OF other
things. o..
the Smiths there had been several hres IN
Rockville Centre, some Of them undouoteetuiy ety
sar5ss cS1ne &chss Ry %areson.c the
Church and the Eureka Hook and Ladder Com
pnny 9Ss SaS rs
or all. II sho we'd that methodical campaign
Of ineendarism had been en- started m9
fre, and a careless boy upset a can M nf OIL next
TO a lamp in Dean Tuttle'e store The The people people
hsfiSS% IN ,ls d%y time. JosepR shelley was engaged
as a special constable and deputy sherlu Win
instructions to look out especially for incen'
diary fires.
work tor the smiths she came 70 Mrs. smith % and
said that she wanted 10 weed the garden. Mrs.
Smith was rather surprised; u was as &c Carries r'
ward Carrie came in and went up TO her own
room in the northeast corner of the house: a
the house was on Are 1t was easily extinguished
by peddler. 1t was more smoke than anything
had Sad apparently rem Been m seraped together hui
riedly and lighted. Nothing was Thought Of
and 1t was not reported to Special & Sonstane nnn
ming TO Mr.. smith. saying that there was q firs
under the house. The house m has , mo- rnSr aHa
clear on me es Sa y under S the hopsa
and rather larger than the hIst; ConS,aSie on,m,.
the girl brought before Justice Wheeler for
5g Esatg Ths sSs ssnea
thing about tho fires. but after rev minutes
Once started she talked pertIy and without
Constable Shelley took her to his home for |
the night. In the morning after breakfast.
when he had taken his eyes on her Tor an In IN.
constable caught the girl however, and took |
her before Justice Wheeler again. she vas
for on s5s and 'hs
esserdag @ se n1 tef"Fe % justice Carries
plea OF not guilty substituted. A strong, Of:
fort was made to shoE that the confession hSd
ss9 m eGTsA he naI his S
Mathews moved to dismiss the case on the
The Justice refused. The defence declined TO
Wheeler held Carrie for the Grand Jury with
Mr.. and Mrs Mott Smith are apparently
tryilg to shield the child By their denials that
While Will Carrie was talking With her stepfather
in a corner OF the court room. those present
heard he: say in n protesting tone: Well, she
Constable Wood took Carrie down to this
Queens County Jail yesterday afternoon. Her
quaint lite figure attracted some attention
and was dressed in dark blue skirt. mu:h too
long faded brown waist. short shawl cape:
of brown hair down her back was tied with a
crumpled blue ribbon.