The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-27

examined. witness said when Rowland
asked for a match he did not see him
have a pipe. Witness never saw him
strike a match.
Willis Richardson, colored, vas call
ed. He testified that he is a policeman
and made a statement thai ~corroborat-
ed Officer Whitehead.
Policeman J.. NJ. Wells was called by
the state, and testified that when the
fire broke out he was on duty at Front
and Dock streets. It was customary
for the patrolmen to meet the Sar-
geant at / o'clock at Front and Dock
streets and he was there to meet Ser
geant Thomas Lossin. The sergeant
was, however, behind time. While
waiting for the sergeant, witness saw
Rowland come down From street and
when he saw witness he crossed over
the street and aroused the officers sus-
picion by walking off in the middle of
the street part of the way. Witness
followed the defendant and saw him
GO into a staircase abou where Mrs.
Canady's millinery store a Police
man r. NJ. Murray also came UP and
we watched Rowland. Hell knocked on the
door up stairs and mumbled out some
thing. officer Murray asked whatm man
it was, when he came up. Rowland
came down stairs in a few minutes and
said he had made a mistake. and re-
marked: You officers needn't be
watching me-" He then went to the
stairway over Mrs. Christ's bakery and
went up there but came down in about
five minutes and went dow Front
street. About 20 minutes after How
land went down Front street, witness
saw the blaze Of the fire n ran to
Front and Orange streets, turned in the
fire alarm and went on to the fire.
When witness got to the scene of the
fire he met Rowland who said: I've
been home and came back to the fire.
Had not asked Rowland anything.
When witness saw him go up the two
staircases on Front street, Rowland
seemed to be drinking and staggered,
but when seen at the fire he seemed
all right. He met Rowland at Front
and Nun streets. On cross examina-
ton witness acknowledged that he had
been suspended several days for fail
ure to discharge his duty and that
when he was tried before the police
board, Rowland was the principal wit
ness against him.
Policeman r. M. Murray was called
and testified that on the morning Of the
fire he was on duty. About 5 minutes
to / a. M, he was waiting for Sergeant
Lossin to come to the meeting place
at Front and Dock streets. While
waiting, witness saw Rowland, ppa
rently under the influence of liquor,
come down Front street. Witness then
corroborated Officer Wells statement
about their following Rowland and
watching him when he went up stairs.
When Rowland came down stairs wit
noes advised him IN 90 on home When
he left he went down Front street to-
ward Orange. A few minutes after
wards, witness saw the fire and while
Officer Wells turned in the alarm wit
ness and Policeman H. H. WOebse ran
on to the fire.
Policeman H. H. Woebse testified
that he had been on the police force
twenty-one years, and was on duty on
the morning of the fire. Knows How
land and saw him about 1 o'clock on
the morning Of the fire. He corrobo-
rated the statement of Officers Wells
and Murray about HOwland's actions
on Front street. While Rowland was
up the staircase, Sergeant Lawson
came up. It was about 1:15 p. M, or
a little later when Sergeant Lawson got
to the meeting point. When the alarm
was turned in witness went with Po-
llCGlIldIl murray " E1OIl oHo ANulA
streets, and saw Rowland standing
there, one block from the fire. He ap-
peared to be sober.
All the witnesses testified hat How
land would have had time to get to
Front and Nun streets and set fire to
the place., but on cross examination
they also acknowledged that he could
have gon home and then came back
to the fire.
G.. H. Robinson was called by the
state. He testified that he was a men,
Der of the firm Of Robinson & King
and when the fire broke out he got up
and went Immediately to his place Of
business. Witness found cinders fall
the Waterman, Mr.. j. w. Mintz, put
them out as they would fall. While
witness and Waterman Mintz were
standing near the office F. P. Rowland
came along and stood on the sidewalk
near them for some time. The Murchi-
son fire was then burning. Rowland
did not say anything and when he went
off witness told Mr.. MintZ to watch
him. Witness staid with Mr.. Mintz to
help watch the wharf until about 4 a.
M, when witness left and went to-
wards the Murchison fire on his way
home. When a short distance dow
street witness was told by Mr.. c. H.
Dock that somebody had started a fire
in Robinson & Kings warehouse. Wit
ness hurried back and found Mr.. Mintz
putting out a fire that had been kind
led under and between two barrels Of
tar on the wharf next to the river n
adjoining the side of the warehouse.
Mr.. Mintz had a bucket of water put
ting on the fire. "A piece of lightwood
had been set on fire and placed between
the barrels. Witness said there were
in and near the warehouse 700 barrels
of tar, 60 or 20 barrels of rOsin and 40
or so empty tar barrels. When witness
went into the wharf to look at the fire
several men also went in, among them
the defendant Rowland. When How
land came out he was standing where
Mr.. Mintz and witness were on the
sidewalk, when Sergeant LOssin came
I'm and said he thought he knew the