The Somerset reporter., 1899-11-23
Fire at Lakewood.
Examination of Man Accused. Horace X.
Parkman Held.

Saturday morning the unwelcome
news was circulated about town that
Birch-hurst, the handsome and expen-
sive cottage of Gen. X. b. Shepherd on
the shore of Hayden Lake, Madison
Center, was burned TO the ground the
night before. Owing to the fact that
the cottage was unoccupied and was
safe distance from any other building
the work of an incendiary and many
were the speculations in regard to the
burning, but no clue was reached
until Saturday afternoon, and Horace
K. Parkman, who owns property on the
shore of the lake aud makes that his
summer home, was arrested early Sun
day morning upon complaint made by
Gen. Shepherd and warrant issued from
the law Office of f. N. Merrill, Esq, for
the burning of the buildings.
Mr.. Parkman has been living In his
cottage this season much later than
usual and up to the time of his arrest.
His preliminary trial occurred at the
grand jury rooms at the court house,
Monday beginning at 10 O'Clock and con-
tinuing through the day before Trial
Justice Brainerd for the crime of arson.
The circumstances of the case as
brought out in the trial are as follows
Horace X. Parkman was arraigned and
pleaded not guilty. K. N. Merrill,
ESQ.,, appeared for the State and A. X.
Butler appeared for the respondent.
In opening for the State MIR. Merrill
stated in regard to the location of the
cottage burned. 1t had been closed
since September first. 1t was burned to
the ground with its contents, Friday
night about midnight. Horace X. Park
man WAS the first to give the alarm to
Joseph Butler who resides at the Hay
den stand at Lakewood aud has care of
the property of the Somerset Traction
company there. This WAS about II
O'Clock at night. Mr.. Merrill outlined
the case of the prosecution and called as
witnesses Messrs. X. b. Shepherd,
Joseph Butler, Horace Stilson, j. p.
Oak, Z. X. Delano, +. p. Pennell, Silas
Leland and A. j. Bernard.
Joseph Butler was the first witness
called. He testified that he was aroused
by the respondent Friday night, who
said there was a fire down on the shore
of the pond and he thought it was Gen.
shepherds cottage. Parkman had no
hat on aud he let him have hat and an
overcoat and they started for the scene
of the fire. When they got there the
roof had fallen in. They stad there
about 20 minutes, Parkman looked at his
watch and said it was 1l.25 o'clock. In
CONVEX sation the next day respondent
told him his dog was up stairs that
night. He examined tracks Saturday
evening. There was a line of tracks
down along the shore of the lake and up
over the stairs leading from the shore to
the site of the cottage, also a line of
tracks from cottage southeasterly to the
cottage of K. X. Delano, these he meas.
ured and compared with the tracks made
by Parkman when he came to the fl e
with him and they looked to him as If
they were made by the same person and
same shoes. On cross examination he
said he did not notice what Parkman had
on his feet.
Horace Stilson testified that he saw
respondent, Friday. He alluded to an
offer he had had for his lake property of
So, $50 and stated that if Gen. Shepherd
had not built his cottage where he did,
he, Shepherd, would have given him
50 600 for his cottage and lot. He learn
ed at o'clock Saturday morning Of the
fire. He went to the cottage site about
2 o'clock Saturday afternoon to see il
there were any tracks there. Found
two sets Of tracks exactly alike so far
as he could see. Witness explained in
regard to these two sets of tracks. One
was the tracks Of the respondent when
he went to the fire with Butler, the
other was along the shore from point
southerly from the Lakewood hotel
along the shore to the Shepherd cottage
site thence to Delano's cottage and
thence up through woods and field to
near the post office where they entered
the road. Could easily distinguish But
ler's tracks from Parkman's because
they were larger. Sunday he went with
others and further examined tracks and
saw overshoes taken from Parkman's
premises fitted into the two sets OF
tracks. Part of these tracks had been
covered up since the night before by
boards, The overshoes fitted into the
tracks perfectly and the break in the toe
of the right overshoe and small bunch
on heel of the olhrr we're plainly iudicat.
ed in the tracks. When he went there
first there were no other tracks leading
from shore to the cottage site.
f. X. Delano testified that he went to
see about his cottage after he heard OF
the burning of that of Gen. Shepherd
He found Mr.. Stilsun there and his testi
mony was cOTroborative IF that of that
gentleman in regard to the tracks and
their examination and measurement.
Sheriff f. II. Pencil testified in cor
oboration OF testimony of Other wit
nesses relative to tracks and their meas
urement, Saturday afternoon. On Sun.
day he secured overshOes from the cot
tage of the respondent at Lakewood.
He first found a pair of overshoes that
he put on after removing his shoes and
decided they were not the ones that were
worn when tracks in question were
made. Afterward found another pair
which he put on and made tracks with
them and was satisfied they were the
ones wanted. The right one made a
track showing the same characteristics
as the right track OF the two sets of
tracks under examination There uaS