The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-05
CHARGED WITH ARSON.
I'ennsH Ivanian Arrested for Burning
His Maryland DTstiIIery-

I'enH>N IVA n ian Arrested for Burnin =
His Maryland Df.tiIIery-
E.LKTON- Nd. Jan. Nelson W Scott.
Of Lancaster. Pa. was committed 10 Jail
here yesterday 10 answer the charge Of
burning his disJiIIerv near Couowingo. Ce-
ell county. in December last. The case
vas worked up by Dr. Robert NJ Price,
State Fire Marshal. and his deputy,
Charles Wan.z-
State Fire Marshal Robert N Price was
notified on December that an attempt
had been made to burn the Rock Spring
DjstilIery. located near CoEowingo. Cecil
county. Dr.. Price visited the scene and
a. once began an investigation He be
Ieres he has succeeded in establishing the
fae- that the FIRE was Of iuceudiary orr
Kin. he said. il speaking Of the case: I
believe that the building was fired The
insurance on i amounted 10 SLp0p After
working 2 number Of days l was able
10 locate TWO witnesses upon whose teSti-
muuy Va have brought about the arrest
% Nelson ". Scott. the owner Of the
porgeriy and a resident Of Lancaster, Pa
Levi N Iauck one Of the Witnesses,
zWoTe rh-a on the night Of December I.
1890 in company with William Davis, BE-
tween j and ] o'clock. ne saw Nelson "
Scott, accompanied by ColOred man who
is unknown 10 the witness. enter the dis
lilIery. Mr.. Scott he'd a ooGioN can in his
hand When he got inside the room he
broke down the partition Of the Office and
carried the boards to the end Of the room
and put them up as a screen 10 the viz
dow
Il saw Scott Empty the cOaloil Out OF the
can into q cup the witness said. and
from the cup he threw the oil around IN
the building I knew il was c0aloII be-
cause / could smell #. After throwing the
oH about Scott said 10 the negro man,
Wait until I get away and then YOU fire
#. and before YOU let yourself be caught
blow their hearts out
At the time this conversation took
place" the witness continued. Il was ia
the road close 10 the djstillery. and / am
sure / could not be mistaken in the man,
for / know him very we'll Scott hen left
he building going in the direction Of
M RiIeys house The cOIoTed man
struck match and lir the oil in the
room. He then left The distiIlery. going
IN tee same direction as did Mr.. Scott.
As soon as the negro had left Mr. Davis
and myself went in and put the fire out
and remained in The building until dav-
break ! next saw Mr.. Scott about
o'clock ia the morning going toward
the Pennsylvania line ! spoke to him
Mr. Scott asked me- if I would not buy
some OF The stun he had in rhc buggy
/ had leased the distillery from SOFT
and had paid the rent in advance for
eighteen months"
The witness was cross examined by
Mr. B F. Davis. counsel for Mr. Scott
buc stuck to his first statement through
out
William P Davis testified to being
with Mr.. Lauck on the night Of The FIRE
having been employed by Lauck 10 watch
the dIstiIery He substantiated the
test imUny given by Mr. LIauck and was
equally positive that Scott had fhro..n
coal oil around the building before The
negro man had set il on fire The wit
ness testified that he understood that
the defendant had sent 8 letter 10 Henry
Riley ia which he asked him TO come
to Lancaster or here and testify TO some
things for him II ne would do so he
would give the witness $ZG- The witness
said that he had never seen the letter.
Lauck.
Henry Riley testified that the de
PENDANT. Mr. Scott. was at the shoe
makers shop near the scene on the
night Of the fire; that he arrived there
about 6 O'Clock in the evening; that ha
WAS accompanied By black man Scott
and the cOIored man were in and ont
of the house frequently until about II
O'Clock thar night. The Fire Marshal
says he viii push the case with ylg0r
Some hrst-cIass Office rooms for rent in Hutch
iHs Building corner Tenth and d streets nos III
Ia-.r 81. -