The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1901-01-12

Last Saturday morning, Nelson W. Scott,
of Lancaster county, Pa, was brought to the
Elkton Jail, to await the action of the Grand
Jury OF the March term of Circuit Court for
| Cecil county, on the charge OF arson. 81 OFT
was given hearing before Magistrate Her.
bert Cummings. of Eighth district, on the
charge OF burning his dstillery near Rock
Springs, Cecil county, on the night of Deem
Der It'll. last, and held for court. He was ad-
mitted to bail by the court.
On December Sth last, State Fire Marshal
Robert NJ. Price was notified that an attempt
had been made on the previous night. to burn
the Rock Spring Distillery. located in this
county. At once he began an investigation.
He visited the scene, and believes he has sue
ceeded in establishing the fact that the fire
was OF incendiary origin. The distillery
which was owned by Nelson W. Scott, was
insured for about 81 900
At the hearing before Magistrate Cum
mings, Friday afternoon, last week, Levi NJ
Lauck, one of the witnesses. swore that on
the night of December 7th, 1900 in company
with William Davis, between u and / o'clock
he saw Nelson w. Scott, accompanied by a
colored man who is unknown to the witless,
enter the distiIlery. Mr. Scott had coalol
can i'll 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 II screen to the
window
The witness further testified that he saw
Scott empty the coalotl out of the can into a
cup, and from the cup he threw the oil
around IN the building. | knew il was coal
oil he said, because could smell it, After
throwing the oil about Scott said to the
negr" man, Wait until get away and then
you fire it, and before you le, yourself be
caught blow their hearts out
'At til" time this conversation took place. g
the witness continued, II was in the road
close to the distillery, and am sure | could
not be mistaken in the man, for know him
very well. Scott then left the building, going
in the direction Of Mr. Rileys house The
colored man struck a match and lit the oil in
the room. He then left the distilcrv, going
in the same direction as did Mr.. scott As
soon as the negro had left Mr.. Davis and
my self went in and put the fire out and re-
manned in the building until daybreak.
next saw Mr.. Scott about O'clock in the
morning going toward the Pennsylvania
line. | spoke to him. Mr.. Scott asked me
if | would not buy some Of the stuff he had
in the buggy. | had leased the dstilIety
from Scott and had paid the rent in advance
for Is months.
The witness was cross examined 10y Mr..
b. +. Davis, counsel for Mr.. Scott bat stuck
to his first statement throughout
Mr.. William p. Davis testified to being
with Mr. Lauck on the night OF the fire hav-
ing been employed by Lauck to watch the
distilery. He sub-tantiated the testimony
given by Mr.. Laurk and was equally posi-.
tive that Scott had thrown coaloil around
the building before the negro man had set it
on fire. The witness testified that he UNI
derstood that the defendant had sent a letter
to Henry Riley in which he asked him to
come to Lancaster or here and testify to
some things for him If he would do so he
would give the witness go. The witness
said that he had never seen the letter, but
had been told about it by Mrs. Lauck
Mr. Henry Riley testified that the deien-
dant, Mr.. Scott, was at the shoemakers shop
near the scene on the night OF the fire: that
he arrived there about o'clock in the even