Los Angeles herald., 1905-09-16
VALISE SOAKED IN OIL, THEN
lGNITED
C. JOLLY AND WIFE RELEASED
Mrs. r. A. Wager Is Held on Suspicion
and Will Be Arraigned Today
on Charges Of Arson
and Burglary

station upon suspicion OF burglary and
arson. The police say that they be-
lieve she stole $40O in gold from a valise
belonging to DR.. w. w. Ordway of 1147
East Twenty-ninth street and to con-
ceal her crime attempted to burn the
house early yesterday morning.
The valise contained, in addition to
the $400 in gold, government bonds val
ued at $193,OO0 and other valuable
papers valued at $4,000. The valise
was burned to a crisp and the bonds
and papers were greatly damaged by
fire.
Mrs. Yager denies stealing the money
from DR.. Ordway, who is reputed to be
a multimillionaire, and declares she
knows nothing about the fire in the
basement Of the Ordway home yester-
day morning. While she was protesting
her innocence, the police found $400 in
gold concealed on her person.
House In Flames
Early yesterday morning the inmates
of the Ordway residence were awakened
by the alarm of fire given by Mrs.
Charley Jolly, who was sleeping in the
that the smoke was coming from the
basement of the building and Jolly
rushed down stairs. The flames had
gained slight headway and he had no
difficulty in extinguishing the fire.
When an investigation was made 1t
was found that the material which had
been burning was a small valise in
which DIR. Ordway kept his valuable
papers. This valise was kept in his
bedchamber and contained United
other papers representing a value of
$75, 900. Besides these papers, there
was $4OO in gold in the valise.
On examining the charred contents
of the burned valise it was found that
most of the bonds were intact, but the
$400 in gold was missing. When Mrs.
Jolly, who, with her husband, has been
living in the Ordway home for several
weeks while the doctor has been suf-
fering with partial paralysis, was
awakened by the smoke pouring into
her room, she aroused her husband,
who went Immediately to investigate
the source of the fire, while she ran to
turn in the fire alarm.
When the fire department arrived in
cendiarism was suspected and the po-
lice were summoned. Patrolmen Hoov-
er and Henderson were sent from the
University station and Detectives Smith
and Dixon were detailed from the CEN
trail station.
Find Traces Of Kerosene
When the patrolmen arrived at the
house they found the rear of the build
ing had been saturated with kerosene,
as were the steps leading into the base
ment where the fire started. The valise
containing the bonds was found in a
small cracker box and both were oil
soaked.
The patrolmen, considering the indi-
cations of incendiarism sufficiently con-
vincing, detained all who had been in
the house when the fire occurred until
the detectives arrived from the central
station.
ordway Ill in Bed
Mrs. Yager had been living in the
house for the last ten days attending
DR.. Ordway, who was unable to leave
his bed. The doctor and Mrs. Yager
had known each other in Iowa where
they lived until six years ago. Mrs.
Yager had acted as DR.. Ordways house
keeper for sometime after they came
to Los Angeles, but went to San Pedro
about year ago where she had since
been working as a dressmaker.
Yesterday morning. a few minutes
after the alarm of fire was given, she
rushed from her room and appeared as
though she had been aroused from a
deep sleep. She went with the police in
their search and made a number of
suggestions as to how the fire started.
When she was told by the patrolmen
that she would be detained until the
detectives arrived she expressed her
self as being very indignant and de-
clared that her honesty was being
doubted.
When Detectives Smith and Dixon ar
rived at the house they took Mr.. and
Mrs. Jolly and Mrs. Yager to the CEN
trail station, where they were booked
on suspicion. They were taken before
Captain Bradish. who. after a prolong-
ed interview, was convinced that Jolly
and his wife were innocent and ordered
that they be set at liberty.
This was done, but Mrs. Yager was
sent to the police matron, where
search revealed that she had $40O con-
cealed on her person. Even after this
money was found she stoutly protested
her innocence, but would give no ex-
PLANTATION as to the money.
Doctor Is Wealthy
DR.. Ordway is 72 years old and par
TALLY paralyzed, so that he is unable
to walk without assistance. He came