The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-07-02
HELD FOR GRAND
JURY ON CHARGE
Of FIRING STORE

Philip Lofchie and Louis Kemler, the
two men arrested on the charge of
ht\ing set fire TO the tailor shop on
East avenue last Tuesday night were
this morning given a hearing in the
district court before Judge Emerson
and they were each held for Tia egrand
jury in the sum OF $4,000.
The evidence In each case was some
what similar. There were large
number OF witnesses and IL was well
into the afternoon before the end OF
the hearing was reached For the
state, city Solicitor II. W. Blodgett and
James T. Brennan appeared and the
prisoners were represented by Patrick
Curran OF the law firm OF Comstock
& Canning of Providence and Max
Cohen OF Boston.
There were several officers who testi-
fled TO the occurrences which surrounded
the fire. chief OF the Fire Department
Butler stated that when he entered the
store which was burning he found the
cloth which was arranged along the side
OF the wall well saturated with Kerosene
or naphtha and that there was also some
thing OF the kind in some sawdust at one
end OF the store. He further stated that
he found at one place what appeared To
be the remains OF a melted candle.
Edward II. Brady and Charles Hughes,
both identified Kremler as the man who
they saw running out OF the store imme-
diately after the breaking out of the
flames.
There was no defence put in for Kemler
and he was held. as above stated.
An attempt was made TO prove an alibi
for Lofchie This man said his home was
IN East Boston. and while on the stand he
testified regarding his movements the
night OF the fire. lie declared that he left
his store at about 7:i0 y. m. that night
anf that he did not again visit the place
T. j. Roberts and Charles A. Stebbins
both testified 20 having been In the com
pany OF Lofchie from o'clock till mid
night although there was quite a little
discrepancy between the statements made
by Lofchie and Stebbins as TO when they
heard about the fire. Lofchie declared
that Il was a few minutes before | a. m.
and that he heard Stebbins talking about
a flrN but did not know II was his store
Stebbins declared that Lofche was not
present whe hen first heard OF the fire
and that he did not tell the man about IT,
although he said he slept In the same
house and knew that the fire had destroy
ed .he property OF I.ofehie.
Some little stress was made on the fact
that those who saw the two men run out
OF the store declared that the man with
Kemler wore a dark suit and dark hat
but Roberts and Stebbins both declared
that on that night Lofchle wore a light
suit and a straw hat.
William Peacock witness for the pros
ecution. stated that he saw Lofchie on the
street near the corner Of Broad and FIX
change streets about 10 o'clock and that
he was alone
During the testimony OF the defendant
he declared that he went to East avenue
the next morning after the fire. and find
ing that the store had been burned out
he made no attempt TO enter IL and fur
ther that he had made no attempt TO get In
to II since that time. There was also evil
dence introduced on the other slice 10
show that Lofchie was not In that vicinity
at any time that forenoon.
Considerable time was taken up In ar
guments by counsel and after that the
court decided 10 hold both men. as above
stated.