Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-10-21
MRS. CLEMENTS 70
POLK GRAND JURY
Former Marshalltown Woman
Held to Answer to Crime
ci Arson
BURNED HER OWN OFFICE
is tho Allegation Returned in the In
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Claimed She Was
Robbed, and That Burglars Set Fire
to NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Gather Evil
dence.

we'll known resident Of this city, and a
former prominent church and temper
ance worker, has been held to the
grand jury of the district court OF POLK
county, to answer to q charge of ar
son. Last winter, Mrs. Clements Of
flee was found to be on fire, and at the
time the woman claimed that she had
been assaulted by burglars. who had
set fire to the building. The detectives
who worked on the case were not sat-
isfied with the story, and It was upon
evidence that they furnished that Mrs.
Clements was indicted, and warrant
issued for her arrest.
The Des Moines Register and Leader
OF Sunday tells of the Indictment and
gives brief history of the alleged
crime, as follows:
Mrs. VII. Clements, Of S37 Seven
teeth street, was indicted by the Polk
county grand jury Friday on charge
Of arson. 1t is alleged that Mrs. Gle
ments, on or about December 10, 1906,
poured coal oil over her desk, waste
basket and other furniture In her Of
flee, then over Paul PATHS restaurant,
and set fire to the place.
Mrs. Clements claimed at the time
that she was overpowered by robber
who Knocked her down with a club,
robbed her and left her unconscious
after saturating the office with coal Oil
and setting fire to it. She stated to
the detectives that she was struck
three times over the head with some
heavy blunt instrument. She was then
taken before the city physician A
physical examination revealed that
Mrs. Clements bore no marks what
ever from club or other bruises;
however the physician did report that
she was suffering from blister upon
one cheek, which could have been
caused by either fire or acid, but not
by club.
"The matter was given some airing
at the time. City detectives worked
upon the case and charges were filed
before Justice Roe. Before the case
was complete, however. 1T was dropped
thru the intercession of DR.. III. O.
Breeder, DR.. Charles Medbury and
Professor A. w. Dudley of the Iowa
Business College.
Prominent Church Worker.
Mrs. Clements was about that time
a prominent worker in the church and
a member of the Central Christian
church She was employed as local
agent for the Vanderhoof Medicine
Company, making a speciality OF Or.
Berry's Creme Elite, a preparation
which she highly recommended for
making women beautiful.
"The detective department did not
drop the case at the time, tho the re-
port was circulated that Investigations
had ceased. Meanwhile the city sleuths
have been steadily gathering evidence
which was laid before the grand jury
last week and has resulted in the re-
turn Of true bill.
Warrant is Issued.
"A warrant for the arrest of Mrs.
Clements was issued Friday night by
the clerk of the district court,
"on the day of the fire the fire de-
partment was called. They found only
about $50 worth of office fixtures and
cosmetics in the office. Coal oil had
been generously poured over the desk;
the waste basket, which was filled with
paper, was saturated and table hold
ing a supply of cosmetics was also
soaked with oil. The fire had been
started, according to reports of the
f1remen, in three places at the same
time They succeeded in extinguish-
ing the fire without serious damage to
the building and called the detective
department into the case at once.
"On account of the prominence of
the woman in church circles the influ-
ence of the detective department was
overruled at the time by the exertions
of prominent church people. The de-
tectives, however continued to believe
in the guilt Of Mrs. Clements, and
furnished the evidence which has re-
suited in her Indictment"