Norwich bulletin., 1913-11-18
Sentences in
 the Arson Case
EIGHT TO FOURTEEN YEARS FOR
 HOWARTH.
CAIN TO REFORMATORY
Howarth Changes Plea to Guilty Short ly After Defense Opens-Judqe Urqes Cain to Retrieve Himself.
Special to The Bulletin.n ]

sensational, if not the most Sensational 1 trlal this section of the state has pro- duced-came at 3.40 Monday after | noon, when, after a long conference be- l tween the attorneys for the accused ] and Messrs. Searls and Torrey, for the state, States Attorney SearIs rose and stated to the court that he had been advised that the accused desired to 1 change his plea to three of the counts and Frank F. Howarth, the prisoner at the bar, rose and in response to the reading of those charges by Clerk i Warner. in clear tone responded l Guilty"
 1 It is stated on good authority that | Tor live days his attorneys, William A King and Samuel B. Harvey, had been 1 pleading with the accused to confess l his guilt for they realized the strength 1 Of the states case and knew their own to be hopeless.
 l Sentence of Eight to Fourteen Years.
 Howarth sat with downcast head 1 during the preliminaries, and his eyes | were closed for a moment but his l voice was steady as he acknowledged 1 his complicity in three of the crimes ! he was on trial.
 States Attorney Searls in his state | ment to the court expressed his sincere l sorrow that he should have to bring to 1 the bar of justice brother lawyer, 8 | man Of ability, whom he had known ] since he started to practice law. It was | one of the most painful things it had l ever fallen to him to do His honor, Judge Williams in funpos- ing the sentence, showed plainly his 1 feeling in the matter, and the appar- 1 ent incredibility that a young man of so much promise would descend to such depths. He sentenced the prison CT to a minimum of eight years and a ! maximum of IA
 The fires to which Howarth pleaded guilty were the Mullin fire, the Priest ! Island fire, and the fair grounds f1re in the latter of which his two automobiles were burned for the insurance.
 Reformatory Sentence for Cain After a short recess Lindley Cain, whose evidence was one of the strong est links in the conviction of his churn, was brought to plea, and pleaded guilty to the Priest Island and fair grounds 1 fires.
 On the recommendation of Attorney 1 Searls and after a brief plea by his counsel, Judge Harry E. Back. Judge 1 Williams sentenced Cain to the re- formatory at Cheshire. stating that there was a distinct line of demarca- tion between his case and Howarth's. His sentence was easily construed from the language used, as a very i'm pressive talk to the young man in the evident hope that his life in the future might atone for the past, and prove of value to the community. a embodying more startling details and more of what might be termed the tools in trade of a detective story writer than any which has occurred in this vicinity in many years.
 Sympathy for Howarth's Fiancso.
 Great credit is due State Policeman Hurley for his work fin the case. IL was not so easy to put one over~ on Him as the defendant thought. The n$ fad Inv ergetIc and effective worker, with the aid of Mrs Zola Bennett, the woman in the case" had undoubtedly convinc- ed the jury of the young mems guilt, and it can be confidently asserted that Howarth's attorneys made the right move in inducing their client to plead guilty as his punishment might have been much more severe had the case been fought to the end.
 The revelation of her fiance's base ness came as a distinct shock to Miss Gladys Sheldon, who with her mother has been a constant attendant during the trial, with the exception of two days, and the sympathy of everyone who has been connected with the case In any way goes out to her in her sor- row That she has shown herself to be in every way true blue" and de- serving of happy life and a better choice, is the opinion of all who have seen her courageous behavior.
 Farewell of Lovers.
 As for the defendant himself, his at titude of unconcern and hls consum- mate nerve has evoked the wonder if not admiration of all in court ST111- ing to the last. even after his sen tence had been pronounced, he went forth to give 2 last farewell to the girl into whose heart he had instilled 2 shadow of despair and anguish.
 4 throng of curiosity seekers has at tended the sessions of court and at least 250 waited for the prisoner to be led out of the building and to the wait ing automobile which conveyed him to the Brooklyn jail
 The days dOings, related in detail are as follows:
 The Warner Robbery.
 Joseph Burke retook the stand at the opening of Mondays session, but At torney King said his cross exanrins- ton was finished and he was excused for the present.
 Clerk F. M. Warner of the superior court was then put upon the stand and testified that Howarth was for the period of about months court mes senger. At the time of the robbery from his vault there was SS5 in the vault and $9 in rolls of ntckels. The SS5 was taken The drawer was brOk en open and Clerk Warner had the only key. The inner door key was in the lock and the outer door was open
  set that the handle opened it at that time.
 Attorney King brought out the fact that Cain was at that time the messen- ger Witness said Howarth retained his key; no other lawyers had keys. Howarth ceased to be messenger be- fore Jan 1, 1912, the time at which he was admitted to the bar.
 The state then announced that its side of the case was concluded.
 Defense Opens It's Case.
 Henry Dwyer was the first witness called by the defense and testified that the day of the fire on Priests Island there was a brush fire on the river bank from about l D.. n to seven or eight, when 1t was still smouldering. There were two or three boys over there.
 There was nothing over there buts some leaves, and it didn't occur to him that there was any danger from 1t, witness said on cross examination by Attorney Searis.
 Miss Sheldon Teetifies.
 The first sensation of the defense
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