The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-10-15
BERTHA LEMON IS
SENT ON FOR TRIAL
REMARKABLE STORY OF BoTE.
TOURT GIRL-oNCE HAD HER
FATHER CONVICTED.

Especial to The Richmond yirginiau.
Roanoke. Va, Oct. 14.--Bertha
Lemon. the pretty twenty-year old
daughter Of G. r. Lemon, of Oriskany
Botetourt county. was yesterday after
noon sent on to the Roanoke county
grand jury charged with having sci
f1re to and burned the dwelling own.
ed by f. M. Funkhouser. located sew.
eral miles from Salem, and known a,
the old Hansbrough place. She is be-
ing held for action by the grand Jury
being unable to give bail.
The evidence against the girl, while
circumstantial, Is regarded as exceed.
ingly strong by the Commonwealth,
and q chain OF other evidence has
been massed against her in connection
with six other fires, which she is al
legged to have caused. The evidence
against the girl is OF such a nature
that it would indicate that she has q
mania for setting fire to property.
The case was worked up by the
Baldwin Detective agency, through
Operator Joseph Funk, who, together
with Sheriff Hatcher, went to the
home of Mrs. Gable, near Glenvar, yes
terday, and placed her under arrest
She was held in Jail last night and
this morning given preliminary hear
ing before Magistrate Camper.
The warrant which charged Bertha
Lemon with setting fire to the Funk
houser property, occupied by J. w
Albert and family, was sworn out Mon
day, the investigation paving been
made by the Baldwin agency at the
instance of the State bureau of insur-
ance.
In gathering the evidence leading
to her arrest the following informa-
ton was secured:
Two years ago Bertha was living
with her grandmother, Mrs. Hester
Lemon, at Oriskany. While there on
two different occasions the bed cloth
ing in the house was discovered on
fire and when pressed the young wo-
man admitted that she had done 1t,
but gave no reason.
Had Father Arrested.
This past summer a year ago the
girl committed some misdemanor and
her father reprimanded her. He then
whipped her. The girl then had him
arrested for cruel treatment. He was
discharged.
A short while afterwards she is al
legged to have caused her fathers ar
rest on the charge OF committing a
criminal assault upon his ten-year- old
daughter. He was tried at the Fin
castle Circuit court and convicted and
given five years in the penitentiary.
Before he was sentenced some physi-
clans in the community took an in
terest in the case and an examination
of the little girl disclosed the fact that
the father had not been guilty of any
criminal act and the Judge dismissed
the charge against Mr.. Lemon.
The girl. who has been employed In
several homes In the capacity OF a
domestic, came to Roanoke within the
last year and secured employment in
the home of Mrs. Leroy, 1909 Rorer
avenue. Early In August a fire was
discovered In the kitchen OF Mrs.
Lucas. who occupied half " the house
with Mrs. Dooley. Mr.. Lucas left the
house at GAS for his work and the
kitchen was unlocked. Mr.. Lucas
family WAS away at the time. The
city fire department was called and the
fire extinguished. The second fire oc-
Cured August Is, between and Q
o'clock, and was discovered in a closet
adjoining the Lucas kitchen. On the
same day, between l and . o'clock in
the afternoon, fire was discovered in
a bedroom adjoining the Lucas
kitchen.