Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-10-08
RESPONDENT ACQUITTED.
Jury Finds Mrs. Johnston Not Guilty
of Arson.

Of Arson.
The case of State vs. Mrs Louisa John
ston, one of the cottagers at Queen City
Park, who was accused Of setting fire
to the Montreal cottage owned by her, fire
having been discovered in the plano and
IN the ba scment of the building one day
last fall. Just after she left the place. was
completed in Chittenden county court Fri
day. The final arguments and the
charge to the jury were made In the
morning and the case went to the jury
shortly before twelve o'clock. At half
past two the jury returned their verdict
which was to the effect that they had
found Mrs Johnston not guilty. State =
Attorney Hopkins Immediately moved
that the case of arson against Mrs. Cas-
sic Gleason, the respondents daughter,
be mol pressed. The court ordered the
entry as requested, and both respondents
were discharged from further custody.
The case was on trial since Monday
afternoon 1t was shown in the evidence
that both women left the Montreal cot
tage about noon Of October "a. 1918. and
that not long atterward fire was discov-
cred In the piano on the ground floor and
in the basement. part of the allega
ton of the State was that the fire was set
for the purpose of defrauding the insur-
ance company of the insurance on tho
piano and the cottage and the policy in
the case was an important part of the evil
dence. the question of how the same
should be construed coming up, partcu-
larly as to whether the policy covered
the insurance on the piano Mt
the time Of the FIRE. Mrs Gleason, the
respondents daughter. was an important
witness for the defense and testified tina I
the piano was present from her father,
who he'd hoen dead for some time, and
that she cherished the piano gift from
him
Mrs. Gleason's testimony was straight
forward and to the point, and she made an
excellent witness. creating favorable i'm
preston. After the jury had announced
the verdict through the foreman, n. II.
Hall of this city the jurors were excused
from further duty until Tuesday morning.
THURSDAYS PROCEEDINGS
The case of State VS.. Mrs. Louisa John
ston, who was charged with arson Of the
Montreal cottage at Queen city Park with
intent to defraud the Home Insurance
company of insurance on the structure
/
tender County court Thursday morn
ing The evidence for the State was
! completed and the attorneys for the
respondent Immediately made a motion
| that n verdict he directed in their favor
| The motion was overruied and the defense
proceeded to put in it's side of the case
which was completed In the afternoon
| The arguments Of sherman r. Moultor
for the State and j, j. EnriEht for the re
spondent were finished when court adj
| journed,
| The defense was a complete denial OF
any knowledge of how the fire was started
and sought to establish the fact that there
was lack of motive and, Furthermore,
! that 1t was possible for somebody else 10
have entered the cottage from the rea
! without being seen. The defense put In
! evidence to the effect that the piano which
was destroyed by fire without damaging
Iany other part of the room in which u
was located was a treasured possession
of Mrs. Cassie Gleason, that she thought
much of it because she was a musician and
| played on it several hours daily and, fur
Their because 1t was gift, several years
| ago, from her father. now dead To this
end the defense introduced testimony 10
the effect that the piano had been moved
to Burlington from Montreal and had been
transported back and forth to Queen City
| Park from this city as the needs of the
| owner required and that Mrs. Gleason was
| making arrangements on the day of the
| fire to have the instrument moved to this
| city and placed in storage until she took
II to st Adams, where she was living al
the time.
Mrs. Johnston did not testify in her
own behalf. OF the several witnesses in
troduced by the defense, the testimony OF
| Mrs Cassie Gleason. the respondent
daughter. who was with her mother tn,
| day the cottage was burned, was tine mos
interesting.
! Mrs Gleason testified that she was from
| Montreal originally. Her father, who wa,
a locomotive engineer, died about foul
years ago. Mrs. Gleason testified thai
she was graduated from the Dominion
College of Music and received the senio!
degree. The piano which figures in thJ
case was Chickerlng parlor grand II
was a present to Mrs. Gleason from hel
| father about eight or ten years ago. She
testified that she thought a great deal OF
| tho instrument. not only for its fine quail
ity but because 1t was a gift from her IA
| Their, She brought 1t to Burlington from
Montreal and to Queen City Park to tn
Montreal cottage, owned by her mother
In the years of 1911 and 1912 the plano
during the winter months was brought ur
to Burlington, where Mrs. Gleason and
her mother were living. The instrument
was always kept In good condition and
tuners from Montreal were employed to
attend to It, Mrs. Gleason said that she
was In the habit OF playing on the instru-
ment five or six hours day She said
| that she had large amount OF classical
music. some OF 1t bound and some I'M
bound. and that there was not less than
800 worth OF 1t.
Her husband having obtained a position
In st, Adams she went there with him and
in October OF last year she came to Bur
lington for the purpose OF having the plano
brought to this city and placed in storage
until she could take II 10 st. AjbsnR That
was the object Of her visit 10 the park and
to the Montreal cottage ootebsF " Of last
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