River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-05-06
Continued from page 4.
THE INCENnIARY

The INCENuIAKY
was one &c them. There were twelve
OF us, ard we divided our number into
three watches Of four each. One night
or, rather, morning, for it was z
O'Clock, / saw q man walking some
distance ahead Of me. / followed him,
but before | caught up with him met
one of the watchers. On asking him
about the party ahead Of me, whom
he must have passed. he said that he
knew him we'll. His name was Simp-
son. He was troubled with insomnia,
and, not being able to sleep. he would
20 out and walk the streets.
l was perfectly satisfied with this
explanation and went back to my beat
Notwithstanding our vigilance the
fires continued, and we failed to be on
the ground when they were lighted.
They were not very frequent. and some
of the watchers began to think that
occurring as they did was merely a
coincidence One after another gave
up watching till there were but half a
dozen of US left.
l met Simpson on several occasions,
but never in sufficient light to see his
face. One night when walking with
fellow watcher Simpson passed us.
My companion babe him good evening
spoke a few words to him, and we
passed on. We were near a street
lamp when we met him. and l got a
glimpse of his partially lighted face.
Something within me. some psyche
logical working, seemed to connect
Simpson with the fires. / said nothing
to my companion of my feeling, but
resolved that ! would devote my fu-
ture watchings to Mr. Simpson. But /
asked questions as to who and what
he was and was told that he was
rood citizen and the father of a highly
respected family.
Acting on an impression for which
could not account, / spent several of
my periods of watching near Mr.. Simp-
sons house. On the third night saw
him 20 out and Swallowed him. He
walked about aimlessly for awhile,
then returned to his home. | was so
far satisfied that he was what he was
considered to be that l gave up my
purpose of shadowing him. But /
could not get rid of the impression
had received.
One morning about dawn when
was about to go home from my watch
| saw one of our party coming with
policeman who had q man by the arm.
| waited till they came up, and, be-
hold, the prisoner was Simpson! l was
told that he had been caught setting
fire to building.
The town of Allanville was greatly
shocked to learn that it's respected
fellow citizen was q frebug. He was
tried for his crime and adjudged in
sane on the testimony of alienists,
who considered his insomnia the cause
of his insanity He was acquitted on
the promise of his family to send him
TO Il private sanitarium.
When / first saw Simpson in the
light recognized or thought | recog-
niZed-Mansfield, who had been con-
Vlcted or the same crime at IllIOH.
Then l began to suspect that Simpson
was a different person and was the
real criminal in both cases. asked
If he had ever lived at Hilton and
was told that he had been staying
there temporarily at the time the fires
had occurred there. This settled the
matter in my mind.
| went at once to Hilton. called on
Mrs. Mansfield and told her that l
thought | had proof of her husbands
innocence. The happiest moment OF
my life was when. on telling her my
story, l saw her face light up with a
mingled relief and jos.
Mansfield, on his innocence being es-
tablished. was pardoned by the COVER
nor of the state. which was n quicker
way to set him free than a new trial.
If the scene of Mansfield being torn
from his family was heartrending, my
happiness at having reunited him with
his family was costa tic. We are all
now bosom friends.