St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1916-08-26
Mystery Surrounding Burn.
ing of This Beautiful
Place Revealed.
W. =. ELLIS TELLS HOW
HE PUT OIL ON FLOOR
Pronounced q Paretlc and
irresponsible by Commits
sion of Physicians.

lSlSs tho OOvAu8IOM = AN D0H~A seee~r..s
was called to fight fire at the beeutt-
full residence Of Mrs. G. J. Payne, ON
the Military Road. The hre had
gained such headway that the build
dnR could not be saved. The fire was
said to have been caused by the ex-
plosion of q lamps this story having
been given out by Mr.. Ellis. step
brother OF Mrs. Payne, who was the
only one home at the time.
Last Monday evening. August Il,
Mr.. Ellis came. to C0vington. He
had evidently been drinking. tie
saw Sheriff Brewsterand asked him
about the dog licenses to be issued
under the new law. Mr.. Brewster
told him that they would be ready IN
. few days. Some time after the
Parkview Theatre had closed Monday
night Mr.. Brewster received q phone
message asking tor an interview at
the insurance Office. Of the Nilsson
frederick Company. that Mr.. Ellis
had something to- say to him. Mr..
Brewster concluded that 1t was
something more about the dog law.
"A he had been bothered considerably
with this question. especially as to
the poisoning OF dogs. but being In
formed that the matter was Of con
siderable importance and could not
wait. he went down to the insurance
once and found Mr.. Nilsson and Mr..
Ellis awaiting him. Mr.. Nilsson
handed him the following confession
signed by Mr.. Ellis:
august 21, 1916.
..To The Hon. Dist. Atty. st. Tam
many PHI:
ITO the Hon Sheriff st. Tammany
Parish:
"Jasper E. Nilsson. Agt. l.. and l..
and G. Ins. Co.: :.
..Dear Sirs:-I, the undersigned. d.
sst IRE to Mrs. c. j. Payne's resi-
dence on Military Road Dee. 3lst.
1915, 1880 p. m. for reasons verbally
given Hon. Dist. Atty.
fSienedl "W. E. ELLIS"
Sheriff Brewster thought the whole
thing was joke.
..What is tlds?" he asked.
Its my confessionr answered
Ellis.
"Do you mean it? Did you write
this?" questioned the shertn.
Eyes; I wrote IT. said Ellis: u
It BEGAN to dawn upon the sheriff
that matters were really serious and
that n man was confeasing tnat he
had set fire 50 the Payus residence
an incident that had almost been
forgotten. -
Turning the confession over. Sherln
Brewster asked Ellis to Sign his
name on the back of it. Ellis ala Sc
and the signatures proved t. be alike
There was nothing to do but IL loch
Ellis up and get in touch VITA Judge
Carter. This Sheriff Brewster dc
over the telephone, and Judge Carter
came to Coving.on Tuesday mornina
and examined Ellis. with the re3ui'
that DR.. F. F. Young. ST.. and C"ro'
ner Bulloch were appointed com
mission to examine into his sanity.
In the meantime Sheriff Brewster
had visited Ellis that morning. with
q view to ascertaining II ne would
cling to his confession In sober con-
dition. All that Ellis he'd said the
night before lie again repeated. he
said he had set fire to the building
by pouring oil over the bathroom
fioor and lighting it. His reasons
for confessing were that he was
haunted by the ruins and desolation
of the once beautiful home. lie
could not bear to look upon them
He would feel better satisfied with
the matter OF Ills mind, even II nc
went to the Denitentiary.
The report CT the commission was
that Ellis was irresponsible for Ms
act. DIR. Young, who has made 9
study Of mental diseases. stated ina:
ELLIS was a paretic. That his m.no
might be compared to that OF achitd
OF seven years. That he was incur
able.
1t is not even certain that Ellis did
set fire to the building. He may Dr.
laboring under q halucination.
Ellis will be taken to scme :nstl-
tuition where he will be cared for