The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-01

Never III flie history of the city
court has y trial been replete with
sucn startling succession of sensa-
tions as the hearing In which Haln-
day appeared as the defendant charg-
ed with burning down the home of
Mrs. Mamie Gilbert. which she pur-
chased from him the day before Its
destruction.
To the accusation OF Frances Ro-
Nero, who told of Halliday leaving
the house the morning Of the fire,
awakening him during the operation.
and walking, clothed only in his
bathrobe, across an intervening lot
to the Gilbert house, Mrs. Hallidays
testimony came as the climax.
Haldday's undoing, according to
his wife, came the day following the
fire, when his habit OF talking to
himself !, betrayed his guilt. Walking
in the dining room of his home. dis
cussing aloud his business Intentions,
he said in tones loud enough for her
to hear while she was cooking his
breakfast:
II can make $1,200 clean by
this fire. It'll put me on my feet
for fair. 1t will restore my credit.
The foundations I can use. It'll
make. me, IL I don't have to clear
OUT
He was enthusiastic, more than
pleased with himself after the fire" ;"
significantly remarked Mrs. Halli-
day
An expectant audience that filled
the courtroom was held breathless as
she related story of financial in
trigue which rivalled fiction. Spec
tators hung upon every word she
uttered. She related how her hus-
band got out of bed shortly before
the blaze and returned q short time
later awakening her by placing his
cold feet against her body; the next
she knew the room was brightly light
; ed by the tongues Of flame which
RACED the Gilbert house and set fire
to the window sashes of her romo.
She rehearsed the scene enacted in
the offices Of Marguerite II. Sturges.
a real estate dealer in the City Saw
ings Bank building. the day the prop
erty was sold; how she refuged to
sign certain legal papers which
made her (Mrs. Halliday RESPONSE
BILE If the agreements in the condi-
tions Of sale were not lived up and
said that after half an hour of
persuasion II was compelled to sign
the papers"
With telling effect she wove a web
OF evidence ~about her husband, en-
meshing him and finally witnessing
his being held by Judge Frank Wilder
for the superior court on Ncharges of
arson In $4,000 bonds. She was the
prosecutions trump card, and, played
at the twelfth hour won the legal
game hands down. -
The first witnesses called included
Charles D. Lacy, a real estate ap-
praiser and members Of the fire de-
partment, Capt. A. T.. Maloney and
Capt. Samuel West, and Mrs. Minnie
Gilbert. who bought the property Nov.
22 West testified that on Nov. % at
2:49 a. m. he received the call and
went to the scene.
Mrs. Annie L. Riley, Of 1873 Capitol
avenue, testified she saw the flames,
being up after midnight because Of
sick baby. She called the chemical
crew and then realizing the danger
from the spread OF the blaze called
the engine company.
Capt. West furnished the first of the
sensations when he stated when called
to the stand that he saw blue flame
in the west corner Of the building
which me directed his men several
times to extfngu1sh, his order finally
ching carried out with dif11cu1ty.
what was that flame caused by?''
tconfirued on Page 2.)