Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-11-11
HENRY JOSEPH HELD
ON CHARGE OF ARSON
Man. Thought to Be Mentally
Unbalanced, Confesses to Set
ting Fire TO Barn at Orphan
age Last February and Again
Yesterday Morning

Henry Lewis Joseph, 10, vino has been
lum on North avenue since he was about
five years Of age, was arrested and placed
In the county Jail Friday following
his confession TO setting fire which de-
stroyed the roof Of the barn Mt the or
pnanagc early that morning and
also tho fire which broke out In the same
place Oh the 4th Of February last. Deputy
state Fire Marshal A. J. Preble, Of Mont
pelier, who Investigated both these fires.
and who was largely instrumenta' IN
tracing their origin 20 Joseph stated
that lie thought the man was not
right mentally and said that ne would
recommend that the man I've sent to tho
asylum at WATERBURY. .Ioseph said
that he had set the fire through
personal spite aeains, some one ~ the
orphanage.
It vas At - Friday mornirs that
;he alarm came in for the fire at the or
phanage The box lie 413, but owing to a
break In the handspring OF the alarm ep-
paratus. the numbers did not reach tho
station properly and the firemen had to
welt until telephone call was sent in
before they could tell where TO go. 1t
did not take tnean long 10 get TO the
orphanage after they located the fire.
tho entire equipment in the city respond
ing to the oail
When the firemen arrived they found
the blaze In the loft of the barn TIE
fact that the fire seemed 20 have stan ted
IN exactly the same spo: as the one dis
covered there at Sis O'Clock on the morn
Ing of last February 4 aroused the sue
picions OF Fire Chief Carl Stockwel and
led TO the starting Of investigations whtc,l
AAA IN ~
seph.
The fire Friday morning did no, do a
great deaa OF damage thanks TO the quick
work OF the firemen. Two lines OF hose
were laid and the fire was very soon Nm
DER control. The roof waa practically
burned off, quite a BIZ OF hay was de-
stroyed. as we'll az some grain and other
feed. The fire aid not spread to any other
part Of the buildinge
While fighting the fire. Assistant chief
Carly suffered a scalp wound when
struck on the head by a falling brick
The wound was dressed and Chief Cary
was attending to his duties as usual
later In the day.
When the fire had been taken care Of
chief Stockwell Immediately got into
touch with Deputy state Fire Marshal
, Preble. who was In the city following an
investigation Of fire conditions In Winoo-
ski. Mr.. Preble accompanied Chief Stock
we'll TO the scene Of the fire and agreed
with the CHIEF that the conditions sur
rounding the origin OF the fire were ex-
actly the same those surrounding the
outbreak last February. In both
cases, tn fire had started in the hay at
the head Of the stairs in the horse barn.
Both Deputy Fire Marshal Preble and
chief Stockwell became convinced that
The fire had been sci and thorough in
designations were started. The men about
the place were questioned closely and the
answers and actions of Joseph directed
the mass of the suspicious toward him.
He admitted in talking with Mr.. Probe
that he knew that the fire started ''in
the straw as ne expressed it. in the
horse barn. He said that he liked to hea
the siren OF the engines coming. and he
added that they did not get there so
quickly this time as they did last Feb
ruary. He started in TO say more. but
the sudden appearance of the mother
superior on the scene evidently frighten-
ed him and he stopped talking.
Fire Marshal Preble and CHIEF Stock
well had heard enough. however. TO feel
confident that the man was guilty OF
arson and Mr. Preble consulted Chief of
Police Russell regarding his arrest, Chief
1 Russell also questioned Joseph.
Before the arrest took place. however
Joseph had confessed to j. j. McGrath
( one Of the head men al the orphanage,
that he set both, the fire Friday morn
ing and that OF last February.
Joseph said that on FebruaTy 1 last
he went out with the milk pals in the
morning as usual. that he went into the
barn and left the milk pals, walked
through the COW barn to the horse barn
went up the stairs in the horse barn
scratched matches the floor and Sc,
, fire TO the straw. He carried out the
Same actions exactly Friday morn
| ing. setting the fire In exactly the same
spot that it was set before
Mr.. McGrath Immediately notified Fire
Marshal Preble that Joseph had confess
ed to setting the fires and the police soor
had the man In custody.