Evening star., 1932-11-21
BLAZE KILLS WIFE;
HUSBAND Is HELD
IN SEAT PLEASANT T
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ever, Blackwell said, and began fight
ing the flames, which were confined to
the attic and roof.
The fire, which was discovered by Mrs.
Grimes shortly after o'clock last night,
was extingliished in a short time by
Seat Pleasant and Capitol Heights fire.
men. Blackwell estimated the damage
at approximately s700.
Mrs. Grimes attention was attracted
to the house located at 13 King avenue,
when she said, she heard Mrs. ROLAND
scream "f1re!" Her son, Ray Loveless,
IS, looked from a window, she said, and
saw Mrs ROLAND disappear around the
corner of the dwelling. It was then
that Mrs. Grimes telephoned the Seat
Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department.
Rolland's confession was at variance
with Mrs. Grimes statement, and
Blackwell declared he would question
the man again today.
ROLAND was arrested by Blackwell I'M
mediately after the f1remen reported
he tried to interfere with them. It was
not until some time later that Firemen
Charles Penkert, Roland Carrick and
Cy Ball, all of Seat Pleasant, kicked a
hole in the plasterboard partition and
discovered the wonan's body.
The body was fully clothed, even to
coat and hat, and a pocketbook was
clasped in the woman's hand. Exami-
nation by DR.. James 7. Boyd, Forest
vile. indicated Mrs. ROLAND was alive
when the flames reached her.
No Marks Of Violence.
There were no marks of violence on
the body, DR.. Boyd, acting as coroner,
declared, and the examination failed to
disclose whether the woman was burned
to death or suffocated. Her body was
only slightly burned. the physician
added.
After a conference with States At
torney Alan Bowie, DR.. Boyd said he
would perform an autopsy on the body
in an effort to determine the cause Of
DEATH Although no time was set for
the post-mortem, it was thought likely
it would be performed before the in
quest, scheduled for 7 o'clock tonight
in the Capitol Heights fire house.
A jury was sworn in over the body
in the Ritchie Bros. undertaking estab-
lishment, Ritchie, Md, at o'clock this
morning.
ROLAND, when first questioned by
Blackwell, denied having any knowledge
Of the fire, insisting he was asleep when
it broke out. After being locked up in
the Capitol Heights Jail he was taken
to Poore's Office, where he signed the
confession in the presence of the JUS
tice of the peace and other witnesses.
He refused to reveal the subject of the
quarrel that preceded the fire.
Photographs Found In Clothes.
Sewed In Mrs. Rolland,s clothing,
according to DR.. BOYD, were photo
graphs of man, all stamped with the
name of a st. Louis studio. ROLAND
denied knowing the man and insisted
he had never seen the pictures before.
When the flremen began their battle
against the flames, they reported, they
found the Hollands police dog in the
burning attic. The animal could not be
coaxed to leave, the firemen said, and
had to be carried out, apparently much
against his will
The attic consisted Of one large room,
with a plasterboard partition barring
the caves on all sides. At one end was
locked. Mrs. ROLAND, it was pointed
out by Fire Chief Irwin l. Main, Seat
Pleasant, evidently crawled from the
door to the point where her body was
found, a distance of about Is feet.
Mrs. Grimes husband, Asa I. Grimes,
told Blackwell he talked with the Rol-
lands shortly before o'clock last night,
and they appeared to be in excellent
spirits. There was no indication they
had been quarreling, Grimes said, and
ROLAND did not appear to have been
drinking.
Death Not Mentioned.
Rolland's confession dealt only with
the blaze, making no mention of his
wifes death. Blackwell said he had not
informed ROLAND of the death, simply
telling him his wife had been "criti-
cally burned"
The Rollar6s had lived in the house
less than three months, having moved
there from 0 King avenue, where they
had lived for more than a year.
Mrs. ROLAND, according to her hus-
band, was native of Indiana, but had
relatives in Penn-ylvania. She was
employed in downtown department
store several years ago, he said, but had
not held q Job recently.