Middletown Daily Press
Daily Vol. VII (Weekly Vol. XXVI) No. 1838
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The Chester Arson Case
Examination Frank W. Clark–Testimony of the Father–Prisoners Movements about the country–His strange statements to Joseph Board–Held for trial.
The examination of Frank W. Clark, charged with setting fire to his father's store, was continued before Justice Coleman yesterday at Goshen.
Dr. Chars. P. Smith and John P. Bodle testified that the alarm of fire was given about 2, A. M.
The father's testimony.
Jehial G. Clark, father the prisoner, was next sworn, and examined at some length. Testified as follows: He and his son Frank had been together in business three years past. There was a safe in the store which was opened the second day after the fire. It contained, besides papers, the day book and cash book of the firm. Insurance policies on the store were not kept in the sae. The ledger for the firm was at Middletown. We took an inventory of stock in the store, commencing June 28th. The inventory was taken into a book, which Frank took to Middletown July 4th. (On the morning of July 5th, Frank W. Clark left at the Press Bindery or repairs, three books of account, one being in inventory, another a daybook; the title of the third book not being recorded.–Eds Press.) He was first made aware the fire by his son Charles calling at his door. When he reached the store, door had been broken open. Thinking his two sons, Frank and Joseph, who slept over the store, were in bed, he went and brought a ladder, on which his son Charles climbed to the window, but was compelled to descend on account the intense heat. He then forced an entrance into the cellar from the rear, and carried out some barrels of fish and pork. The made out list of goods was lost. He saw some goods in his barn on Monday, July twenty-third, consisting of blacking, cigars, extracts, etc. They were inventoried and taken to the Howland House. He recognized the store mark on a package of machine oil in the handwriting of his son Frank. On the morning of July 24th, he found in the old depot building, now occupied by him as a store, some boxes, marked J. G. Clark and Son. He informed Mr. Post, insurance agent, and at his request, shipped them to him at Goshen. The contents of the boxes were examined that evening by Messrs. Post, Board and himself. The firm price mark was found on the goods. He was present Friday, July 17th, at Goshen, when other goods consisting of cigars, castile soap, etc., were examined. These he recognized as goods from their stock, having been kept in the second story.
Frank usually slept over the store. After the fire he slept at home. On Friday night before the discovery of the goods in the barn, Frank came home at two o'clock in the morning. He knew the stock was insured for $2,500, but was ignorant of any larger amount until informed by his son Frank, after the fire, who showed him the policies saying they had been taken out in the spring, stating as his reason for so doing was that he feared the was to be burned. The increase was $2,600 on the stock. Frank also told him that he put an additional policy on the buildong. This policy the witness gave to the agent's of the People's Insurance Co. of Trenton.
On Sunday last he found in a privy vault other goods, mostly clothing, having on them the cost mark of the firm. He had no knowledge of his own as to how they came to into the barn or the privy. On July 22d, with Messrs. Post and Oakly, he visited the Farmingdale schoolhouse. They found a broken cigar box and some papers in the room. He saw the carman bring goods from the barn Frank told him he bought the goods from Craigville on the previous Friday night. A week before the fire, he missed a quantity of goods, which Frank said were upstairs.
E. G. Masten testified that he saw two barrels of clothing in J. G. Clark's barn on Saturday, July 21st and again Sunday afternoon, when their
Location had been changed
from the stall to place your the wagon. On Monday morning, about ten minutes after five, Frank Clark asked him to take some goods from the barn to the store, offering him two dollars and afterwards five dollars to do it. He was busy and refused to have anything to do with it. Frank seemed excited and said parties had been watching him.
Charles Masten testified seeing the same goods, also some sack and paper bags in a hay loft in the barn. On Monday morning, he took these goods for Frank to the store. J. G. Clark was at the store when he arrived.
T. H. Roe, of Craigville, saw Frank Clark pass his house two or three times, the week before the fire, with boxes and barrels in a one horse wagon.
George W. Clark, of Chester, loaned to Frank Clark on July 20th a horse and wagon, which were returned sometime Friday night.
William Byrne saw Frank Clark coming from the direction of Joseph Board's after midnight, July 20th, with the wagon in which they were paper bags.
Nathaniel Oldfield, living near Farmingdale, in the town of Blooming Grove, testified that on Thursday or Friday evening Frank Clark enquired
The way to Goshen.
His horse seemed tired. There were several boxes in the wagon.
Samuel Rutan, living west of Mr. Oldfield, in the town of Goshen, on the night of July 23d, met Frank Clark near Mr. Newman's. Clark asked the way to Goshen, he had a one horse market wagon, heavily loaded with boxes, etc.
J. W. Vail, clerk for Tuthill & Clark testified for five years he occupied a room over their store, and with Frank C. Hill was in the room the night of the fire. He retired 11 o'clock and was awakened by Mr. Hill, the room at that time being filled with smoke.
E. H. Burroughs of Carr & Burroughs, testified that on July 20th Frank Clark brought some goods previously ordered, also some soap boxes, which he asked permission to leave.
Michael Landy testified that on July 28th he took from Carr & Burrough's store to Post's insurance office six wooden boxes, eight boxes of cigars, and a lot of soap. The boxes contained mittens, gloves, cream tartar, etc. He arrested the prisoner. Prisoner told him in response to a question, that he had put two barrles[sic] of goods in the "necessary." On Saturday last he went to Chester and found twenty pairs of pants, several vests and coats as stated by Clark.
W. H. Conklin testified to seeing Frank Clark at Craigville about about seven o'clock P.M., July 20th, with two barrels in an open wagon.
Joseph Board recalled, testified that he talked with the prisoner on the night of his arrest. Prisoner stated to him after leaving Craigville, he borrowed a lamp of Harry Ward, saying that he was going to Monroe after eggs, and started on the Oxford road, but turned back and went to the Farmingdale schoolhouse after a load of goods. He also said that he got a load of goods from this school-house and took them to Chester and put them in a school-house there which is now vacant. This occurred on Wednesday prior to the Friday question. He said that on a certain day of that week he was called upon to repair a sewing machine for lady who lived between Craigville and Goshen, and passing the Farmingdale schoolhouse
He saw a red shirt.
He recognized it as his, got out of the wagon, went to the school house, and there found a lot of goods belonging to Tuthill & Clark, and a lot belonging to his father. Believing they were stolen, he next thought of removing them to Chester. He said there was a great pile of goods. The witness said went to the school house in Chester, but found nothing. Prisoner told him that he (prisoner) had remove the goods from the barn and thrown them in the privy. He said he went to Middletown on the fourth of July, registered at the hotel, and then hired a horse and wagon and 8:30 PM, returning the horse at one o'clock. In the meantime he was riding around Middletown.
Held for trial.
The hearing was continued to-day and concluded about 2 o'clock this afternoon. Clark was held to await the action of Grand Jury. The offense of arson is not bailable.
