Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1915 — The Incendiary [ARTICLE]

The Incendiary

By EVERETT P. CLARKE

1 was in a criminal courtroom oneday among the spectators when 1 saw a man sentenced for incendiarism for five years, His wife was in court, and the scene between them after the sentence had been passed was heartrending. I saw the man’s face but a few moments, and it was distorted by agony, but it was Impressed upon my mind. The crime had been committed in the town of Hilton, which was the county seat I lived in Hilton, but had na acquaintance with the convict Several fires had occurred at short inters vals. One night a citizen saw a mait setting fire to the building. By the light of the newly kindled flame the citizen got a glimpse of the incendiary’s face, but before he could reach him he had disappeared in the dark- ‘ ness. A few days later he met the man Mansfield I had seen sentenced in the street and recognized him for the firebug.- The result was conviction. Within a few months after Mansfield had been taken to the penitentiary a series of fires occurred In Allanville. some twenty miles from Hilton, I had meanwhile removed to Allanville and was interested in these fires, naturally connecting them with those that had occurred in Hilton. Had I not seen the perpetrator of the Incendiarism in Hilton sent to prison for five years I would have connected him with the fires in Allanville. Indeed, I made inquiries as to where Mansfield was and was told that he was serving out his time. A number of citizens of Allanville volunteered to watch at night and l was one of them. There were twelve of us, and we divided our number into three watches of four each. One night or, rather, morning, for It was 2 o’clock, I saw a man walking some distance ahead of me. I followed him. but before I caught up with him I met one of the watchers. On asking him about the party ahead of me, whom he must have passed, he said that he knew him well His name was Simpson. He was troubled with insomnia, and, not being able to sleep, be would go out and walk the streets. I was perfectly satisfied with this explanation and went back to my beat. Notwithstanding our vigilance the fires continued, and we failed to be on the ground when tlfey were lighted. They were not very frequent, and some of the watchers began to think that occurring as they did was merely a coincidence. One after another gave up watching till there were but half a dozen of us left. I met Simpson on several occasions, but never in sufficient light to see his face. One night when walking with a . fellow watcher Simpson passed us. My companion bade him good evening, spoke a few words to him, and we passed on. We were near a street lamp when we met him, and I got a glimpse of his partially lighted face. Something within me, some psychological working, seemed to connect Simpson with the fires. I said nothing to my companion of my feeling, but resolved that I would devote my future watchings to Mr. Simpson. But I asked questions as to who and what he was and was told that he was a good citizen and the father of a highly respected family. Acting on an Impression for which I could not account, I spent several of my periods of watching near Mr. Simpson’s house. On the third night I saw him go out and shadowed him. He walked about aimlessly for awhile, then returned to his home. I was so far satisfied that he was what he was considered to be that I gave up my purpose of shadowing him. But I could not get rid of the impression I had received.

One morning about dawn when 1 was about to go home from my watch I saw one of our party coming with a policeman who had a man by the arm. I waited till they came up, and, behold, the prisoner was Simpson! I was told that he had been caught setting fire to a building. The town of Allanville was greatly shocked to learn that its respected fellow citizen was a firebug. He was tried for his crime and adjudged insane on the testimony of alienists, who considered his insomnia the cause of his Insanity. He was acquitted op the promise of his family to send him to a private sanitarium. When 1 first saw Simpson In the light 1 recognized— or thought I recognized—Mansfield. who bad been convicted of the same crime at Hilton. Then I began to suspect that Simpson was a different person and was the real criminal, in both cases. I asked if he had ever lived at Hilton and was told that he had been staying there temporarily at the time the fires had occurred there. This settled the matter in my mind. v I went at once to Hilton, called on Mrs. Mansfield and told her that I thought I had proof of her husband’s innocence. The happiest moment of my life was when, on telling her my story, I saw her face light up with a mingled relief and JO7. Mansfield, on his innocence being established. was pardoned by the governor of the state, which was a quicker way to set him free than a. new trial. If the scene of Mansfield being torn from his family was heartrending, my happiness at having reunited him with his family was ecstatic. We are all now bosom friends.