92 Iowa 467 | Iowa | 1894
I. Defendants were jointly indicted for the crime of setting fire to certain combustible material in a frame store building belonging to one Anna Lockwood, in Mapleton, Iowa, with intent to burn said building. It appears that the defendant Delaney had charge of the business of running a secondhand store in the building which it is claimed defendants set fire to. Delaney’s daughter was the owner-of the stock of goods. Delaney had formerly made his home in the store building, but for some time prior to the fire he had made his home at defendant Scott’s. Scott was a mason, and resided in the rear part of a building belonging to one Cooper, Cooper using the front room as an office. About 6 o’clock on the morning of December 28, 1892, an alarm of fire was sounded, and it was discovered that some material in the south end of the Lockwood building was on fire, the fire being in a shed addition to the building. The fire was extinguished, and defendants were arrested and charged with the crime. They pleaded not guilty, but were convicted. It is claimed that the court erred in sustaining objections made by the county attorney to questions propounded to one Coe, a witness for the