The Key West Citizen

Woman Held As Suspect In Mystery Fires

Wealthy Husband Had No Knowledge Of Wife's Record

FAIR HAVEN, N.J. (Ø) — A wealthy 46-year-old woman with a police record was identified by authorities yesterday as the "principal suspect" in a series of 60 mysterious fires which have plagued the area almost a year.

Mrs. Elizabeth Needle, wife of a prominent children's sportswear manufacturer, Joseph Needle, was arrested by a state trooper Thursday night three hours after she allegedly set fire to a chicken coop here.

Charged with "burning a building"—a less serious charge than arson because usually it concerns a building without occupants—Mrs. Needle was freed under a high $75,000 bail late last night after a Newark surety company posted the bond. As set by Monmouth County Judge John C. Giordano, the bail was about 20 times the normal amount for such cases.

Mrs. Needle, a mother of two daughters 11 and 13 years of age, denied outside court she had burned any building.

Other Fires

Monmouth County Prosecutor J. Victor Carton would not say if the woman had any connection with the recent series of fires in barns, tool sheds, playhouses and garages. All the fires, including four on the Needle property, were of suspicious origin and were within a five-mile radius of Mrs. Needle's home in adjacent Rumson.

Needle was unaware his wife had been arrested nine times on charges of larceny, embezzlement and auto theft, according to Carton. The manufacturer cooperated with police as they set up a three-week vigil to watch her movements.

Thursday night, Trooper John Maziekien said he saw Mrs. Needle leave her home, clad in the leopard skin coat in which she appeared at police headquarters yesterday. On the bitterly cold night, she drove to the chicken coop, the trooper said. He stomped out the flames as soon as the woman left, and then arrested Mrs. Needle at home.