Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-11-07
From tho Parksrsburg News.
rho Star of the Ianawha VALLEY,

The Star of the Kanawha Valley.
Our readers will remember the publ. |
cation some time since Of an account of
the destruction of the Star Of the Kanaw~
ha Valley Printing Office, which was at
tributed to the workSof an iucindiary.
Since that time a meddlesome contribu-
tor of the Point Pleasant Republican,
styled Guleomus," has given to the
public false statement Of the affair, in
tending thereby to create the impression
that the burning was accidentally caused
by one of the Editors of the paper. This
miserable attempt was, however, quickly
tolled by statement Of the facts, made
by D. 3. Washington, Esq, the Demo-
cratic Elector for Putnam county during
the late canvass, and whose name was
prominently spoken of as candidate for
Congress- perfectly reliable man. By
way of explanation, we insert his com,
munication entire.
BUFFALO, Sept. 18th, 1855.
Editors Independent Republican
GENTLEMEN-I observe in your paper
under the head of Buffalo Items,' a
statement in regard 10 the burning of the
"Star Office" The writer says that one
d Of the Editors, together with another gen
tleman, was up in the Office the night
before the fire, and vas searching for
some time in the drawer Of the book case
for paper; that after some time the
gentlemen came down and asked Mr..
: McCown for some matches, that he gave
him some or 10, and that he then went
back, lit candle, and after searching for
some time longer in drawer, closed it
and left. He then drew the inference
that the FIRE must have been commune
Gated to the papers at that time and it re-
manned there until one o'clock at night
before it commenced burning. Now this
!, is all plausible enough if true, but unfor-
tunately, there is no truth in the state
ment. l am the gentleman referred to, who
went to the Office with Mr.. Murrell, and
VIC were not about the book case at all.
= It was just after shutdown, and had a
! manuscript in my pocket which we wish
ed TO examine, and observed to Mr..
: Murrell, that it was too dark in the office
for me to see to read it without light.
We then searched for. a match in the office,
and finding none, l went down and asked
Mr.. McCown for ono. He gave me three.
went back and lit the candle, after u.s.
ing all the matches before succeeding to
do SO. The candle was then placed upon
q stone top table. After reading the pa
pers we put the candle out and left; it
5 was not quite dark in the streets at that
time. We were not about the book case
: at all or near it with the candle.
D. B. WASHINGTON.
There are other circumstances in the
case, which " Gulecms" was careful not
10 relate. Threats, had repeatedly been
5 made previous TO the night of the fire,
+ that the Office ought to be, and would be
burned, by some Know Nothing whose
location was very near to the office. The
. occupants Of the store Immediately below
y the Office were insured at the time of the
= fire TO an amount very nearly if not quite
sufficient to cover their loss, the policy oil
) which, we are informed was obtained but
a very short time before the fire and We
would not wish to be understood rs ma
8 king the slightest insinuatiou against the
proprietors, when we say that in all prob,
: ability fear Of such result hasten cd
Il their action in procuring the policy. The
. cause of the incendiarism was doubtless a
u spirit of hatred against the paper, because
vi IT'S DOIu1 aDlG una unulnCnlng OPPOSE
1t ton to Know othingism and its follow.
:, ers. Public opinion, which is seldom
" wrong, so considers it, and abundance o.
circumstantial evidence goes far towards
= proving it. How far " Guleems'' was in.
> terestod in attempting to create the i'm.
> preston that the fire was not the work O
. an incendiary, we cannot tell but Ger.
. tain it is he has utterly failed in his de-
t sign. Dropping this portion of the sub
y ject, We are glad to herald the early re-
u appearance of our contempory. The
u staunch Democracy of tho Kanawha Val
Icy have come TO the rescue of theil
. Star ;" arrangements have already been
) made for purchasing other printing mate
y rial, and in very few weeks its light
u will again be seen. We commend it tc
{ the support of the entire district.
HEARTLEss MoTuER.-The Martins.
- burg Republican states that fnmala