Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-09-05
Ctr ana Epumtp SgnteLLlaente.

from the Governor of New York, on a charge
of having set fire, three years since, to build
ing in Oswego county, in that state, as noticed
in Saturdays paper, was taken to that place
by the ten o'clock express train westward on
| Saturday morning, by the agent commissioned
| for the purpose by Gov. Morgan, Joseph 81
mons, Deputy Sheriff for the county of Os-
wego, into whose hands the prisoner was put
| by Deputy Sheriff Young. The name by
which the colored man was known in Mexico,
the town in which the offence charged was
| committed, was Joseph Lines. The name he
assumed in Leominster was Joseph Wallace
He says since his arrest that his real name is
Joseph Wallace Lines, owning that he is the
same person who was charged with having set
the fire in Mexico, N. Y, and was ar
rested, indicted by the grand jury, arraigned,
and put under $1,000 bonds for his appearance
at trial, and escaped, his counsel, who became
his bondsmen, taking his property, which
amounted to over that sum, for security.
Wallace, alias Lines, denies very earnestly
that he is guilty, and says the prosecution is a
political persecution or plot against him for
having voted for Gerritt Smith for Congress,
against the District Attorney who was the OPP
posing candidate to Smith. Lines possessed
considerable property, owning two barber
shops, with the land on which they were To-
Gated, one of these shops (which he occupied)
being in the corner of the building or block of
stores in question. This was not burned, the
- 1o, IN,
season to prevent its taking effect. The at
tempt on it occurred sometime in the month
of April, 1856. The evidence against Lines
is all circumstantial, but some of it seemed to
be very strong, if not conclusive. The place
where the attempt was made to set the fire was
the fourth door fromiLine barber shop. The
plot, which was to have gone into effect about
one O'Clock in the morning, was discovered
about half past ten the night previous A
burning candle was found set in keg of cam
phene or burning fluid, and at the hour
mentioned, but for the discovery, would inevi-
tably have fired the building. The strong
point of evidence against Lines is, that por-
ton of this keg, was found in his room, the
door to which was open.
Lines is mulatto, apparently about thirty
or thirty five years of age, good looking and
intelligent. He had lived in Mexico about
seven years, following the business of bar
ber and had borne there, as Nell in Leo
minister, where he has resided the last three
years, the most irreproachable character. His
wife, who is very highly esteemed in Leomin-
ster, was with him in this city until his de-
parture with the officer.
This arrest of Lines has caused great ex-
element in Leominster. The citizens of that
town, we learn, are now satisfied that the pro-
ceedings against him, from the beginning,
originated in a conspiracy. Never in his life,
save in this instance, has he been charged
with any crime or social improperly what
ever; but, on the contrary, his neighbors in
New York, as well as here, have always held
his personal character in the highest estima-
ton A gentleman from Leominster said to
us last evening =" If we had known, when
the officers came after him, what we know
now, they would not have been permitted to
take him out of town" We learn also that
there is among the people great indignation
against one of the clergymen in Leominster
who is accused of being chiefly responsible for
this renewal proceedings against Lines.
The feeling in Leominster has risen so high
that public meeting has been called to give
it expression. This meeting, public notice of
which was given yesterday in all the churches,
will be held this evening in the Town Hall.
And the Leominster people propose something
more than words and resolutions. They in
tend to secure for Lines the services of the
best counsel and to furnish whatever means he
may need for his defense. 1t appears, too,
that they are not alone in believing him inno-
cent Public opinion seems to have been in
his favor in New York when he was first
charged with the crime there. In the Oswego
Palladium of April 25, 1856, we find the fol-
lowing -
"1he Merico Incendiary CaSe.-The exami-
nation of Lines, at Mexico, accused of attempt
ing to fire block of buildings there, excites a
great deal of feeling and interest The public
take sides in the case, but it is said the sent-
ment preponderates in favor of the innocence
of the accused. The testimony of the people
was concluded on Wednesday night, (April
y and did not appear SO conclusive as was
expected against Lines. The defence was
opened yesterday morning. So much conf
dence is felt in Lines, that he is permitted to
go at large, and he appears regularly at the
examination"
The Pulaski IN ~ Democrat of May
l, 1856, has a long editorial on the subject,
which proceeds from strong conviction of
the mans innocence That paper said =
eve are happy to state, upon the most reli-
able authority, that Mr.. Lines, for the period of
seven years in which he has resided in Next
co, has hitherto so conducted himself that the
breath of suspicion never before whispered
aught against him. Mild, atfable, and intell-
gent, he and his intellectual and refined wife
had secured the unbounded confidence of all
the better portion of the citizens of Mexico,
many of whom with their families were in the
habit Of exchanging visits with them.
BY industry and economy he had, during
that period, nearly secured to himself neat
cottage home. With no pressing debts to goad
him to the commission of crime-in easy cir
cumstances--the only man of his color in that
village, he became, by his exemplary charac-
ter and unexceptionable demeanOr, the pride
| of its citizens, until in an evil hour some
fiend in human shape on the evening of April
| II, conceived and executed most diabolical
plot to set on fire block of buildings in which
individuals were then asleep, and connected to
which were two shops owned by Mr.. Lines.
Among the articles found in this most nefari-
Gus attemptto commit crime, was nakeg with
a hole bored or cut in the top, and also two
newspapers, one of which was of a kind that
Mr. Lines took and kept in his shop for public
inspection and use, and were frequently given
| AWAY DV him. loaned or on rriod off ,,nno-