Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-08-22

ing in the roof Had this been done then, the
fire could have been stopped there, with help.
Want of organization among the firemen pre-
vented making the hole; was told by Fair
banks might man the brakes if | wished to
aid F; did not then fully understand the struc-
ture of the attic; proposed to MIR. Starr and
to Mr.. Fairbanks to open the roof so that the
fire when it reached there could be stopped,
and to tear the building down at this point.
They thought it could not be done; was an
swered very civilly. If there had been sufii-
cheney of ladders and water, the fire could
have been arrested IL its origin the main diff
ficulty was want of organization among the
firemen; there was twenty-five feet of hose on
the Northboro' engine, but it was not used
there was water enough on the premises, IN
other cisterns, if it could have been got at |
never belonged TO any fire company IN any
way have resided twenty years in Northboro.
He believed there was nothing but an honest
difference of opinion between himself and 9TH
ers as to the course pursued. inquired why
water was wasted on the ventiators when it
was wanted on the attic through hole III the
roof; the roof should have been opened before
the fire arrived there, and water put in, and
the fire would have been stopped; two long
ladders were sufficient to get to the roof |
have taken leading part at fires IN Northboro,
yielded to Messrs. Starr and fairbanks opn-
ion; then suggested powder to blow up the
building at this point, and stop the further pro.
gress Of the fire in that day this suggestion
struck them favorably, but it was not carried
out as they subsequently objected to 1t be-
cause men might be killed thereby think
powder might have blown off the roof without
injuring the walls of the chapel or school
room. | advised destroying the chapel to
save the school room, when the latter could
not be saved without. The boys on the
Westboro' engine might have saved the build
ing if brought round to the main building,
after the roof of the chapel was broken in, &c.
VIM. Seaver, sworn--Live in Northboro'
arrived at the fire when the Marlboro engine
was going up the hill about twenty minutes
past seven; fire was then in the school room
building; saw it was burning on tie north
east part. 1t appeared then to be the general
opinion that the building must go the only
way to save the west part was to cut off COM
munication with the chapel agree with Eames
generally twenty five men could have torn
down enough to save the west part | suppos-
ed then the west part must go; was fireman
twelve years in Quincy, and have had long
experience in stone building, and stone work
generally. There would have been no diff
Guilty in tearing out the building.
George S. Lynde, sworn.-Have been teach
er in the school six months now at Fitchburg;
was at the fire; officiated in new department;
had charge of Credan a portion OF the time out
of school hours did not see him that day be-
fore the fire had disciplined him six weeks
previous, and also once two weeks previous to
the fire. The first disciplining was given him
for humming or groaning, when coming into
prayers; punished him then by applying
whalebone between six and twelve inches long
and two thirds the size of q common pen-hold-
er round, to his legs, soon atter-not very Sc
q,
A fortnight before the fire, Credan threw
brick at me, in the yard had not then spoken
to him since the former chastsement the brick
hit me ON the left side of the hand, injuring it
SO that l can now hardly use it the size of the
missile was one half of a common brick; Gre
dan was but a few feet distant; l was looking
from him, with my hands behind me, at the
time turning around, found Credan in the
act of throwing another piece of brick, of the
same size; lodging that, | went up to Credan
and knocked him down with my fist, and cuff
ed his ears. He got up, Or took him up, and
carried him Immediately to the office, and re-
ported what had happened, to Mr.. Starr. 9th
er bricks were lying about the yard, and l ap-
pretended he might throw more of them, or
other boys might do so-two hundred and six
ty boys being in the yard at the time Fear of
personal danger prompted what | did to Gre
dan the last time. | had had difficulty with
four other boys, and punished them the same
way | did Credan for his first offence. Credan
said in the Office he threw the bricks because
l punished him fc'lr weeks previous for being
disorderly &c. since he threw the bricks, Gre
dan had fight with another boy. On being
reprimanded for being disorderly and ugly,
Credan said he meant to be so this was be-
tween the throwing of the bricks and the fire.
OrYille *. Hutchinson.-Am Assistant Su.
perintendent; have been in the institution ten
years; was there on the morning of the fire
saw it soon after the alarm was given; was
with the boys engine company; took charge
of them and labored with them nearly all day.
We worked in the old yard as long as we
could, and then went to the northwest reser-
voir. The foreman of the company is not ex-
actly a member of the school; he works in
Northboro', but is not discharged from the in
stitution. Credan was committed to the insti-
tuition May s, 1858, till he was eighteen, for
larceny. His character while here has been
very bad he is one of the worst boys we
have; very few are so bad as to fire the in
stitution never had personal trouble with
Credan he was in the new department, of
which | have more immediate charge. Muir
ply, Simpson, Kinney, and Quinlan, have
confessed that they knew of the purpose to
burn the building; know Of no inducements
held out to them to confess. Michael Murphy
told me, Tuesday, that a boy named Meady
told him that Credan wanted Murphy should
tell him that Credan fired the building. Kin
ney said he knew Credan fired the building
John Quinlan says Simpson told him he got
the matches out of Greenwood's pocket Fri
day, before dinner said Credan was going to
fire the closet; Credan came to him in the old
yard, and told him he set the fire. Simpson
says Credan went down to Kinney the night
before, and they went towards the closet. Gre
dan had some shavings in his pocket. Meady
was with them Credan told him he was going
to get some matches. AT the time he told him
this, he was up for not having his Sabbath
school lesson Credan said he was going to
have his revenge on Mr.. Starr, and set fire to
the institution. Simpson said Credan kept
asking the boys to get him matches asked
| Simpson and others; Simpson says he got
him three matches from Mr.. Greenwoods vest
pocket in the store room, Friday morning ;
| Credan kept the matches in the fly of his pants
| Witness went to Simpsons room and had this
conversation.
| Jas. A. Fayerweather of Westboro', sworn.
Am an engineer; arrived at the fire ten to
fifteen minues after six saw no way to stop
it, for it was working to the roof and through
the ventilators; was mostly in front of the
building; efforts were made to check the fire,
by forcing the water into the attic, by tearing
the roof to pieces with pick axes, &c, But
they could not have stopped the progress of
the flames if they had torn away the chapel, &C.
S. M. Grggs of Westboro', clerk of the
jury of inquest, testified as to what he witness
ed at the fire, but no material point of differ
ence from the others was elected by his testi-
mony.
Judson S. Brown, one of the Trustees; gave
an account of confession made to him by
one of the boys, in regard to the agency of him
selfand associates in causing the fire, corrobor-