Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-11-28
THE EVENING STAR.
The ATTEMPT TO BURN THE CITY
OF NEW YORK.

Discovery Of q Vast Rebel Conspiracy
Full Development of the PlotIArrest OF
-Four OF the Principals-One OF Mofgan's
6uerrillas Implicated.
The New York Herald says:
The plan of firing the hotels suggests the
theory that some person well versed in chem
hotels the materials used seem to have been
turpentine and phosphorus. The phosphorus
was in solution, placed In glass walls Of six or
eight ounces capacity. These walls were sealed
with plaster Of Paris TO prevent the air from
coming in contact with their contents. 1t Is
unnecessary to explain that, at ordinary tenn
goes combustion. These bottles were found in
the rooms Of the hotels, generally on the upper
hoors, unsealed, and the beds were saturated
with turpentine, which some people suppose
contained phosphorus in solution. bat which
probably was net the case, the intention being
that the beds and clothes should readily catch
tne name created by the ignition Of the phos
phorus. In all the rooms black leather valises
were found containing bottles of phosphorus
and turpentine. The carpet on the floors, the
sheeting, curtains, beds, towels and all other
available articles were spattered with the m
hammable material At the Fifth Avenue Ho-
tel set OF cartridges soaked in turpentine
was discovered. These were Intended I'M
doubleday to explode and scatter the flame In
every direction
The theory of Fire Marshal Baker is that be-
tween 25 and 100 persons were Implicated In
the plot, and that it was to have been consum-
mated on Thanksgiving day, with q view to
creating the greater CONSERVATION. Mr.. Baker
Is led to this view. by the fact that certain
writings have been found in some of the black
valises seized, in which there is mention OF a
meeting Mat was to have taken place on
Thanksgiving day This meeting was to occur
inihe Metropolitan Hotel. Whether it ever
came of OF not is unknown as yet. But this
8 M. Baker considers certain that the arrange
ments were to commence the firing on Thanks
giving night, and that the operation was post
poned for someiuDdiscovered reason; also, that
the idea in selecting such a day was to create
the impression In the South that the deed was
fH,r rkr 80 -koN
digpant at the election OF Mr.. Lincoln and de-
termined to resist his authority.
The chief conspirator is believed to be q
member of Morgan's old command, and one of
the prisoners, it is said, who escaped with
others of Morgan's men from the penitentiary
At Columbus, Ohio He was captured ON the
blockade runner Rouen, while trying to make
his way into the Contederacy to Join his COM
mand, and was sent 10 Fort Lafayette. While
there he made oath to being British subject,
and long correspondence ensued between
Secretary Seward and Lord Lyons in relation
to him. which resulted in his release from Fort
LafaJ1te, aboat two weeks since. a portion
of that time he has been staying at the Lafarge
House. and was there, occupying room No. 2U3
at the time of his arrest.
The original plan of the marauders was to
have simultaneously fired the hotels at the
lower and upper parts of the city, and while
the fire department. and the police had their at
tentlon distracted TO these remote portions OF
the city, to fire the hotels and other public
buildings in the more central points. The next
step would have been to have fired the ship
ping, beginning with the hay barges, which
they had the idea could be fired and pushed
up alongside the ships and steamers, and thus
destroy vast amount of property. During
Inc enactment OF these scenes three Of the more
desperate OF the gang were TO have proceeded
to the task of destroying the iron clads now in
the haIbor. To this end they had provided
themselves with numerous appliances, among
which was large quantity of Greek fire. AS
nearly Gs possible these steps were to be taken
together, or at least so close upon each other as
to render detection by the police almost an I'M
possibility.
In carrying out this plan ii was not thought
prudent TO trust the affair in the hands of
southern men who had been long enough in
This city to get touch of Unionism. 1mporta-
tons were made direct from Richmond, Pc
tersburg and Canada of men sworn to accom-
plish the dreadful work. The detectives be-
arriving from the South and the provinces, but
could not get any hints as to their designs. So
long as ten days ago they were aware that some
plot was afoot, but could not succeed in arri-
wing - it. They learned, however, that me
time fixed upon for the performance Of q GER
tain eseees Of work was about the ith of Decem
Thus far four Of the principal parties con.
cerned have been arrested, and with them so
much OF the means that had been provided
carry on the work as had not yet been expsnd-
ed. The money was in gold and was found in
the safe OF the treas urer of the organization,
who is now under arrest The work is still
going ON, and by the time this paragraph is
read IL is probable that majority of the par
Sies concerned will be in custody.
In the nrst place, 1t was ascertained beyond
q doubt that several rebel officers had left Can
ada, from Toronto and it's vicinity, TO come TO
New York; that il had been " whispered among
their confreres that their object was to burn the
city, and it was presum II would take place
on or about the day of election, they being
strong in the faith that there would be riot on
that day, which would be q Godsend to them;
that, by taking advantage Of the confusion and
tumult conseg uent upon such a state OF things,
they could accomplish their nefariOus plan
with impunity. In this, however, they were
disappointed, and were compelled TO conduct
their operations with greater caution to pre-
vent detection, and be IT said 10 their yillainous
credit they managed TO cover the evidence of
their intentions very adroitly. The gentleman
above referred TO knows by sight and name
several of the prominent parties, and has on
one OF two occasions since his arrival met
them in the streets. II is evident they seldom
yentured out during the day and never at
night at public places. They had q work to
perform, and never lost sight of nor leopard
lied It's success by inJudiciously exposing Them
selves. They scattered themselves around the
city at various hotels and lodging places, fire.
quently changing abodes in order that their
faces might not become too familiar, or their &C
tons excite the scrutiny OF the hdbitusS OF the
place.
The phosphorus with which they expected to
accomplish their GiabolIcal purpose was I'M
doubtsdly purchased in this city. as were also
the accompanying ingredients found in the
bottles at the various hotels which they had
selected as sacrifices on the altar Of their rebel
and satanic revenge The infiammable nature
the almost impossIbllty of extinguishing it
when once ignited, led them, no doubt, to
employ II as the agency best calculated to COM
plete the work OF destruction.
1t was noticed that in every room where the
phosphorus was found the windows and all
aperrures for the admission Of air and yentila-
ton were tightly closed. This was their great
mistake, which, no doubt, arose through acct
dent rather than ignorance Of the necessity for
free circulation of air for quick and rapid com
bustion. Had they not committed this fatal
error, in ali probability the internal work they
had laid out for themselves would have been
quickly and thoroughly accomplished.
1t has been observed for some time past that
persons wearing the uniform and claiming the
rank OF officers In the United States army and
navy, yet personally unknown, have been
stopping at many Of our hotels. Suspicion falls
upon some OF these parties, and the police have
already taken charge Of several Of them. The
probability Is that some Of those implicated in
the fiendish attempt OF Friday night left the
city Immediately.
General Dix has issned the following order