Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-02-07
THE REBEL PLOT TO burn NEW
YORK.

NOHk.
An interesting report OF the proceedings OF
The police in 3errrtipg ont the New York phos-
Phorps incendlsriee, has been n biished, which
oisI els the idea that no steps had oeen taken TO
brtrg the criminals to justice. Secrecy on the
part OF the detectives was OF the utmost i'm
po1tance, and its strict obser vance has been
vel rewarded. Previous to the fires alluaed
TO- tne New York authorities were made aware
OF TUE presenc" OF suspected parties, who were
closely watched, and some of them prom ptlv
arlested on the outbreak of the fires IL was
sound that the incendiaries wer- from Canada,
sent by the rebel agent Wn l. McU1uald r.
A Nc Dol aid, his brother, dong busiusss in
New York, was arrested, and letters found
confirming the suspicious with respect to the
i'd nifty of the partips Buffalo, LIE wistcu tHs;
Suspension Bridge, ana all points along thS
border were closely watched. Two oficers'
were sent upon special service to search the
trains crossing At Niagara, and II necessary, 10
purs ue their Investigations further. Tins re-
suited after several days, in the arrest of Capt.
Bell. q native of Jefferson county, Va, and.
who commanded the piratical expedition or.
Lake Erie which captured the steamer Pnilo
ParsoDs. At the time of Belfs arrest he was
returning 10 Canada from an unsuccessful at
tempt TO throw OIL train OF cars and rob the
mails ana express safe, near Buffalo young
man named Anderson, q rebel spy, and another
nSmed BAKER were arrested aoout the same
time, after which the detectives started for
CANADA after the leaders, and were fortunate
enough TO have the parties for whom they were
seai ching enter the cars at St. Oaharine's.
Inc entire party took seats adjoining the
sent in " hich one of tie officers sat They had
rraSised thems selves with New York papers
which had come up on the same train, aud, 70
rebels, they manifested great deal OF an xiety
about the local affairs of the yankees :" espe.
cialiy in New York city. One of them was
seen TO read the announcement Of ssTwenty
thousand Dollars Reward" &c, and immedi-
ately passed il to his neighbor, whose counte-
nance assumed z uilp.like ex preston OF salts
faction, and, chuckling TO himself, he seemed
TO say, abe sure you catch us before you paw
the money" But little was said on the routs.
the officers occasionally ventnred remarks.
which Were eivilly replied 70. and essayed 70
get into conversation by loaning them such
late papers as they had in their Possession: hat
II was all TO little purpose; they received their
attention politely, but did not court intimacy.
AT night they went directly to the Anglo
American Hotel, here it appeared some of
them had rooms. The officers put MP at the
same place, and IL was not long before they
found opportunities TO become better &C.
quanted. One or two left the same evening
for Toronto, and IL soon became evident that
the others intended to remain Tor severs! days
at least at Hamilton. The officers according.
ly pushed on to Toronto, the headq uartsrs or
all the rebels in tina: part ef Canada. They
put mp at Queens Hotel and soon ascertainsd
that the Hon. Jacob hompson, OF Mississippi,
the general supervisor and directing AGENT
tor all the Canadas, was also guest OF the
house. Around him centred many of the lead.
ing rebels of Canada, and night and day yuera
alike spent in endea voring to get glim pse bs.
hind the screen which the rebels had CON
structed to hide them in their labors from the
Intel HeollHS tnIong VI OutSlQerS. All places
likely to be freQuented by any of the parues
We're visited by them, and at the trial of Bur-
ley, one OF the Lake Erie pirates. they became
acquainted with the face of r q. Kennedy,
alias Sidney Stanton, alias Richard Oobbe.
which finally led to his arrest.
Al this Juncture they received Information
which neeessltated their returning to the
Bridge, where they were met by Chief Yeure,
who deemed it important to have an interview
with Mcdonald. Several days were then
spent in efforts to secure a favorable meeting
with Mcdonald. which was finally accom-
pills he'd at Christmas dinner, at which ail the
leading rebels, including a sister OF John G.
Breckinridae, were present The onfldence
of Mcdonald was at last gained, ana mucS
important information cleaned from him. liz
coming to the knowledge Of the detectives that
n number OF the rebels were about To starr
South with passports and assumed names, a
watch was instituted at the four main avenues
OF travel connecting that section Of Canada
arrest OF X. y. Kennedy, alias Stanton He
admitted that he was the party who fired Bar
NUNS Museum, and stated that he intended TO
nave scattered phosphorus on the ladies'
dresses, but was prevented from doing so by
the fear that the alarm would be so sudden aa
to prevent his escape. 80 -
Mcdonald, who figures as rebel agent, was
formerly in the carriage business in Ne " York,
and just previous to the breaking out of the
war had completed large warehouse
"Southern Carriage Repository His trade
was almost exclusively with the South, and.
ike many other southern houses was COM
PEELED TO suspend business when the war shut
OH HE tIduc 1e subsequently obtained the
sutlersbip OF New Jersey brigade, and while
serving in that capacity was taken prisoner
np npd do legged In the Libby prison. He succeeded
derson, now serving as private secretary to
Mayor Gunther, who was then on parole: but
the War Department, not altogether satisfied
with the aspect Of the exchange, together with
other matters, issued a warrant for McDon-
AIDS arrest, which, however, he got wind or,
and managed to make good his escape to ST.
Johns. The next heard from him was the
Chesapeake affair, in which he proved TO be
the leading spirit. He next turned up at To.
roBto, ana was there appointed rebel agent.
Since he has been acting in this capacity he
has been working diligently TO get even with
his "persecutors," and, as the result OF his eff.
forts, we have had the st. Albans raid, the
Lake Erie piracy and the Georsiana affair,
having for Its object the release OF the prison.
ers on Johnson's Island and last, butnot least,
the attempt to burn New York city.
1t has been definitely ascertaned that only
SIX were engaged in firing the hotels, some OF
them setting fire 10 as many three. They
burn, and as soon as they fired one they would
nurly to the next. In this manner the same
III an fired the Belmont, Tan. m any and French's:
while another fired the st. James and St Mich.
olas. The parties engaged In il were mostly
young men, between the ages OF tWents.f1ys
and thirty.two years, and nearly all had for
merly been officers in the rebel armies
FIFANC1AL.-From yesterdays N. Y. Com.
mercial Advertiser.
The gold market is buoyant, though without
any great speculative activity. The peace ex-
element is spent and the tendency No ia foe