Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1865-03-11
The Tncendiary Plot Unveiled

-fH Gho khcenuthry FIOt Unveiled
For long time Investigations have been
pushed with great eafnes,ness aud secresy.
under The uperintendence OF chief de ectiye
Young Of the New York police force 10
ferret out the gang of incendiares who
projected general scheme for burning the
cities OF the north last simmer, and to
very partial extent, succeeded in CARRYING
the plot into execution Owing to the
vigilance and skill with which the operations
of the detectives have been conducted the
whole conspiracy has been unraveed aud
a number of leaders ARRESTED. Before the
fres broke ont in New York city, the
police were aware of the exstance of some
scheme of the kiud, but the officer in charge
did not feel aulhorzi I'd I'm Ike any arrests. =.
Stveral arr estS however were made on
the night Of the attempted conAagration.
which proved Of great advantage in the
further prosecution of the enterprise. De.
tective Young became convinced that the
incendiaries were rebel emssaries from
Canada. acting under the direction of one
w. l.. McDonsld, rebel agent, with head.
qunrters at Toronto. A resolution was a.
once formed 10 pursue the criminals Ds.
patches were seut to the different crossings
along the frontier, notifying the officials
that suspected parties were on the way to
Canada, and enjoying the utmost vigilance
10 secure their capture. Descriptions of
the persons also accompanied the instruc.
tlous Several detectives proceeded to the
Suspension Bridge, and before long had
the satisfaction Of penetrating the Disguise
III which the notorious Clpf. Bell attempt
ed7to mask his identity. Ho was arrested
and taken to The police headquarters in
New York city. Bell is ualive of Vir.
glnla, about thirty two years old, educated
at The Virginia University, and at the
commencement of the war, man of very
great wealth. He enlisted early, aud for
while served ia the corps of Stonewal
jackson. lie commanded the piratical
expedition on Lake Erie which captured
the Ph:lo Parsous, aud subsequently made
daring attempt to rob the cars between
Buffalo and d Inkirk. Auorher young man
calling bniSelf w. II. Aud erson was also
arrested at The same time, aud proved Il
valuable acquisition, as be turned out to be
"a spy of three years experience at the
Subsequently the detectives determined
10 push their researche, into the very heart
OF The rebel colon es, locited at St. Cathe
rine's, Hamilton aud Toronto At these
places the rebles have complete police
system of their own, which renders access
to their ranks or their secrets extremely
ficult. But skllful detectives were o.
the scent and wee not to be baffl ID BY
any common obstacles. They managed tt
ride on the same trains, stop at the san
hotels, eat at the same tables, drink at The
same bar, play billiards at The same Sd.
looms, till little by little they unraveed he
thread of the conspiracy. and suppewenting
one scrap Of information by another, &C
qnired an ex ensiye acquaintance with the
history, experiences and designs of the
gang. At this jnnci lure NJ Young succes-
ded in decoyins Mcdonald to Clifton,
where he had an interview under al
assumed character and wormed out many
facts which compile ely bridged the chusmS
in the testimony that rem lined to be span
ned. Med )nald returned to Toronto
where U. 5. detectives continued 10 culii
vale his intimacy. BY happy combiua
tion of strategy and fortune, the officer
now ascertained that the incendares pro
posed soon to leave Canada for tn
south and learned also the names to b
assumed in their passports.
! A corps was organized to watch th
crossings along the border, and detective
were on the alert night and day. Eacl
train from Canada was closely scrulinized
Some time after, STANTON very despe
rate character was arrested at Detroit aut
brought to New York. He made severa
bold atemps to escape on The way. III
confessed that be was the man who fret
Barnum's Museum. He went in with lh
horrible intention of scattering phosphoru
over the dresses of the ladies' present, bu
was afraid that the conhagation might b
so rapid as to prevent his escape.
This w. l.. Mcdonald was formerly Ell
gagged iI the carriage basineSs in Ne1
York city, his trade being almost exclusive
lY with the south. Broken up by the war b
went out as suttler of New Jersey reg
ment, was captured. and lodged in Lii
by prison, He subsequently secure
q special exchange which bore mark
of suspicion ard led 10 an order ft
bis arrest. He, howevsr, escaped, to S
Johns was appointed rebel agent, and ha
since been conspicuous in the numerol
attempts to raid ecross the border.
Only six men We're engaged in firing Il
hotels, some setting fire to as many
three. They were oil young men aud hs
J gederally been officers in the rebel army.