Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-03-31
The Plot TO Burn New York.
KENNEDY's CONFESSION.

After my escape from 5ohnson's island went
direct to Canada, where met number of Con
tedefate officers. They asked me if | was will
ing to go on ON expedition | said, eyes, il
IT'S in the service Of my country" To which
thcy replied, " It's all right;" but gave no in
tihation as TO its nature, nor did | Gsk for any
was shortly after sent u New York, where
ypent some time. There were eight Of US in the
party, aud after we had been In the city three
weeks, We were told that the object Of the oxpo-
diton was to retaliate on the North for the afro
cities of Sheridan in the Shenandoah yaloy. II
was originally iatended TO set fire 10 the city on
tho night Of the Presidential election, but az the
phosphorus was not prepared, it was postponed
until the night Of the 25lh Of November. OF
the original party, two fed 10 Canada, leaving
| but six | was at first stopping at the Belmont
House, in Fulton street, but afterwards moved
into Prince street.
| act lire to four hotoa-or rather 10 Barnum'e
Museum, LOvGjOy's Hotel, TRmmany Hotel, and
the New England House. The others only set
fire to The house in which each was stopping,
and then cut Off Had the entire eight done as
| did, We would have set fire to thrty-tRo
houses, and played big joke on the FIRE depart
mont.
know that am to he hung for setting fire
to Barnum's Museum, but the fact is that that
affair was simply reckless joke. had no idea
OF doing it, but when we were in there, for the
mere fun Of the thing, | empted n bottle of
phosphorus on the floor, just to scare the peo-
pie. ] knew il wouldn't set fire to wood, for VIC
had tried that before, and had at one time about
concluded to give it up. There was no fendish-
ness about it. The Museum was set on fire by
mercst accident, after had been drinking, and
just for the fIh of scare.
After setting fire to my four places, walked
the street all night until near morning, when
went to the Exchange Hotel There we all met
tue next morning, and again at night My friend
and had rooms there, but we sat most of the
day 10 the office, reading the papers, while the
detectives, who Wore thick watched u.s. | ex-
pected then that | should be caught, and If
caught expected to die. Had done 80 then
il would have been all right, but think now il
is rather rough. escaped to Canada, as did all
the rest, and very glad was to get safely across
the bridge. ] was restless, however, and want |
ed to rejoin my command. | started with nv |
friend via Detroit. Just before we reached tho |
city he received an intmatOn that the deteot-
ives were on the lookout for US, and, giving me |
signal, be jumped from the cars i didn't no.
tice tue signal, but kept on and was arrested |
in tho depot.
wish to say that the killing of women and |
children was the last thing we thought of, We |
wanted to leb tho people of the North under |
stand and feel that there are two sides to this |
war, and that they can't he rolling in wealth |
and comfort while VIC ut the South are bear
ing ali tho hardshps aud privations In retail
iaton for Sheridan's atrocities in the Shenan-
doah We desired to destroy property, not the
lives Of women aud children, although that
would Of course have followed in the train.
This was taken down by tie writer, in the
presouce Of Col. Burke, and forwarded to Gen.
Dix the next morning.-N 4, Times.