The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-06
CITK RNTELLIGE ENCE.
FIENDISHNESS.


More DEVELOPMENTS in the Walt Arson Case
A Determined Attempt ut Destruction OF
Prsperty-HOw the Plans wero Lnid3 aud
How Discovered.
Among the true bills found by the Grand
Jury yesterday was one for arson against Mrs.
Catharine Wait. The facts OF the case are yet
fresh In the public mind, and on Saturday we
chrOnicled the attempt to procure the escape
of the prisoner on straw bail. The following
additional information has lust come to light.
The properties Nos. 429 and 431 n.
Eighth street are. owned by. the estate
of Jacob Weckerly, deceased. 1t will
be remembered that No. 43l, where the fire and
explosion occurred, was occupied by Mrs. Wait.
About one month previous to the explosion Mrs.
Partung who keeps an asslgnation house on
,Julianna street. and who is a sister OF Mrs.
Wait made application for renting No. 429,
stating that she intended using 1T as boarding
house, similar to her sisters. Negotiations ad-
vanced so far that the fence dividing the two
yards were about being torn down, when the
agent of the estate learning that Mrs. Partung
intended keeping an assignaLion house. refused
to grant her possession. After this refusal the
devlish plot was Matched, which fortunately did
not succeed.
Since the fire the premises have been occu-
pied by tailor named Francis Reichert On
Sunday last, the roof leaking, Mr.. X. assembled
to the loft to remedy it, when looking around
he saw sufficient to cause him to send for Fire
Marshal Blackburn. The Fire Marshal visited
the place. and found shat from the time of the
negotiation named the Waits had had access to
the unoccupied premises. An investigation OF
the loft showed that close to the wall dividing
the two houses and near the chimney, had been
piled lot of combustible material, consisting
of newspapers, rags, low ball programmes,
and various other rubbish, and on the top
pound-paper bag containing half a pound of
gunpowder and amongst these papers was found
Mrs. Waits recept-book. Looking overhead, it
was discovered that train had been led
through an opening in the wall to the loft of
No 431, and thence to the third-story room,
where all prepa rations had been made for start
ing fire, and where an unsuccessful attempt
thereat was made. In this train was found
piece of the mosquito netting similar to that
used by Mrs. w. in her attempt, and also num-
ber of papers similar to those found IN the
closets of No. 431.
Tie whole affair had been so arranged that
on the beds in the third story OF No. 43l taking
fire, it would Immediately have communicated
to the loft of No. 429 by means OF the train, the
yunpowder would have then exploded, forcing
off the roof, and draft thus being given, the fire
would have had full sway, and both buildings
would have been destroyed.
1t is now supposed that this whole plot was
concocted by both Mrs. Parting and Mrs. Wait
out of revenge for the refusal of the agent to
rent the house to Mrs. Partung. 1t is further
supposed that Wait, who, it will be remem-
bered, up stairs alone all the afternoon before
the fire. made all the necessary preparation.
1t has been discovered also that the powder
was bought of Ben jamin Evans, No IO3 South
street. The daughter of Mr.. Evans states that
about the 18th Of March, two days previous to
the first fire and explosion, two young men had
purchased pound of powder, but no attention
was paid TO the matter. The bag found con-
tanned half a pound; the other half had been
used in No. 431
From the above our readers can conceive of
what these people are equal to, and the fiendish-
ness OF their natures. Since the imprisonment
of his wife Wait has dispCsg1 of her furniture to
secondhand dealer for $40, and is now spend
ing the money in debauchery.