The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-05

The origin Of the destructive hre on Meetr
ing street yesterday morning, which was briefly
reported In yesterdays DAILY NEWS is stin In.
volved in mystery. 1t seems evident lat 1t was
the work OF an incendary from the fact that no one
connected with Mr.. Bssell's store had been about
the place since o'clock,on Thursday evening. At
about that hour Mr.. W. S. Bissell, his brother, and
Mr. Hutson Lee, who had been sitting In the
store, left the place, Mr. Blssell locking the
door and taking charge OF the Key. The
flames were first seen proceeding from the
stairway in the little alley just south Of the
hardware store and next to the vacant lot. This
place Is easily accessible from the street, and the
incendiary may very possibly have climbed over
the board fence, applied thetorch, and escaped In
the'same way before the tardy alarm was given.
One theory OF the motive for the act Is that some
negroes, excited by the events OF the few pre-.
ceding days, may have attempted to break into
the store for the purpose OF arming themselves
from Mr.. Blssells stock OF nre arms, and, falling
in this attempt, they may have Set the fire through
malice or perhaps accidentally, by dropping
match on the dry woodwork. A full investigation
will be made by the chief Of the Fire Department,
to whom the whole matter has seen referred.
rumor was circulated yesterday that the incendi.
ary had been captured; that he had confessed the
crime, and said that he committed Il because
Mr.. Bissel had discharged him from his employ.
ment for voting the Radical ticket, &C., but there
was absolutely no truth in the. report. Mr. Bis.
sell has had a colored man in his employ for some
time who is believed to have voted the Radical
Ticket but he had not been discharged for doing
so, and was about the. place all day yesterday
working with the rest at getting cut the damaged
stock, and clearing away the. wreck, which
would geem to avert suspicion Of the crime
from him. The inexcueable delay in ring
Ing the alarm was undoubtedly the cause
OF most OF the damage done by The
fre. The names were discovered at about 12.46
O'Clock, and messengers were dispatched to Mr..
Bissell's residence, and to the Guardhouse to
give the alarm. When Mr.. Bissell arrived shortly
atterward, there was not policeman to be seen
on the ground, aud 1t was not until abont 1.So
that the bells were rung. Then general alarm
was sounded, which was aflerward changed to
an alarm for Ward A. and about an hour after
ward an alarm for Ward was sounded. The
two buildings Nos. 1856 and 157 Meeting street.
we're completely gutted, Mr.. Bissell's stock OF
hardware being, with the exception OF o few arti.
cles, entirely destroyed. The building No. ISL
Meeting street was, fortunately, empty, Me:srs.
Falk i Co., clothing merchants, having removed
from there about two weeks ago. The stock OF
Messrs Nachmann & Co., dry goods dealers, No.
15s Meeting street, was slightly damaged by
smoke and water, their loss being fully covered
by insurance. Nos. l55 aud Isl are owned by the
estate OF q. F. Strohecler, and are damaged to
the extent OF $4,000. They were Insured as fol-
lows BY Mr.. A L. Tobias, $4,000 on No. ls7 in the
Imperial Insurance Company; $4,000 on No. l55 In
the Imperial Company, aud $4,000 on No. LOO IN
the Citizens Company, all Of New York. Mr..
Bsseil:s stock was insured by Mr.. Hutson Lee for
$4,000 In the Georgia Home Insurance Company
ofOolumbus.