New-York tribune., 1873-01-09
IN INGENIOUS LNCENDL4RY
FIABORATE PREPARATIONS FOR FIRING A
wAREUOUsE-THE PRIsONEES RECORD IN
CHARLESTON.

ELABORATE PREPARATIONS FOR FIRING
WAREHOUsE-THE PRIsONEHS RECORD IN
CHARLESTON.
The remarkable preparations made to de-
sroy the large warehouse. Nos. 70 and 81 Murrayst
and the ingenious nature OF the intended incend1y
instruments to that end, described in yesterdays
TRIBUNE Fire Marshal IcSpedon continued the exam
nadon OF witnesses yesterday and drew forth strong
testimony against the suspected man, william H. hldn'
liquor dealer occupying the second floor OF No. 50
Murrny-s and present prisoner In one OF the cells
Of Police Headquarters.
Mr. Kldds porter, who has been In the employment OF
the accused nearly eight years. testified that r Kidd
was formerly in business in Charleston, where three
years ago his store destroyed by fire and he had
great trouble recovering his insurance from the nsur
ance companies, there being policy of 5000 on small
quantity Of liquor The porter also said that Mr. hidd
failed I'm business three months age, and settled with his
creditors by paying them 40 cents on the dollar.
policeman stationed I'm the store ater RddS arrest
te ied that in barrel be found three partly filled
with gunpoWder. The shoppers were missing from the
cans: but they afcrward found In Plltt Boyas
warehouse, next door. Another wnc testhed tha ne
found bundle OF brown paper saturated Win satpe,
between two boxes the top floor Of Pl1tt & Boyds
warehouse. BE also found candle drppings uson the
scute stairs aud or the top noor and also the soRRerS
OF tho pOwderasks. Detective Mcdonald OF the Third
Precinct said that Kidd had said there was about $1,000
worth OF liquor in his store, upon which there was an
Joseph sheppard testified in part live at No 322
No So urray-st; have been in Mr. Kdds store over
seven years five OF these years were spent in this city
and two years In Charleston, fron which city Mr. KIDD
came in 1865; Mr. Kidd was in the liquor business in
Charleston. at Frazers Wharf and East Bay; was IN
leased entire double building, which very large
of the empty and the other was occupied
had been seized by the revenue officers some time
before but he had got everything straight and TINS re
Of whisky on the third floor we had about S5 bar
the upper floor Saturday and saw the whisky there
the fro occurred on the following Tuesday Mr hldd
and myself each had keys TO the store the whisky was
very common stock think he had about 5000 insur-
ance do not know how much he recovered; the stock
1000 from the insurance companlos he did not get the
money until to New York 1t was claimed that
Mr. Kidd came here he went into business with Edward
Voge and Augustus YOge in Cedar-st. near West-sti
think it No $50 Cedar-s one OF the brothers con
timed with him until last March, and since then ne mas
been alone we have occupied onr premises Tour
years. Mr. Kidd only hired the rst lott bnt 1ad care OF
the upper part while was empty the upper ooIs nave
vacant since last May Mr. Kidd had the key OF tho
door leading up the third floor the key kept tn
OF the Office desk until the last three weebs
WI When nj s An one Gy M Kdd 70 U Ear qP ~ and he had il
in his pocN he has kept possession Of 1t ever since be
had an understanding with the landlord within two
weeks that he should have possession OF the upper oofa
and that he might let them If be could; he had some
furniture on the tnlrd hoor oI Issfy TWO rionlsi the
first floor was occupied by some one LOT storing apples
| last at the store on Dec 81 1872; went nome
since until yesterday sent my son to the store 70
remain there while / was sick; my son would tell
I during T et' the day; he tod me last Saturday
OF having purchased q quantity OF brown paper
and boiled ii on stove lie asked me what that was for
and told him ] did not know; did not know what
amount OF insurance he had; believe the furniture up
stairs and IN the Office insured for $780, but do not
know what insurance he had on stock there was no lamp
OF candle wick in the the day lett IL; Mt KIDD
came 70 Charleston from Cincinnati after the war; he
failed in business about three months ago. but settled
with his creditors by paving them 40 cents on dollar IN
aS own notes oeSyf @ b e % m ia 9f s91d i've e many nv notes
his br.fu pre had n g. /:
expenses but these were not very arSS ne keps me
books; l have seen tho brace and bit shown me
before oil the piece OF board was part OF
an oil painting which kept in the OF the sore
mover saw any cans OF gnnpowier IN the store
PattisOn jolly testified In part; am patrolman at
taohed TO the Third Precinct Police l was placed IN
charge the premises No 50 MURRAY ST. on the night or
Jan c; afer tne arrest OIL Mr. hlud diseoVered thIee
TASKS Of POWDER wrapped up IN aheWspApes, IN par
rel standing the hatchWay OF the second oor OF the
part Of the budins the powderllasks shown are the
ones found Of them had tops the tops Of two
Of them were given me by young man IN Tue employ
Patt Boyd, who said he found them On the fourth
floor OF their building; there piece OF red tape on
the end OF Of then, when he handed them 70 me;
did not tt the tops IN the mask; gave the tops 10 ocer
Mcdonald take 10 the statiOnhOuse; the TASKS took
there myself; they al filed, partly filed with
powder whom fou1d them, and in the same condtion as
now, with the exception OF the tops.
Platt Sutherland testified reside at No. ll5 Dean-s
Brooklyn, and am shipping agent for Platt Boyd yes
terday afternoon 1 was directed make exanina-
ton or our premises TO see could hnd any evidence
OF the late attempt t0 hre them and the building adOn
ing on tho fourth floor OF building, upon boxes OF
glass, found two tops OF powder-h4sks and handed
them OIccr Jolly Of the Third Precinct on the floor
above between boxes Of glass found several strips OF
brown Wrappingpaper saturated with saltpeter and
rolled up In bunch the paper similar to that
shown ine also discovered wax candle marks the
scutte the top door and the stairs lead
ing down from the top floor; have candles in
store but We have used any two months
noticed the candle marks before or the brown wrapping
paper. or the tops Of powderhas
Detective Mcdonald of the Third Precinct, testified
that discovered abundant proof Of attempted
and arrested Mr. Kidd.