The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-12-11

CoURT HousE.-Our readers will re-
member that on Thursday morning we
noticed briefly slight fire at the Court
House the previous day. 1t was not
deemed expedient at the time, however,
for certain reasons not necessary to state,
to make public the fact that the ire was
without doubt the work OF an incendiary.
Immediately after the House OF Dele
gates convened in the Court House the
Committee on Court House and Jail OF
the Board Of Commissioners held a
special meeting and wisely concluded to
take such measures Of precauttOn Us
would probably preventa repetition OF the
Washington Hall disaster. The commit
tee appointed Mr.. Henry Schultz to look
alter the Court House at night during
the session Of the Legislature, and
had new locks put upon the
outside door Of the building and
upon the door Of water closet in the
second story, from which ladder leads
to the beliry. On the morning the fire
was discovered in the belfrythe door Of the
water closet mentioned above was found
broken open, tho lock having been forced
of. Several bricks had been taken out
Of the Aue, in two different places, and
the fire was located near this Aue. Some
combustible material was also found near
the burning timber, The fire was easily
extinguished, as We have already stated.
The JanitOr Of the Legislature, Mr..
Patrick Daily, by virtue OF his Office, has
had in his possession since the Leg
stature was burned out Of Washing
ton Hall a key Of the Court House,
Daily's, youngest son, Joe by name,
was noticed by Waterman Schultz on
Thursday morning before daylight enter
ing the Court House. The boy carried q
mysterious looking package under his
arm, and Schultz cautiously followed
him. Joe proceeded to the room oCcu.
pied by the House, and Schultz stopped
at the door to watch him. Going imme'
diately to the Speakers desk, Joe there
deposited his bundle and was about to
open II when the Waterman stepped for
ward and demanded what he was doing
there. The yOungster replied that he had
been sent by his iather to dust the desks,
at the same time Gndeavoring to hide the
package under his coat. Schultz took the
paper from him by force, and upon
opening it discovered that 1t contained
a quantity OF rosin, turpentine and
sawdust. Upon being inerrOgated the
boy stated that he used this Combustible
material for kinding fires, and he intend
ed to take it to the Senate Chamber lin
the Mcclure IIousC) for that purpose,
Now as both the Court House and Senate
Chamber are heated by steam. This
story the Waterman looked upon as rath-
or thin. Deputy Sheriff Kennedy was
notified Of the suspicious conduct Of the
boy, and himself informed Mr.. Monroe,
Speaker of the House, Of the facts of the
case, the boy, before leaving the Court
House, deposited his combustiblc materi-
al underneath book case at the foot Of
the stairway in the lower hall.
Mr.. Monroe forwarded the information
he had received to Gov. Jacob, who sent
message to the Sergeant.at-Arms Of
the House, directing him to take immed.
late charge Of the Court House, take the
key OF the same from Mr.. Daily, and for.
bid any member Of that illustriOus fami-
ly about tho premises. Previous TO this
message, however, the insurance men
heard Of the affair, and those holding
risks on the Court House notified the
Clerk OF Commissioners that unless some
prompt action was taken In the premises
looking to the safety Of the building they
would remove their insurance.
Yesterday afternoon the Board Of Pub
lie Works, consisting OF Gov. Jacob, At
torney General Mathews, School Superin.
tendent Byrne, Treasurer Burdett and
Auditor Bennett, held n meeting at the
State House 10 investigate the supposed
inCGndiarism. Col, J. W. Kennedy,
Deputy Sheriff, was summoned before the
Board and testified as to the facts given
above. The Board decided, on account
Of JOe's extreme youth Che is about ten
years old) that lie be merely removed
from the employ Of the State and not al.
lowed about the public buildings.
Patrick Daily the Janitor, was com.
PEELED to give up the key Of the Court
House to Sergeant.at.Arms MOIlitt. The
Fourth Governor" was very wrathy ut
this invasion upon his official duties, and
announced that he parted with the key
under protest, threatening horrible
vengeance upon those who had attempted
to dethrOne him.
OF course the above disclosures have
created no little excitement in the city,