The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-12-11

Story IN In hekaru w WV
Attempt 10 Set the Court House on
Fire-Meeting ofthe Board Of Pub
lie Works.
The most interesting subject of con-
versation, yesterday, on the streets, was
the suspicious aroused by the various
rumors and cross stories afOat that an in
cendiary had something to do with the
alarm of fire on Tuesday last, caused by
smoke issuing from the belfry of the
Court House.
This feeling received its strength from
the fact that several cakes of kindling
material of an inGanmable nature were
discovered by Officer schultz on one of
the desks in the Court room earl y on
Thursday morning. The affair seemed
so strange to Deputy Sheriff Kennedy
that he reported all the circum-
stances to the Governor, who thought
them of sufficient importance to call the
members of the Board of Public Works
together and have the matter fully in
vesticated. accordingly the Board
met yesterday and sent for Mr.. Wilson
Kennedy, who on his arrival said in sub
stance as follows: That on Tuesday
last one of the watchmen discovered
door leading to the belfry forced open
and On further investigation noticed
some bricks and mortar removed from
the flue, which leads from Justice Toll
vars office, IN the basement, that made
an aperture large enough 10 run your
list in. This excited Mr.. kennedys sus-
picions that all was not right, and a de-
termination to keep close watch
hereafter" 1t is most likely the
cause too, of the alarm OF
fire on last Tuesday; as smoke was seen
arising from the belfry, yet no fire was
discovered in the immediate vicinity and
the supposition is that it passed through
the newly made hole in the tiue and
thence into the belfry." "On Thursday
morning about break of day, Waichman
Shultz let son of Mr.. Daily's, the
Janitor of the State House, enter the
building, whose duty it is to dust oil the
desks oil the delegates. This boy is about
10 years old. After being there awhile
he laid package of these intiammable
cakes of klndling on one of the desks.
The Waterman called him to task about
il and his answers were of such an evasive
nature that he, the Waterman, reported
the circumstance at once to Mr.
Kennedy. Mr.. X. Immediately repaired
to the Court House, where he found
tho boy lettering. Aftera few questions
the answers to which were not saLisiac-
tory he ordered the boy out Of the Court
House. During the interval, while the
Waterman was after Mr.. Kennedy, the
kindllng which had been placed on the
desk had been, removed, save small
piece, which is now in Mr.. Kennedy'S
possession"
The Board sent for Janitor Daily, who,
when questioned on the subject, stated
that by the advice Of Sergcant-at-Arms
Mofiat, he bought some of this kindling,
which is mixture Of fine wood, turpen-
tine and roSin, to facilitate the lighting OF
fires. He also produced the order from the
Sergeant-at-Arms, authorizing him to
make the purchase, and the bill from the
grocer for the same He was in
the habit of sending one Of his boys to
the Senate chamber and the other to the
House of Delegates, and ut the time the
boy had the kindling i'll his possession,
it was for the purpose of lighting The
fires in the Senate Committee
rooms. 1t is supposed the boy had failed
to give the klndling to his brother
through thoughtesness. Some further
investigation was had, and the conclusion
unanimously arrived at by the Board, was
that JanitoG Daily was entirely blamcless
and therefore perfectly exonerated. At
the same time the members advised Mr..
Daily not to permit his youngest soa to
assist hun in his duties hereafter.
We publish these details of the inves-
tigation and decision arrived at by the
Board of Public Works, as much in jus
tice to the Janto- US to dlspcl the many
wild and erroneous stories which are
shoat IN relation thereto. Our citizens
are not readily excited or alarmed about
trihes, but when the circumstances of the
Washington Hall fire are considered, and
at so recent period, it
is but natural for them
to manifest lively interest on the sub
ject, hence their present sensitivencss.
Incendiarism comes under the worst
category Of crimes, particularly when
life is involved, and just now if our peo-
pie were compelled TO tussle with Il Gull
prit of this kind, 1t is doubtful whether
the judge would have an opportunity to
hear his case.
Since writing the above, the fol low
ing information has been received from
one of The members of the State Board of
Public Works, which includes some
further particulars in regard to the mat
ter, worth perusing:
The Board of Public Works, on yes
tcrday, made full investigation of the
rumored attempt to fire the Court House.
II Ia, H,n.n Of =