Middletown transcript., 1876-05-20

The CRIME OF ARsoN.-The alarming prevalence Of
the crime Of arson which costs the country fifty millions
year. and for which the convention of fire underwriters
have been trying to find preventive proceeds mainly
from two motiveshe malicious or revengeul motive and
the mercenary insurance award motive There also
in which the crime perpetrated means of COW
erng up other crime Persevering research aided
by the guidance thus furnished ought to lead to the dis
covery Of the offenders large proportion Of instances
The fire underwriters have OF course the best OF reasons
for prosecuting their researches in the event of any ncen
diary fire by which they lose money but they have not
yet been able to establish effective system Of detection
in their interest Insurance companies are not the
only parties concerned in the suppression OF this crime
People whose property uninsured and the tenants Of all
houses and stores whether insured not concerned
In fact it is crime that affects the whole community and
that often results in the destruction Of life well
property The ncendary public enemy, against whom
the hand of every man should be rased and with whom
Justice should always be the law will allow
A wicked young girl in Buffalo, named Caroline Fox
pleaded guilty to the charge Of having set fire to ns
tuition there known the ngiede Home, of which she
had been inmate and upon the managers of which she
desired to take revenge She sent by the court to
Randalls island until discharged by law Two
named Skdmore tried in Suffolk county for firing
house, the flames Of which consumed three and
woman against whom the accused had made threats but
no insurance company interested In their conviction
and the evidence offered insufficient to it.
Cases like these with such results would be less frequent
than they some devised of securing the
writers in the suppression Of all ncendiarsm, without
gard to the incident of insurance-Ne,o York Sun
THEY WOULD Born BE CAUGHT.-Some years ago
bill was introduced in the Indiana Legislature to tax all
attorneys and ackasses $40O each Mr. Norris. citizen
of Somerset county, Nd, having gotten hold Of it. and
greatly e1ated at the joke upon lawyers, called Hon.
John w Crsfed, prominent lawyer of the town which
bears his name.
"Good morning, Mr.. Cris6eld."
aGood morning, Mr.. Norris" reoined the former
"Have you heard the news from Indiana p pursued
Mr.. Norris.
"What is that" replied the other.
"WhY they of sense IN Indiana; they get
ting up law there to tax all the lawyers and ackasses in
that State $500 apiece replied the latter rubbing his
hands with pleasure at the thought.
The veteran lawyer reflected moment on the nforma-
ton, and then gravey rejoined:
aWel friend Norris, it lucky for you and that
we don't live in Indiana; they Uould catch both Of as
A Georgian owns a place eighteen miles south of St
Augustine Florida, where he raises big crop Of straw
berries He drove to ST. Augustine with his first lot of
Strawberries last Christmas sold them at the fancy
price of $3.50 per quart On the fifth Of January he sold
his fruit 81 quart About the first Of February his
price seventyfve cents Before the season was over
the market price lowered to twenty-five cents