Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-03-13
COLUMBUS.
Nunerou. Attsmr.. 70 Burn the city.

COLUMBUS, O., March s.-The condition
of affairs in this city during the past week
has been such as to excite very great
alarm in the community, and at this
writing there seems to be as little chance
/ as ever of the apprehension of the devils
/ iucarnate, who go about the city under
cover of darkness and light fires in the /
places most likely to expose alike the |
| houses of the Industrious poor and the |
well-to-do citizen, and imperiling not only /
large amounts of property, but the lives
of women and children. There are phases
| of this fiendish work that indicate the
purpose of an organized conspiracy to
burn the city. At the same time it is a
curious fact that with all the score or
more of fires that have been set, there
have been no reported cases of robbery,
such as would be expected in connection
with such OutlawFY.
The conduct of the seoundrels last night
appeared like defiant acceptance of the
challenge of the large and deeply earnest
meeting of citizens held early in the even
ing, at the Board of Trade rooms, to con-
slider the best means Of putting an end to
: these outrages. The meeting was in ses-
sion about an hour, and for some hours
e after the adjournment there was nothing
: to disturb the quiet of the city; but an
hour or more after midnight fires broke
out simultaneously in several stables in
unexposed quarters of the city north of
e the Capital about mile. The night was
V still and clear, and the hose company
: speedily got the flames under control and
3 frustrated the evident design of the in
II cendiaries to burn dWelfng-houses in the
n vicinity. While the work of the FIRE de-
f. partment in this locality. was, yet unfin-
q ished, suddenly the sky was lighted from
u three or four barns which had been fired
IS within two squares of the State House,
at and on the same block on which stands
=, the Cathedral, and within a few feet OF
several private residences. 1t was now
III nearly. 3 O'Clock in the morning, and ye
the streets were speedily filled with ex-
cited men and women, and the case WoutC
os have been serious at that moment for any
- person taken under circumstances Civ
IL ing any color of suspicion to his move
as ments. Indeed, one great peril in th'
a present intiamed condition of the popu-
% lace is that mob-laW may attempt to ad
minister in its rough way that iustic'
8d which the civil authorities have failed t.
nd secure, and that as usual in such cases in
re nocent lives may be sacrificed.
&C. The last above mentioned fires Wer
suppressed by that vigorous effort whie
uI characterizes all of the movements of on
, it splendid Fire Department. 1t is possibl
is that, influenced by the immunity whic
the scoundrels have enjoyed in their at
ventures for week, they may become s
- much more daring as to invite capture
set but with Board of Police Commissioner
m in charge who seem strangely unmindfI
~ of the pressing demand for special and e
ficient measures, the outlook is not assn
1t ing.
he GoLUMBUs, o., March 9.-Last nigh
of for the first timesin one week, the city e
capped incendiary fires. The action of Il
al Citizens Committee and the City Counc
together with nearly one thousand mt
ces patrolling every alley and avenue in Il
- city during the entire night, rendered Il
uH setting of buildings on fire too haZardo
in an undertaking for even the despera
mi characters who haYe been engaged in
red during the past week, by which upwar
oso of 800, ,OO0in property has been destroye
oS0 Various opinions exist as to who col
der posed the gang of villains at work, sol
,as- being of the opinion that a branch of t
Ubo Mollie Maguires have established thel
- selves in this locality, while another pc
pm ton of the community believe that
discharged convicts fromthe penitentia
non are the guilty ones. The latter opinion
gaining precedence. There is one noti
anu able fact, however, which can not be Oy
Tent looked, and that is that the first inet
just diary fire was discovered directly af
Vara the result of the Democratic primaries
the I'd inst. was known, in which
e H. hummer element carried the day by no
gun mating Colonel Neiu Dennison, son
off, Ex-Governor Dennison, for Mayor. ]
r,,r. nomination was made against the pres
80, incum bent, Heilman, strong point bei
TOSS on account of his forcing the railrt
ward rioters to terms during the great strik'
skif 1877.
was ~ me no tf - iifS a.
ltire that sorie of the Tailroad rioters h
bout taken part in the events of the past +
was days. The entire city will be patrol
,ro1- for the present by the militia and spe
- officers, in addition to the regular fol
'looh Tonight all is quiet. 7 a. ~
: The citizens are determined to ornam
the Iamp-posts with the incendiarie
caught. Some are more of, the opir
'1-f that it is the work Of persons endeavo1
a to Oust the present police force on
slical grouna OF me 4lliltl'
and uoil specIal poilce uuCy -Hisnt'
slider 5t-+ '---------