Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-04-29
THE BUGS CAPTURED
A Startling Piece Of Detective
Work.
Discovery of the Boys Who Have Been Doing
The IneendiaY Work in the cit-A
Full Confession From One .-=
lust Did II For Fun.
TINE LEGENDARY MYSTERY SOLVED.

The city will no doubt be thunder
struck, this morning, upon receipt Of the
information that the authors of the incen-
diary fires which have recently been filing
our citizens with CONSERVATION and alarm
HAVE BEEN ARRESTED,
and are now safely lodged in jail for s
hearing. The fact that they are boys will
not be matter of much surprise, for ithas
all along been the opinion OF many that
such was the case. The mystery has been
solved. The grim stories of plot and re-
yenge which led TO the fires have been dis
sipated by the light recently shed upon the
burnings, and now il IS known the boys,
in spirit o. purest devilment, their I'M
asinations fired by trashy and pernicious
literature, fired the buildings just to see
them burn.
The destruction of the North Wheeling
glass works, last Sunday, led to the dis
covery of the youthful Williams and in a
manner not now to be disclosed. Mr..
Fred Parke, secretary of the company, with
Mr.. C. II. Collier, secretary OF the Franklin
Insurance Company, which suffered the
loss, worked up the case which has result
ed, thus far in placing in Jail George Gray,
John Grciner, Abram Boston and John
McCleary, against whom
THE PROOFS OF BURNING
are unquestionable. The method OF the
detection is in our possession, but will not
be given, at present, as it might prejudice
the case. Suffice it to say that the evidence
against the boys. who range from Ii to 10
wears, is beyond doubt strong enough to
send them TO Moundsville there to unlearn
what they have learned amiss.
Messrs. Parke and Collier, after having
obtained the necessary proofs, called in
Prosecuting Attorney Jordan, Counsellor
ALT Caldwell and Captain Bennett, and
matured their plans. Mr.. Parke knew the
four boys, and about eight o'clock traced
them to the ice cream saloon kept by the
Italians, opposite the city building. Mr..
Jordan had taken out warrants before JUS
tice Caldwell. and they were placed in the
hands ofiConstable st. Myers, Captain Ben
nett and Lieutenant Sylvis for service.
They arrested the boys and took them to
the Justices office. They manifested
THE UTMOST INDIFFERENCE,
and seemed to regard themselves as heroes.
One of them had in his pocket yellow
siona slang of New York and London"
and the Others had various sensational
stories, in that cheap form, concealed about
their clothes. 1t was from such literature
that they obtained the idea OF burning
buildings.
1t was stated to the justice that indubi-
table proofs were held that these boys not
only fired the glass works, but also the
Copperas works, Eckert's stable, the REGIS
TER office and various other buildings. On
hearing this. the justice committed them
to Jail, in default Of
$500 BOND EACH,
for a hearing next Tuesday. They pre-
served the cool demeanor throughout one
of them saying to an officer, as he went
lust tell the old woman about this, will
you?"
The boys were placed in Jail and in few
moments George Gray sent for Tailor
Davis, with the information that he had
confession to make. He was brought into
the Office and dictated the following:
GRAY's CONFESSION.
George Gray says that on the night of
April %, 1882, himself, Abraham Boston,
Greiner and John McCleary met at or near
the Fourth street church for the purpose of
arranging the details for burning the stable
of Mr.. Fox, but was frustrated by reason of
the lock on the door. We then went to
Pete Miller's stable. when | said the Glass
House would make nice fire, and John
Greiner said
"I'LL TOUCH 1T OFF,"
With bottle OF oil he set fire to the Glass
house. and went through Swee-
ney's way and then to door
at the north end of the packing room and
entered by the left hand way. and then the
hay was sprinkled all over with oil and
some over the weather boarding and
brought straw out with oil on il and put
il through a crack and lit it, Bostsn and
Greiner applied the fire to the building,
while they George Gray and John Nc
Clearly watched at Pete Miller's stable.
Gray also says he was to signal by whistle
if the coast was all clear. Gray Says he
gave the signal according to agreement and
then
GREINER SET FIRE TO THE BUILDING,
while Abe Boston stood in front OF the fire,
to prevent any one from seeing it. After
our arrangements were all made the fire
broke out in large blaze before we reached
Miller's stable. There we all joined and
ran through the alley at Miller's stable and
Ottos corner, when We all yelled fire at
once. We then ran to Sweeney's house
and all four helped 10 carry out furniture
from his house. which was on fire from the
glass house. George Gray says that Abe
Boston and John Greiner told him that
they set fire to the Copperas Works, and
burnt it for the purpose Of having little
pic mic. They also said they
TRIED To BURN THE REGISTER OFFICE,
but failed to do it. In Alley 3, on the same
night that they fired the REGISTER Office,
they told me that they had set fire to
coal shed but failed again. All the above
statements are positively true.
Signed by me on this, the 2Sth day Of
April, 1892. GEORGE GRAY.
WIN. II. DAVIS, ,,y;.