San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-02-06
A QUEER INcENpIARY SCHEME.

Using a Mouse, a Piece of Cheese and
Some Matches to Start q Fire.
81 have plan that will help us out. It
is last resort, and desperate, know, but
it is safe"
The speaker was a well dressed, fine
looking man, apparently not older than
80 His cold, gray eyes, aquiline and
rather prominent nose and heavy chin
were the unmistakable indices Of a calcu-
lating, bold and resolute character. He
spoke to a man Of at least 80 years, neat
in appearance, but whose face betrayed
anxiety and discouragement.
The words were spoken in down town
Broadway restaurant, near midnight, as
the men described took seats at q table
toward the rear Of the room, in front Of a
mirror in which a reporter saw them.
The newspaper man had lunched and was
reading a novel. A partition concealed
him from the strangers vision.
"Well, what is itp' asked the older man,
after drinks had been set before them.
'It is, as l said, desperate scheme, but
see any other way for US to avoid failure
from which we cannot recover"
"What is the plany"
the stock and building
The speaker paused, but his companion
did not speak. They eyed each other in
tently and the younger man continued in
a subdued voice:
1--WE have stood by each other in hard
times before this. You have paid for in
surance policies for many years. If the
store should happen to burn and there
were no evidences the fire was not acct
dental, we would not have much difficulty
IN getting the $14, 900, and we could start
out anew in splendid shape. But acct
dental fires do not come when they ought,
and"-
81 will not consent to any such thing as
you are driving at"
"But think of it. You are on the verge
of ruin. You need not do thing to incur
risk. Your part will be to keep silent,
and not to interfere. Intrust the business
wholly to me- On a certain night a small
box would be placed in the cellar among
the oils and paint stuffs, and where IL
would not be seen. You might be out of
town. You would be summoned home to
lind the store in ashes or badly damaged.
We could then meet our notes and have
fair sailing"
IF the attempt should be detected we
would be disgraced, even If we escaped
state prison. would rather assign than
try your scheme"
put confidence in me-" persuasively
urged the younger man, land you will be
in no peril and you will not regret your
trust"
"What would be in the boxi"
"a mouse, piece of cheese stuck
nearly full of matches, the heads appear
ing, and some oil soaked combustibles.
The mouse will not be able to guaw out,
and, getting hungry, will attack the
cheese and ignite match. The box will
quickly be on fire and the flames will
spread like a flash, and before the burn
ing is discovered the box will have been
consumed. Then there will be no evil
dence. The fire would get such a start
the store would be very likely to go. 1t
would undoubtedly burn the night the
box was hidden"
"a novel idea," said the older man,
evidently relenting, yet looking very
grave; well think 1t over we'll before we
take such STEP"
otis perfectly safe, tell you. - reIoined
the schemer "You stay In New York a
few days and let me go back and do
the job. Thea you will be safe from sus-
picion. | would not have mentioned it to
You II l had not feared you might dis
cover the box and give the thing away. ~
After few minutes of silence the men
drained their glasses and left the place, -
New York Press.