The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1888-12-07
STEPNEY DEPOT BARN
BURNED.

BURNED.
AnothG Chapter II the enedi Fitch
Case An Incen( Try Efle.
The sock barn at Stepney Depot usea
by W. + Benedict and T.. M. Fitch, over
which there has been so much difficulty
IN the past and a pfespect of more trouble
and litigation in the future, has disap-
peafed. The fire by which it was de-
stroyed, Thanksgiving night, has not,
however, cleared the atmosphere in re-
gard to thesconsp IieatioHs, legal and 9TH
erwise, that surround It; rather, fresh
complications have been added. That
the fire was Of incendiary origin admits
OF no doubt. 1t was ignitetl in two places,
both on the inside; the night was dark
and stormy and the woodwork was thor
oughly soaked with rain; no spark could
travel from locomotive to the barn and
retain fire.
The question as to the person who
could be mean enough to do the deed,
however, Is met by silence. No one
knows. The barn had been closed and
locked for three weeks and the KEYS were
kept by viii Candee. TO start the Are,
it was necessary to obtain access to the
interior and it IS said that the paddock
was broken from one of the doors for
that purpose. 1t would appear that a
prepared explosive had been placed in
the barn and fred by fuse; for, when
first SEEN, the light which flashed up into
the cupola was accompanied by crack
ling explosion. The flames soon died
down, apparently, but, in few minutes,
re-appeared and continued to burn fierce
~. The fire was discovered about the
same time, 10 40, by Mr. and Mrs John
Benedict, who had returned from Bridge
port on the train due ut 10 Is and who,
alighting far down the track (for the
train was long,, walked past the barn,
then dark and deserted; by Benjamin III
French, who, with his family, was driv-
ing up the turnpike; by Mrs H. A. Patch
en-, who glanced out of the window just
as the fire started and whose husband
and sons were first on the scene. Sever
al others saw the flames soon and an ex.
cited crowd hurried down to the barn.
Luckily, the wind was from the north
west and carried the sparks far away
from surrounding buildings; had it beer
from almost any other direction. the loss
would have been much greater. Nc
freight cars were on the siding, neal
enough to be harmed and the incendiary
could not have found time more suitee
to his purpose. Water was poured OF
the shed just north of the barn and it was
hardly: discolOreds by smoke or fire. Al
the fire started near the top of the build
ing, it was long time burning and il
was finally necessary to knock over the
posts. Most of those attracted by tn.
unusual spectacle remained near unit
morning, watchful that no sudden change
of wind threaten danger,to the village.
| Neither Mr. Benedict nor Mr. Fitch wal
present at the fire, Mr. BENEDICT, hear
ing nothing of the noise and excitement
slept calmly through it all at his home il
the. Hanford johnson place. Mr. Fitcl
had started for Boston, Wednesday, in
tending to be at his home in Moore
Junction, n. Y, for Thanksgiving
Charlie Wells, also a Moore's junction
man. who was employed by Mr. Fitcl
and boarded at viii Candee's, was pres
ent and seemed half crazed by the catas
trophe. A telegram. sent to Bosto,
brought the information that Mr. Fitcl
had left and Wells Immediately startet
for Albany, hoping to intercept hin
there.
As to the loss, estimates vary. III,
barn was empty, save little hay and
carriage belonging to John 7. Eastwood
whose loss is about $50. The carriag,
was one OF several articles bought of Nj
Fitch and had been stored in the bari
for lack of room elsewhere. The barr
itself was insured for $1,000 in the Wa
tertOwn Agricultural Insurance Co
through the agency Of A. B. Fairchilt
of bridgeport. The shed was insured
for 5000. f. NJ. Beardsley of Long Hill
held $500 mortgage on the building
che barn was built about three year
ago, men and material being brough
from Canada for the purpose. A thriv
ing business was done for a time, M
Benedict, who previously lived in Tra]
Fall, Huntington, remaining at the BARI
while Mr. Fitch purchased and brough
in droves of cattle and horses. Las
Spring, however, Will Candec placed al
attachment on Mr. Benedict's farm il
Easton to recover wages which he claim
ed were due him, while Mr. Benedic
claimed that the balance was on the 9th
er side. This claim is still in the court
and the attachment has not been releas
ed Business was continued, however
| until dissension arose between Benedic
and Fitch and then came The final crash
Mr. Fitch claims that there is not an,
never has been a co-partnership between
them; that he owned the plant and tina
Mr. Benedict was simply selling agen
for him and brought suit for the balanc
of money. which he says is due him, plac
farm to secure himself. This is also il
the courts, with counter suits from NJ
Benedict, alleging that the firm of Bene
dict & Fitch did exist as an equal co
partnership and suing for settlement
B. Curtis & Son placed an attachment o.