The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-10-24
Third EDITION.
THE INcENDlARiEs.

y pleta Piece OF Detective work
Lynch aud Clark Successful Saloon
Keepers Clark Surprised by His
5 Partners.
The late hour at which the REPuBII-
CAN was Apppised yesterday OF the i'm
portant arrests made by the Wilkinson
Detectives Of New York, OF the Clark
family, charged with conspiracy to
burn the DUPONT barns, prevented 1t
ffom giving the full details OF the
matter and yet the main points were
Buseinctly published.
The kernel OF tho nut is that the
three CIark's, charged with burning
DnPonts' barns, have been arrested by
the Wilkinson detectives, and they are
now In jail unable to give s45, 600 bail
--s15. 900 each, to answer the charge ut
The November term Of the Superior
Court.
To get tho true running gist OF the
whole II is necessary to go back to the
time tue barns were bu rned.
1hr first barn of L. ]. DUPONT de Ne
muurs X Co. was burnt d On the even
Ing OF Thursday, December 26. 1889.
The barn WIS 200 feet long by 80 wide
and contained about 1900 bushels of
corn Z, 600 bushels of wheat, 700 tons OF
which were destroyed. A valuable
colt was lost In the burning.
The loss by this fire was 5000.
4oupled with a fire in a refinery in
LAY, 1889, (Which however, was of
occidental origin, and two mill explo.
Mons III june IL made the loss al the
powder works for that year amount To
nbout 100000. There were strong
suspicious of incendiarsm in connec-
ton with this fire, but no clue was dis
severed at that time.
1t was evident however that there
was conspiracy against the DUPONT
family, and none knew where 1t woult
lead to, Watchmon were multiplied
and detectives then put upon
the case but nothing could be fount
out as to the guilty parties.
The second fire broke out about 651
o'clock on the evening of Tuesday
January 2lst. 1890, less than mont
from the first blaze, and 1t was also
barn owned by the company. 1t was
y large. doubledeck structure, 90x5l
aeet, built OF stone up to the secont
story. The structure was ruined and
bead OF tine Aldernry cattle, 10 horses
md many tons OF hay. feed, straw
BE-, a crib filled with corn, two sleghs
two hay wagons and some agricultural
Tho loss by this fire WIS $4,000. TIL
suspicion on the minds of the Du
y Pont family that they had enemie
amongst them that were Intent OF
xuining them was strengthened and re
douDled efforts were made to ferret gu
the guilty parties but In vain.
Then followed u dastardly attempt
10 blow up one of the powder house,
In the upper yard OF the company'i
powder works by placil G nineteen
matches under the sliding door OF thu
magazine. The attempt, however
falled, and the matches did not go of
although tho door was pulled back
Mterward the mills In the upper yarC
Of the company were exploded viii
terrible loss of life. Though itappear
cd like an accident on the surface NJ
one could offer an explanation, and
the horrible suspicion still remaini
That some one set OF the mills tina
caused the destruction of SO man,
human lives.
r,After this second fire the DuPonts
eslered reward of 81, 600 for the arres
and conviction Of the parties who fire.
the barns. number of detectives
Rocked to the scene but could strik,
no clue and soon left.
At 80 o'clock on Wednesday morn
ing November ETH 1890 and other du
2Ont barn.was burned. ! his barn was
large high double-decker, 100 feet Iona
and about GO feet wide, with al L addi
hun l00x50 feet. The farm was ten
anted by William Mayne. Fly,
horses und "a cattle were In the bar
At the time, but all were saved
The building was destroyed, nothin
but the bare stone walls being lei
standing, while 200 bushels of corr
800 bushels OF wheat, $50 bushels Q
oats. 800 bushels OF potatoes, 500
bundles Of corn-fodder, so tons {
straw. moving machine, grain drill
wagon, and other implements weI
also consumed, Tho loss was ahot
Ga, 900, partly insured.
Tho DuPontS as may well be SUI
posed, were very much exercised oY'
these continued acts OF outlawry, r.
Bulting in the destruction OF the
property and not knowing where
would end. About the time OF the la
tile they engaged the Wilkinson poll,
OF New York and put them to disco@,
and work out clues. William wiki
son the head OF the force, was the tir
to arrive and went under the name
Boughton. AS Edward Clark WINS OF
Of the men under suspicion by the ID
Fonts 1t was not long before lie mat
his acquaintance.
Clark Is In the city directory as r.
siding Mt No 3l4 East Seventh stree
In 1880, and is noted rs laborer
the jackson md Sharp Company
works. lie says he worked the
when the 'duponts' barns were burne
IN The directory 1891, lie appears
7S4 East Eleventh street, where
told a representative OF the RErum
CAN yesterday that he lived 1t WI
! --WiAle living there that Boughtt
found him and most probably induce
him tQ leave the Jackson and SIaI
Company and go to hotel keeping
the COLUMBIA Inn, on the Renne
Pike, Mt the eltranceto the old Scheu
zen Park.
Clark had previously, when In Il
employ of the DuPont1 lived in For
Acres and had been frequent visit
at tho Columbia Inn. Before lark /
moved To the Columbia Inn Boughtt
used to meet him there and have goo
times. Daniel Melarky kept the hot
Mt this time. In order that his frlel
Clark might have q good chance
make a living Boughtun about tho
OF March bought out Daniel Melarke
giving him 81 200 for the good wi
fixtures and rlghts, The transfer W
made at Squire Sasses' Office and w
kinson, alias Boughton. Installed Cla
as the proprietor of the saloon and
then removed his family to the plaC
Bpughton seemed to be man
business, having considerable of bu
ness at New York. but considered /
Columbia Inn his home. and he a
Clark became yeryintimate. Bought
had plenty OF money which suit
Clark, who was led to Lelieye II
Boughton was a Southern man /
having committed some crime the
had. been comnellnl % cnma rnrl