Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-10

mot of my own knowledge"
"Did your company offer a reward for
the detection of the incendiaries ?"
"Yes"
what amount was offered2"
1--WE offered 81 500 for the first barn and
81 500 for the second"
Ibid you, employ detectives?"
"Who were first employed2
"Pinkerton detectives"
How long did they work ?"
"Three or four months"
when was that?'
Here Mr.. Biggs objected. He claimed
that this investigation was irrelevant to
the issue whether or not this man Gibbons
fired the barn.
Mr.. Hilles claimed that as Mr.. du Pont
had spoken of his suspicious of incen-
diarism, he had a right to ask him what
steps were taken in consequence.
The court held that the testimony was
not relevant and Mr.. Hilles acquiesced
when did you first employ the Wilkin-
son agency ~ he next inquired.
Towards the LIST of October, 1890"
Mr.. Biggs next made few more inquir-
les. In response Mr.. du Pont said he went
from the burning barn to the Hagley yard
because the sparks were blowing in that
direction, endangering the powder works
there located
Mr.. Biggs began inquiries about the
| burning of the Fleming barn, January
Dist 1880, but Mr.. Hilles objected, as Glib
bons was not charged with firing this barn.
The court sustained the objection.
us there anybody to lay claim to the
rewards offeredg'' asked Mr.. Biggs.
Nobody"
80 there is no question of reward in
this case?n
None whatever"
Being asked why the Wilkinson detec-
NJ. a
was because certain anonymous letters
had been received by the company,
threatening destruction to their property.
| Again Mr.. Hilles cross-examined. He
asked, as no reward was at stake, how the
detectives were. paid. Mr.. du Pont said
they were paid on presentation of their
bills, were placed under no time limit but
were given free foot to do as they pleased
in the work Of discovering the incendi-
| aries.
Francis G. du Pont was next called and
told the story of the burning of the NEW
barn" on the evening of December Goth,
1889. He was notified of the fire, while at his
home, shortly after 9 O'Clock in the even
ing. He told James Horty, who notified
down to the mills" He first went in
under the main arch of the barn. and saw
a small amount of fire and some little
| smoke in the funnel of the barn. He
went to the Hagley yard, he said, to save
| property and life II thought probably
would lose my life when ! went to the
| Hagley yard, said Mr.. du Pont, land so
left James Horty in charge at the barn, he
being a reliable man, not knowing whether
| would get back or not"
Mr.. Hilles asked Mr.. du Pont what dis
position was made at that time, of the
ashes from his green house.
'.rhey were wheeled through my private
stable To a field below"
The fire when he saw it, Mr.. du Pont
said was on the main floor, around the
edge of the funnel.
,How would it have been possible"
asked Mr.. Hilles, 'for any one to set fire
to the barn?"
There were two ways: He could have
gone in underneath, climbed UP through
the funnel and lighted the hay, or he
could have gone in from the upper side
and through closet door started the fire."
In answer to Mr.. Biggs the witness
showed by the plot how the ashes were
removed from the greenhouse. He said
they were taken through the stable and
out upon lot separated by high stone
wall from the barn.
.There was not the slightest possibility"
said the witness, ''of the fire catching from
the removal of these ashes.''
John Baird was next sworn. He had
charge of the new barn" and remembered
the night of the fire. He left the barn
about O'Clock that evening, and when he
departed everything wasin proper and safe
condition The doors opening into the
side of the barn were pushed to, without
being fastened on either side. He said to
Mr.. Hilles that he was not upstairs Just
before he left, except to close the doors.
He did not then go in, but had there been
any fire he would have seen it. He re-
turned to the barn after the fire, and saw
I.
ing to prevent the spread of the fire to the
hay house
The only thing developed by Mr.. Baird
testimony was that the barn was in safe
condition when he left.
James Horty driver for Francis G.. du
Pont, was the first to discover the fire at
the new barn. He was in Mr. du Pout' $
private stable and smelled smoke. Then
he notified Mr.. du Pont, who went with
him to the barn, but after seeing the fire
told him to do the best he could and started
for the Hagley yard. Horty said he then
got out the horses and cattle lie saw
Gibbons at the fire, running up a ladder
against the side of the stable while at
tempts were being made to take a line of
hose mp. He saw him later, after the fire
had subsidized.
"What was he doing then ~ asked Mr..
Hilles.
"1Ie was walking around like anybody
else.n
Mr.. Horty further SAID, to Mr.. Bggs
that the barn could have been fired from
underneath or from above.
Edward Gallagher, the next witness, said
he lived at "flea Park" Mr.. Biggs ex-
planned that this locality was a row of
frame houses near the Episcopal Church,
which was formerly styled Free Park, "
but which has since degenerated into "Flea
Park"
Gallagher is an emlloye Of the Hagley
yard He said he saW William J. Gibbons
the afternoon of the ire, between and )
o'clock, nearer than A. He was ac-
companied by another man, whom he
supposed to be one of the three Moore
brothers, he could not say which one.
They were going from Flea Park''
towards the stack yard attached to the
new BARN." Gibbons was hailed by his
brother Charles and stopped, but Moore
went on ahead. When Charles Gibbons
came up to his brother they both followed
after Moore and all three went into the
stack yard.
This was the first attempt to connect the
prisoner directly with the fire and Mr..
Hiles closely cross-examined The wit
ness spoke with a thick brogue and at
times was very unntelligible. He said he
stayed at his house In "Flea Park" until
the fire at the barn was nearly burned out.
When he saw the three men, Charles Glib
bons was coming down the street. from
the direction of the church. He did not
see them after they entered the stackyard.
Miss Annie McClalferty, who lives with
The family of Francis q. du Pont, said She
had known William j. Gibbons for 10 or
10 years. The evening of the fire she went
ont after the alarm was given and saw
Gibbons standing just inside the side gate
! of Francis du Points house. She walked
up close to him and he made a remark
about getting the things out of Inc
house" She made no reply, but walked