Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-10-29

W Ctll III lUe ppIiC6 StNllpn.
The Wilkinson Detective Agency
have been at work upon the conspiracy
for many months past. The matter had
been kept very quiet at the start but of
late the fact that the detectives We're
upon the trail of the barn burners had
begun to leak out and rumors to that
effect have been prevalent in the vicinity
OF the Clarks' home during the past
week.
The detectives succeeded in unearth-
ing the conspiracy in novel way. The
du Points had long had their suspicious
that the Clarks We're In some way con-
nected with the wholesale barn burning,
and when the detectives were first put
upon the case, the Clark family was
mentioned as the supposed barn-bnrners.
The Clark family formerly lived in the
Forty Acres but subsequently removed
to the Columbia Inn in Christiana hun
dred. Detective Wilkinson and Clark
purchased the hotel jointly and each
We're to share the profits realized by the
transaction. Wilkinson soon established
his residence at the Columbus house and
soon he had the confidence of Clark,
who was known as the proprietor of the
hotel Clark's partner represented that
he had been involved in some crime in
the south and had to flee to the north.
He brought with him q large amount of
money, which rather pleased Clark, and
gradually the latter began to look upon
the new conner as jolly good fellow
with lots of cash at his disposal. Will
kinson went under tile name Of William
Hitchcock.
The chief Of the detective agency had
not been installed at the Columbus Inn
long before there came a stranger to
board with the host. This stranger gave
his name as John j. Brady, who was
really John Trainor OF Wilkinson's
force. The stranger represented HIM
self as fiddler and his victim was
Joseph CLARK, the boy. The fiddler
frequently got on batter with the
hostess and pretended to get heastly
drunk, while the hostess and his son
also imbibed freely Of the flowing bowl.
Trainor's constant companion was
Joseph CLARK, the boy, whom it is
said, is the real fire bug, who touched
the lighted match to the destroyed
barns. Trainor managed to get init
mately acquainted with young Clark,
| who divulged from time 10 time the
secrets of the conspiracy and, it is said,
the subsequent confession of the in
! famous deed
The two men had not long been guests
| atthe Columbus Inn when Mrs. Emily
1 Noble, or Mrs. Barton, as she called
herself, came to the hotel. She was
| another boarder, and it seems the Clark 5
soon fell an easy prey TO the strangers.
Mrs. Noble or Barton was the con
slant companion of Mrs. Clark and soon
held the confidence Of her hostess.
Neither of the trio Of accused barn
! burners suspected that there was any
1 thing mysterious in the mission Of the
newcomers and SO all fell an easy prey
to the trap set for them.
Although there are as yet but three
charges OF arson brought against the
/ persons, namely the burning of three
barns, Attorney-General Biggs stated
this morning that no doubt their arrest
would lead TO the discovery of the per.
| petrators of the other crimes committed
against the firm Of L. |. duPont
deNemours q Company for number
of years, and probably it may yet turn
out that the awful explosion a year age
was the result Of the conspiracy.
BURNING OF THE BIG BARN.
The first fire with which the prisoner.
are charged was the burning OF the large
stone barn of II. |. du Pont de Nemouri
Il Co, which was discovered about 5.4s
O'Clock on the evening OF Thursday
December Goth, 1889. Several hundred
men promptly responded to the alarm
and by their efforts kept the flames con
fined to the barn, which structure, how
ever, was soon mass Of flames. tn,
Friendship and Phoenix engines of THU
city also responded, and gave valuable
assistance in suppressing the ire.
The barn was about 200 feet long i,
go wide. Joined to one end was long
low hay-shed, completely filled viii
hay, while adjoining this We're som,
hay-staeks, the whole comprising hun
dreds Of tons of fine hay. 7lhe connee
ton between the barn and hav-shel
was torn down and the sheds deluget
with water, thus saving them from de
strHction. The barn contained ah0u
1000 bushels Of corn, 5000 bushels d
wheat, 200 tons Uf hay, some outs
potatoes, &C., all Of which were de-
stroyed
After the fire had been racing "a
some time it was learned flat Valuahl,
colt, which Mr.. Francis i. dupont hat
but recently purchased, was still in tin
barn. The men attempted its rescue
and once it was taken out safely, but ii
its fright and bewiilermentt!ished bael
again. W hen it was removed tile seeOn,
time its syes We're burned out and IL
entire body so severely scOrched that ii
recovery vas impossible and it wa
killed to end its misery.
lhe loss by this fire was a2500f
Coupled with 4 iire i'll 4 refinery il
May, 1ss9, (Which, however, was 8
accidental origin, and two mill expl6
si0ns in June, il made the lass nj III
powder works for that year amount i
about 100000, There were strong su.
picions Of ineendiarism in c0naeetioi
with this fire, but no clue was dia
covered at the time.
ANOTHER BARN BURNED.
The second fire broke ont about NJ
, O'clock on the evening of Iuesda,
} january 2lst, $50, les than lnpni
! from Tie first blaze, and it was also
} barn owned by the company. Ii Was
| large, douale-dcck structure, 90x50 fee
built If stone up to lhe second st0r,
HE structure Was ruined and 7 hea
! 81 fine AldGrney cattle, 10 horses, an
many tons III nay, feed, straw, &C,
] crib filled With corn, two sleiels, tw
Z Icy wagons and some agricultural iii
5 PIGMENTS were entirely consumed.
stack II c4rn.iodder about 40 feet hig
( wa buried, Attempts were made to sag
j the hive stock, but the flames sprea
, 81 quickly that the interior u the bar
I soon became Il iiefy furnace, and ther
! was ne hope for the doomed beasts. /
E al hour alter the discovery 81 the fir
1 AT, 4i{,.3T54 E,g,.,, 49,. 55,5.8#I