The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-01-06
TWO YOUNG FIENDS.
Made Repeated Attempts to
Burn St. Francis
Hospital.
THEY WANTED THEIR LIBERTY.
And to Secure 1t We're Ready to
Immediate Hundred of Vic
tims-0ne Makes Con-
fessi0n.
THEY WANTED THEIR LIBERTY.

Somewhat of sensation was caused
about Police Headquarters when ten
year-old Mamie Ayers was conducted be-
fore Justice O'Donnell to answer charge
of attempt at arson. The arrest of this
child reveals we'll laid plot to fire ST.
Francis Hospital and burn the inmates
to death.
On New Years Day, it will be remem-
bered, an alarm was Iung from st. Fran
cis' Hospital. The fire, the cause of which
greatly puzzled the Sisters, was under
one OF the many cots. There were no
steam pipes near the cot which would set
fire to the bedding, and the Sisters were
more mystified than ever when a partly
burned match was discover ed near the
bed
The arrest of Mamie Myers reveals the
fact that fire of similar Character oc-
Cured In the main ward of the hospital
on Christmas Day. No alarm was sent
in for this fire. as the flames were easily
extinguished.
TWO LITTLE SUSPECTS
On this occasion the fire was supposed
to have resulted from carelessness, but
the peculiar actions of little Mamie
Myers and another child who was always
with her, and known as Aloysius, the
day following aroused suspicion, and a
watch was kept upon both girls. The
fire on New Years Day satisfied the Sis
ters that they were of incendiary origin.
The police authorities were notified
and list Monday Mamie Ayers was ar
rested. but still detained at the Hospital.
An attempt was made to keep the matter
quiet today. and the young prisoner was
arralgned after all the other cases had
been disposed of.
At the hearing this morning 1t was dis
closed that Mamie Ayers, whose mother
is dead, had been placed in the Hospital
by her father. The child made her home
with her aunt, Mrs. Maggie McInerney of
George street, Bayonne. She had been
sick for more than a month prior
to her removal to the Hospital.
is affected. Upon being admitted to the
Hospital she became acquainted with
AIoysius and they were continually to-
gether. Under the skillful treatment Of
the Sisters the child was sooE well and
strong, but her father. not wishing to
remove her, allowed her to remain to aid
the Sisters by doing odd chores about the
hospital.
A FIENDIsH PLOT.
The children brooded over the fact that
they had been deprived of their liberty,
and agreed to effect their escape by burn
ing the hospital, even at the FISK OF Dufn-
ing every body in it. On Christmas Day
Aloysius was to fire the place.
She secured match and proceeded to an
uuoccupied cot. Her courage failed her
and she returned to her accomplice, who
took her to task for weakening at such a
critical moment That day some one
set fire to the cot. 1t is not positively
known which of the girls did it, but sus-
picion points to Aloysius, who is i'm
| plicated by Mamie in the attempt to
burn the hospital.
This attempt having failed the children
decided to make another attempt on New
Years Day, Mamie promising that she
would not make bungle of the job.
| ANOTHER ATTEMPT.
| On New Years afternoon dense volume s
of smoke were noticed pouring from one
| of the main wards and the Sisters, fear
| ing conf1agratiOn, at once sent in an
| alarm to Fire Headquarters. This
| fire is known to have been caused
| by the young prisoner, who set fire to an
| unoccupied cot, and it is for this outrage
Gus attempt upon the lives of hundreds
| of people that she is now under arrest.
Justice O'Donnell, on hearing the con-
| fessiou of the child, at once committed
| her to the County Jail without bail.
| Had it not been for the fact that day
| and night the Sisters are always on watch
and that watchmen are employed to
| inspect every part of the building at brief
intervals the diaoolical scheme of the
young fiends might have been successful.