Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-11-16
LIKE THE CONSPIRACY OVER AGAIN

| du POnt Property, Monday Night-The
| Second Assault Upon it--Burned Before
in the Conspiracy for which the Clarls
and william j. Gibbons are Now Doing
Time.
The new barn of Edward Seltzer in
Brandywine hundred was burned
little after O'Clock Monday night. 1t is
total loss. The fire also consumed the
adjoining silo with contents. No stock
were burned, hut Mr.. SeltZer loses all his
hay and grain and the farming imple-
ments that were housed beneath the
barn.
The fire is generally supposed to he
the work of an iucendiary. At 7.30
that night Frank Potittlemange, u farmer
whose property lies next that of the
Seltzer farm, was passing and at that
time he says it was not afire. A few
minutes afterwards one of Mr.. Settlers
hired men came TO the house and asked
Mr. Settler who il was in the barn,
as he saw light there. Mr.. Seltzer I'M
mediately got q lantern and, reaching
the place, he found on opening the door
that the barn was ablaze at both ends.
The floor was atlame from wall to wall.
1t was impossible to do anything to save
the property. The fire rushed up with
the fresh air from the doorway, giving
such fierce heat that the men had to
keep away from the door.
The barn is burned to the ground.
The building is large stone and frame
, structure located half q mile north of
the du Pont gate on a by-road off the
Rockland road. 1t measures about 30
by so feet
WHAT MR.. sELTzER SAYS.
MIR. Seltzer said his loss would not
exceed $4,000 on the contents of the
barn and $4,000 on the silo, which con-
tanned 100 tons of cnsilage. He said the
barn was built by Daniel T. Stewart
and cost $4,000. This makes the total
loss $4,000. The barn was on the farm
of Il. /. du Pont de Nehlours Il Co., one
mile from Rockland, ON the Talleyyille
road.
There were 40 head of stock in the
burning structure at the time and it was
with the greatest difficulty the livestock
was saved. Mrs. Settler gives this ac-
count of the fire:
"The colored man had gone out to the
! pump to fetch bucket of wafer, and
he hurried back and said there was
, light down at the barn. Mr.. SeltZer and
jumped from our chairs and in less
: time than it takes to tell the story we
/ were at the burning building
"Our attention was first directed to
the live stock. We did not care to see
them perish in the flames. There were
30 head of cattle and II horses.
CLOSE SHAVE FOR HER LIFE.
: "The building was enveloped in
. flames when we arrived, and the stable
in which some of the horses were con-
fined was on fire. My daughter directed
: her attention to the colts, four of them
in number, and she succeeded in getting
all of them out, while my husband and
l let out the other stock. While | was
I engaged in releasing the COWS the burn,
ing stable set fire to my dress, and with
I, difficulty it was eXtinguished, Mr..
3 settler, in his anxiety for me, was al
. most fatally injured by vicious bull,
which attacked him in the barn.
2 "After we had gotten the last head of
stock out, the great roof fell in with a
7. tremendous crash, and the blaze shot
l up in a tongue of flames that could be
a seen for long distance. Our neighbors
rendered invaluable assistance during
|, the fire and we desire to return them
4 our hearty thanks"
THE SAME OLD CONSPIRACY.
' Mr.. Seltzer was asked for his opinion
: concerning the origin of the fire. He
said it was undoubtedly the old con-
n spiracy against the great powder-malx.
!. ing firm revived. He said that the de-
: spicable fends who lad jeopaItiized the
a lives of 40 head of cattle, could certainly
/ have had no malice toward him, but il
4 was an infamous design to persecute
still further the firm Of E. /. du Pont
!. de Nemours & Co.
Y AN INSTANCE OF THEIR PERFIDy.
G To givean instance of the perfidy of the
c scoundrels, Mr.. Seltzer stated that his
daughter, in releasing the colts, had
neglected to remove a halter from the
neck of one of the animals. 1t was
turned out in the field south of the
> buildings, and long rope was attached
, to the halter. Mr.. Seltzer stated that
some flend had deliberately tied the
= poor brute to Il tree, and while it strug.
:: gled to free itself, stuck sharp knife in
~ its throat. DR.. Murphy, who attended
. the colt, said that the weapon had just
!, missed seyering the jugular vein, and
! through miracle the animals life was
: saved.
. CONCEALED BY A FOG.
e On account of the dense fog that pre-
q vailed that evening, the reflection of the
n fire was not seen in this city and
: nothing was known here of the outrage
r, until Tuesday morning.
s GREAT EXCITEMENT.
d The fire has occasioned great excite
IL ment in the vicinity. There is no doub
e among the residents that the outrage
marks revival of the old conspiracy
|, and the indignation against tine con
1t spirators is intense.
Is There seems to be no doubt that thC
conspirators selected that night for the
IS purpose ON account of the dense fog. L
d was so thick that persons or objects
4. could not even be seen at distance o.
4. so feet.
u The burning of the Setzer barn recalls
s. the famous du Pont barn burning con
t. spiracy, which met with such summary
a. punishment in the courts of this county
re in January, 1899
fe The first barn burned was the "neN
barn." December 26th, 1889. January
goth, 1890, another barn was burned
r. October 9th, 1890, came the disastrous
le explosion at the powder works, alst
deemed part of the conspiracy. No
IS vember Sth, 1890, the SeltZer barn
ct which was burned last night, was set OF
h fire. November 11th, 1890, came tn,
le destruction of the Mayne barn, anC
y. January 10th, 1891, of the "old barn."
s. Then came the movement on the par
is of the du Points to unearth the con
Df spiracy, ending in the arrest, in Septem
Der, 1891, Of Edward, Mary and Josepl