Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-08-25
BATHS BOY DESPERADO
He Is Charged With Arson, Bur
 glary and Attempted Murder.
TRIED SUICIDE WHEN ARRESTED.
His Associates In Crime. Who Are Men Grown, Turn States Evidence and Charge Him With Plotting Many Murders-set the Hammondsport Fires.

the Hammondsport Fires.
 ROCHESTER, Aug. 25. Twenty-year- old Edward Folsom is locked up in the Steuben county jail at Bath on charges of incendiarism, attempted train wreck ing, bank burglary, forgery and plotting to murder. Before being arrested the youth made two desperate attempts to tnke his own life.
 Bishop Daniels and Frank Hazard. two men about 10 years older than Folsom, were his pals in nearly all of the lawless deeds, and they arc the ones that caused his arrest by turning states evidence. Daniels swears in his affidavit that Folsom sot fire to II houses with his help and that he aided the youth to wreck the late passenger train on the Bath and Ham, mondsport road last Friday night. A rail was placed across tho track, but fortu- natoly the train was not derailed.
 Three Hank Robhsries Attempted.
 Folsom told DanicH that he wanted to get hurt in the accident that was expected to follow so that hc could collect his nc. cident insurance policy. Three attempts were made to rob the Hallock hank In Bath, and plot was gotten up between the threo outlaws to kill Henry C. Aims worth. so that the keys to the institution could be had. Tho men waited to way lay the cashier. but he did not pass along the road. as was expected Twice tho bank was broken into. but the burglars wero frightened away.
 Daniels took Ainsworth into his conf dence, and the cashier, with officers, lay in wait for tho third attempt to be made to crack the safe. Folsom saw the door into tho presidents private office open, and suspectinG that thero was n watch man in the building did not attempt to force an entrance. Daniels and Hazard both cashed forged drafts at the bank for Folsom. Hazard makes affidavit that ho was offered $lO to fro tho county build ings, so that the records which were do- rogatory to his interests would burn. He also offered Daniels five gallons of wine If he would put Hunt out of tho way. HaZ- ard says that he refused outright to com- init murder. It was Folsom's opinion that If Hunt wcro killed tho keys to the county buildings could Do secured. and that papers could easily bo destroyed. Twenty-Five houses have been destroyed by fire in Hammondsport during the past two months, and Daniels and Hazard say that Folsom Is responsible for all of them. In some instances they aided him in firing the dwellings and blocks that were burn cd. Only the first part of this week five houses, four barns and n mill were de- stroyed. The people of the village were so frightened that tho members of many NtIt tO ND Ol
 Cut Ills Throat
 Last September Folsom clOpcd with and married tho 17ycar-old daughter of George Keelcr. one of Hammondsport' wealthicst men. Tho father was very an gry, but the girl refused to come back. An attempt Is being made to declare tho marriage void, as the ceremony was per formed by minister who has been de- clared insane
 Armed with several warrants, Constable s. Hanlcy went to arrest Folsom. He found the youth at his home. When the officer stated his mission, Folsom OK. claimed: Arrest me: No. Never If that d-d Daniels has pcached on me. hc ought tC Dc hung, but I'll never bo taken alive
 Then Folsom grabbed knife and drcw 1t across his throat. Tho officers tried to interforC, but Folsom cut his throat in frightful manner. Then he ran from tho house to n pond back of Main street and throw himself in the water. He had hard work trying to stay under, as the water Is but three feet doop, but he chung to tho stones in the bottom of the pond and was nearly drowned when ho was pulled out
 Tho dcspcrado is now lodged in tho jail, where n watch is kept over him. Therc is some talk of lynching Folsom, for the scores of persons who have been made homeless by tho numerous fires arc ex- cecdingly angry.