Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-14
WITH MALICE PREPENSE
Shocking Deviltry Practioed at the Ma
tional Soldiers Home.
Bold Incendaries Set Fire to Stables
and Hay Stncks-$5OO Reward
Offered for Their Conviction.

Offered for Their Conviction.
A smoldering pile of wood and animal
matter. a line of charred fence posts and
several black patches Of ground tell the
story today of the work of incendiaries at
the Soldiers Home from IL o'clock last
night until after I this morning. Excite
ment at the home had not died out this
afternoon, and every inmate seemed par
ticuiariy anxious to discover who the fiend
was that intended to destroy their abiding
place.
Whoever planned the work of the firebugs
evidently gave a good deal Of thought to his
ideas. That II was the intention, after at
tracing attention from the principal build
itself Is the belief of all who have investi-
gated the work of incendiarism of last
tight.
Two Fires q Mile Apart.
The first blaze was started in a pile Of
brush In the woods near the electric sta
ton. This was at IL o'clock. and the scene
Of the fire was fully half mile from the
home. Deputy Governor Irwin had but
shortly returned home when this fire was
seen. and. thinking 1t Of little consequence.
as 1t was not In the grounds, did not go to
II. Three-Quarters OF an hour later on the
other side of the home, and to the east Of
1t. large blaze illuminated the sky. and
told the deputy governor that there was
something wrong. This was at IL: AS, and
upon investigation proved to be the hay
sheds. fully q mile from the fire In the
wood. The fire alarm was sounded, and
Capt Irwin and Governor Stanley, with a
number Of the inmates. FASTENED to the
sheds, which contained considerable hay.
Their efforts to save anything here were
fruitless as the blaze. instead of being con-
fired TO any one part, sprang from ends
and sides at the same time. The blaze soon
diminished, and finally nothing was left but
a black spot on the ground to mark the
place where all the winter hay stood. 1t
began TO break in upon the officials that
firebugs were at work, but they left the
Iolice to guard the rest of the property
thinking that perhaps the incendiaries had
accomplished the purpose. In this they
were mistaken.
The Barn ON Fire.
Less than half an hour after the conciu-
sion of the hay burning smoke was seen
curling up the side of the barn but a short
distance from the formerly burned place.
The alarm was again sounded. Efforts
made by the fire department of the home
proved how fruitless were their endeavors
TO extinguish the flames, ard a telephone
dispatch brought to the scene engine No
I, with Chief Paris. In vain did the fire.
men battle with the fire But one thing
was saved, viz, the ambulance wagon. The
burning building was about 100 feet square
and on the north side, where the fire first
started, was a hay shed containing about
ten tons of hay. Inside were three horses,
two belonging to the home, valued at $500,
and one belonging to DR.. Nichols; also the
home hearse and DR.. Nichols buggy, a few
farm implements and lot of hay and feed.
The flames grew fierce as they progressed,
and so hot were they that a pump right
near was unavailable in the efforts to put
the Tho orol
times across the open and caught to the
posts of the wire fence which ran on the
outside. The scene of the fire was the
location of several buildings.
Other Buildings in Danger.
Not a great distance away were the head
quarters of Mr.. O'Connor clerk In the
treasurer's Office of the home; a feed build
ing, containing a large quantity of mill
feed, and another building were in the i'm
mediate vicinity. Upon the arrival Of Capt.
Irwin he dispatched several deputies in
the direction Of the dairy and another
stack Of hay lying to the southwest Of the
burning stable and only about 100 yards
away. Mounted Officer Matthews was
standing near as the deputies started OF.
A little blaze was seen in this other hay
stack. First on one side 1t began to creep
upward, then on another; then the flames
shot skyward, and from the side hidden
from view there darted q black figure.
Putting spurs to his horse the officer
started in pursuit. The figure fed rapidly
from the officer, but was overtaken and
brought to Capt. Irwin. 1t was a cOlored
girl. soon recognized by the deputy governor
and the policeman as a character frequently
seen in the woods around the home She
said she had been sleeping in the stack. AS
no evidence Of guilt could be fastened upon
her, and as she was easily to be found,
her go, and all turned their attention to the
burning stable. Lack Of water and other
facilities made all efforts Of no avail, and
everything was consumed. To Star rep
resentative Capt. Irvine stated that the ap-
proxinlate loss was about $4,000. There is
no insurance on the property, so this will
be complete loss.
$500 Reward offered.
Governor Stanley went to the War De-
partment this morning, and so determined
are the efforts of the officials to discover
the guilty party that after a consultation
with Gen. Schofield, word was announced
that 500 reward would be given for the con-
yiction Of the party who set the place on
fire.
1t is believed to be the work of more than
one person, and suspicion points to two Of
fourteen soldiers discharged within the last
few days. The men discharged received
pensions of $24 and $50 a month, and could
therefore make room for less fortunate
soldiers.
Two of them Gre known to be
somewhat vengeful. One in particular,
who has the reputation of being
little wrong mentally. Is suspected Of
knowing something about the fiendish work
That 1T was the work Of more than one per-
son the officials feel convinced, as one per-
son could not SO well traverse the ground
in the time which elapsed between each
fire.
REUBEN CLARk'S WILL.