The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-24
THE ARREST OF YOUNG M'NALLY.
He Has Been Under Surveillance For
Several Months.

Several Months.
The arrest of young McNally on the
charge of incendiarism was a great sur
prise TO the majority of those who heard
IL and was the cause of much discus
sion OF course, after the arrest was
made. there were a great many people
yybo remembered, or thought they re-
rnembered, suspicious circumstances. The
fact is that McNally has been under sus-
,icion since last February, when the Sa-
vannah Grocery Company fire followed
close upon that of A B. Hull & Co., and
was in turn closely followed by The at
tempts on the same night to burn the
postofice building and the Hoyle Grocery
Company, in the Schwarz building. The
Savannah Grocery Company fire had
aroused the suspicion of incendiarism,
and this was confirmed by the undoubted-
Nv incendiary attempts upon the post
office and Schwarz buildings.
The fact that suspicion at once fastened
upon McNally and was directed towards
no other person, seems to be so far, the
strongest point against him. A rema rka-
BILE fact was that McNally was always one
of the first to appear at every one of these
fires When the tiremen and police arrived
they always found him there, ana this in
itself caused comment even before he was
suspected. At the first Hull fire he was on
hand and had good deal to say to the
fremen about how to move about in the
building AS he was formerly employed in
the building this was only natural and
was taken in good part. At the second
Hull fire he was on hand early At the Sa-
vannah Grocery Company's fire, he was
one of the first persons on the ground.
an frol- -.al t,.Nr
hours of midnight and daybreak,, show
ing that McNally was a good deal of a
night bird
Mr. Hull said yesterday that McNally
was in his employ for about two years,
but was dismissed about three years ago.
on account of his disslpated habits and his
inattention to his work. Mr.. Hull had
not the least suspicion of McNally, and
was surprised at his arrest. He regarded
him as dissipated and trifling, but did not
think there was any harm in him. A
very peculiar circumstance, which Mr..
Hull recalled, was that upon the occa-
sion of each of his three fires, McNally
always telephoned to the house of Mr.. j.
NJ. Dixon, his near neighbor, requesting
the latter to inform Mr.. Hull that his
place was on fire. The fire alarm was
sounded at 4:37 yesterday morning and
20 minutes later, McNally telephoned Mr..
Dixon from No. ! engine house on Brough-
ton street. The latter dressed and went
to Mr.. Hulls house, but found that the
latter had heard the alarm go in and had
just left for the scene. Mr.
HUI said that his experiences dur
ing the last few months had been such
that it alarmed him to hear the fire bell
at night, and when he heard eight strokes
he felt almost certain it was his place.
Frank McNaly, q brother of the pris-
onor has been in Mr.. Hull's employ for
some time, and Mr.. Hull supposed that
t1Is was the reason of NCNally's interest
policeman Haar reported that about 1856
oclock McNally passed him in front Of
the Morning News building and asked him
70 nave a drink, which he declined Pc
ncemap Downing reported passing Nc
Many on Bay street shortly after the
alarm was turned in
MeNally stated to Chief McDermott
That he had been around town all night
lie was at Walters barroom on East
broad, ne said, until It closed shortly be-
lore y O'CLOCK. Then he went to James
Lanes place at Broughton and Drvaton
streets, and from there to the Georgia
brewing Company's works on Bay street.
"here ne spent some time with the night
engineer James McCouldrick. Then he
went 10 the Nickel Plate restaurant He
was on his way home, he said, when he
Heard the fire alarm. He ran back as far
oCIeNen mouse, where he met his
DFotner Frank, who told him where the
IRE was, and asked him to go get his over
Sodt Tor him. He was on his way to his
oIoLner house, he said, when it occurred
D ~ nltn 10 go into No. engine house on
broughton street, and telephone Mr.. Dix
on of the fire.
ms is the case as made ont nv
tile detectives, and it will be seen that II
!, not very strong one There is no
posltlve evidence to connect McNalIy with
ot.y Oh the hres, and no complete chain of
SSI'c51Instantial evidence The police are
aloiuIng MIN on suspicion, which was suf-
,ruiently strong to cause Chief McDer-
H. - 20 order his arrest. Had not McNal-
~ oeeh taken so seriously III shortly after
- ae reDruary fires, It is stated, he would
r NC oeen arrested then on suspicion.
-. ne ne case will come up for Investigation
r. "ecoroer Wilson this morning. A num-
80 VI witnesses have been summoned.
s, r-u me testimony will be taken steno-
tt ao.'illy The theory, which the de-
oecsIVes have, is that McNally was aotn-
oy double motive; first. a desire
,-o,,I5J ure chief Mcguire, because he
mou!u not recommend him for an appoint-
1lren' on the fire department, ana sec
s TIu' merely to make a chance to get a
JOB as watchman. - SCI d