The San Francisco call., 1896-05-14

chairs stacked up on ne another, ard the
windows stuffed with paper and propped
so they would not open. The place was
full of gas. Down on the lower floor, ju st
where the entrance into the basement and
dressing-rooms is situated, | saw a light.
When / rushed down the gallery stairs
and over my bedding, which was on them,
/ found the light to be the bunting with
which the entrance was covered. 1t was
all on fire. / saw g mans face and rushed
after him. He fed through the lower
stage door and on to the street. l followed
him but could not catch up to him. Then
l returned, put the blaze out and threw
the debris onto Buena Vista avenue.
"The stage meters l found had been
tampered with and the paddock is still
missing. All the gasjets in the place had
been turned on. l turned them eff and
then went back. 1 slept in the quarter
masters room on the floor, with some
rugs over me-"
The Democratic leaders held caucus in
the armory last night, and one of them
said:
1--WE happened to meet on the streetlast
night and were talking political matters
over. Some one suggested that we should
go down to the armory, and two of the
boys of Company G who belong to our
party went with us and let US in. We met
in the privates' dressing-room, and left
about 10 P. NJ. l think most of the mis-
chief was done while we were there. be-
cause as we left some one remarked that
the chairs in the gallery were all stacked
up one on another. l saw them because
the doors were open. No, / heard no
noise. l do not care about mentioning
the names Of the armory boys that let US
in. All the lights were put out, as far as
/ know"
tween the hours of and 3 P. NJ. to-day,
while the armorer was absent, tall, thin
man got through the roof, opened the
commissary's door and let in a small, dark
man, who was weighted down with car
tridges. They entered and cleared all the
muss up, patched the broken locks with
tacks and put the chairs and tables back
in their places. The only thing they left
untouched was the armorer's bedclothes.
Later information goes to show that the
mischierous work was nearly all done
during the Democratic caucus. Who
caused the fice and turned on the gas is
not known.
Sunday-School Picnic.
ALAMEDA, CAL, May 13.-The reg
ular annual picnic of the united Sun
day-schools of Alameda will be held at
Sunset Park, in the midst of the Santa
Cruz Mountains, on next Saturday, the
18th of May.
A good programme of races has been
arranged for the children by the commit
tee in charge, and list of suitable prizes
has been prepared.
This will be an innovation and the gen.
tlemen in charge are sure that it will
greatly add to the perfect enjoyment of
the outing by the scholars.
The train will leave Park-street station
at 80 A. NJ, and returning will reach Ala
media at about 80 P. NJ.
Petroleum Explosion.
ALAMEDA, CAL, May 12.-An explo-
sion of crude petroleum occurred at the
residence of ]. Became, nurseryman, 2l35
Central avenue. at 5o'clock this afternoon.
1t was due to the careless use of matches
by children. In the explosion Truly, Be-
cannes 15-year-old daughter, was severely
burnt. She is not expected to live through
the night. The petroleum was stored in a
1O0-gallon tank at the back of the residence
and was used for heating the hothouses.
Opposition to Delaney.
ALAMEDA, CAL, May IL. F. N.
Delaney is not evidently to have smooth
sailing till the 22d of the month. The citi-
Zens down Chestnut street do not want the
poles and one man named Hardman, who
sells coal oil and gasoline, was this after
noon making all preparations TO cut down
the pole erected in front of his residence.