The record-union., 1897-11-06
A FIREBUG OF THE PAST.
HE PLAYED HAVOC BEFORE AT
GAIT AND LODI.
Sufferers Thought the Detective
Was Mistaken When He Had
Spotted His Man.

Ihe many recent attempts 10 SCI hle
20 buildings and stables in the soutn-
western portion of Sacramento recalls
the wholesale destruction by nre OF
buildings and barns in Gait and It's
vicinity in the summer and fall OF loof.
On May "A, 1894, the big warehouse OF
Whitaker & Ray was found TO nave
been set on fire Shortly afterwards
a letter was dropped in the Postoffice
at Calf, in which the writer, VINO
signed himself Fireman" openly de-
clared that the Commercial Hotel and
several other buildings would soon
go up in smoke. Soon the places
OF NJ. A. Sparks, Ralph Miles, and ST.
mon Prouty were laid in ashes by the
work of the fire fiend. The CONNER
cial Hotel was soon after discovered
twice to be in flames. The good peo-
pie of Gait We're kept in constant ter
ror lest their homes might be next to
go.
A similar letter of warning in the
same handwriting was next dropped
into the Postoffice box at Acampo, in
which the Acampo Hotel was selected.
Every vigilance was used to ferret out
the firebug but to no avail. While
armed guards were constantly on
watch for suspicious looking strangers
the incendiary's torch was applied and
nothing but a pile of ashes was left
of the Acampo Hotel, entailing a loss
of four thousand dollars upon its own
er.
Next 10 be devoured by flames was
the large barn of Joseph H. Swain, on
the road between Gait and Lodi, then
one belonging to James Lee. A week
later large stable on the Weber
ranch near Gait went the same way.
The prevailing idea was that it was
the work of some of the remnant of
the Industrial Army which had
come through there in April, and many
arrests of hobos followed-who proved
themselves innocent.
Finally Detective Tim Lee was en-
gagged on the case, with the handwrit-
ing in the two letters as his only clue.
For some months the detective pursued
his investigation, a long list of sus-
pected people was furnished him, but
after studying the suspected ones the
veteran criminal hunter shook his
head
He worked on a theory entirely diff
ferent from many Of Galt's citizens and
when he-after long and careful study
on the matter-one day mentioned the
name Of William Galloway to the own
er of one of the buildings consumed by
the act of the incendiary, this citizen
was loath to believe that the man
whom he had treated kindly, who had
worked for him and who had done his
work well could have fired the very
building in which he had a good job and
no chance for complaint.
Captain Lee, however, had studied
his man, He had detected things about
Galloway which convinced him beyond
all doubt that he was the man who
had applied the torch and that be did
it, not because he wanted to hurt his
benefactor, but simply was moved by
an almost insane desire to See a blaze.
Another prominent citizen, who had
lost his home and stable was taken
into confidence, and he, to, although he
had every faith in Captain Lees judg-
ment. doubted that Galloway could be
guilty of such terrible crimes The
fact was pointed out to Mr.. Lee that
on one occasion Galloway worked hero
ically TO save the building. that almost
at the risk of his own life did he ven
ture TO aid in saving an old man from
a fearful death, he having been forgot
ten in the terrible excitement the sud
den fire had created
Lee traced Galloway to Stockton,
where he manag ged to induce a woman
belonging to the Salvation Army to get
Galloway to join the army. This gave
the detective an excellent opportunity
to study his man more closely and on
March 4, 1895, Captain Lee and Sher-
iff Cunningham suddenly seized him
and at once accused him of being the
Gait incendiary. Galloway, who had
thus far believed himself unsuspect-
ed. tried to deny it, but Captain Lee
had gauged his man. Speaking of the
different fires as they had happened
the face of William Galloway soon as
sumed different look, almost an ex-
preston of delight overspread his feat
ures and suddenly he said, We'll you