New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-22
ChAPPAQUA BARN FIRE.
THE REV. DR.. CLENDENIN'S INCENDIAR-
ISM THEORY STRENGTHENED.
THINKS THIS FIRE WAS INsTIGATED BY
THE MEN WHO PLANNED. AS HE BE-
LIEvEs. THE BURNING OF ST.
PETERS WEST CHESTER

rscently was the work Of an incen1iary and
followed that UP the next day by asserting his
belief that the arson 10 a certain extent
result OF the bitterness which grew out Of the
Briggs controversy. many persons were startled
ty the gravity and strangeness Of the charge
The first statement was apparently confirmed. 70
some extent at least early yesterday morning
by an attempt which was made TO burn his
barn at his summer home, on the old Horace
Greeley estate. at Chappaqua- Mrs. Clendenn
Is a daughter OF Mr.. Greeley. When the church
was burned DR.. Clendenin was at Chappaqua
When the barn set on fire he was in West
Chester.
Thomas Mills. son OF the caretaker OF the
Chappaqua place. at o'clock yesterday morn
ing discovered flames in a frame barn about
three hundred feet from the house. He seized
some patent fire extinguishers and went 10 the
barn where he succeeded. after hard work in
putting out the blaze. An investigation was
made and II was clearly established that the
fire was the work Of incendiaries. When Mills
reached the barn he found It full OF heavy
smoke. which had peculiar odor He opened
the door 10 let II out. and saw that one corner
was burning. After putting out the flames he
found that the building at that part had been
thoroughly saturated with kerosene oil. large
bottle containing a little kerosene and several
charred pieces Of newspaper were found near
that corner OF the building.
The fire was kept a secret until Mills had
telegraphed 70 Or. Clendenin. at West Chester TO
come at once. so that ne might himself take the
first steps in the matter. Or. Clendenin reached
Chappaqua on the noon train from West Chester
accompanied by his wife. After examining the
barn he said that he did not suspect any one
in particular and did not know that he had
personal enemy in the world but that he would
have talk with the local police authorities
about 1t.
THINKS BOTH INCENDIARY.
Later in the day he said 70 Tribune reporter:
Il consider that the two fires. the which
destroyed St. Peters Church and the in my
barn. were instgated by the same parties I
can reach no other conclusion. The church fire
was without doubt the work OF an incendiary,
and viewing the plain facts as 10 the firing Of
the barn. I feel certain that it also was the
work Of an incendiary feel that an enemy Of
the faith put FIRE TO st. Peters Church. i be-
Neve II was done by some who is a re-
Lgious Anarchist"
When asked IL he had any theory why the In
cendiary had not tried to burn his house, In
stead of his barn at Chappaqua- DIT Clendenin
replied 'T think that the incendiary drew the
line at murder. az my two children would prob
ably have been burned had my country home
been set on FIRE. but time will show how muca
further this is going 20 go. 1t is' 1 believe
!.fe and death struggle IN the Anglican com
uunion, anyway. between belief and unbenef,
tetween the religion Of the supernatural or one
side and rationalism on the other Ihe
struggle in France between these two same
forces has burned cities and destroyed life II
the present state Of things goes on, there Is no
reason why such terrible calamities may not be
repeated IN America"
Or. Clendcnin said he desired II TO be known
that he offered $1,000 on his own account for
the detection OF the person or persons who at
tempted TO burn mis- barn This offer OF Sl'"o
is In addition 70 the one Of $1,000 whicn ne
made for the securing Of evidence tending 10
convict the frebug who he thinks destroyed st
Peters Church. The vestry OF 81 Fe'eF
Church has also offered $1,000
TWO UNDER ARREST.
The Cvhappauua police have arrested two COL
,red men who were seen lettering near Dr. Clen-
sanin,s property late on Sunday afternoon. They
sre held or suspicion. but so far no direct evil
dence has been found against them. A white
man who is a stranger in Chappaqua has had
suspicion directed against him, and II is thought
he may know something about the fires. The
man goes about pretending 70 be lame but It Is
suspected that the lameness is assumed. The
police are watching him.
Churchmen in this city are. Of course, keenly
Interested in Dr. Clendenin's theory OF the two
rres Several Of them expressed the hope yes
terdav that the clergyman had been mlsquoted.
but few were willing TO enter into a discussion
on the subject for publication.
The Rev. Dr Arthur Lowndes, a prominent
churchran and the author Of ''Vindcation Of
Anglican Orders" while expressing regret at the
destruction Of the church. was emphatic in the
belief that DR.. Clendenin was mistaken. I do
not believe for a moment" he said. that the fire
was caused by any incendiary having theo-
logical animus and I believe that clergymen
generally will agree with me in that From what
has been stated, think It is quite possible that
the are was the work OF an incendiary. but am
Inclined 20 think that DR.. Clendenin has been
misunderstood in the statement credited TO him
that II was the work Of some one in touch with
the church"
THE OLD sEXTON's THEORY.
One Of the believers in the incendiary theory
es regards the church is the sexton. Isaac But
ler who has been in charge OF the church for
more than forty years. Last night the old sex
ton took Tribune reporter through the rulnei
building and traced the steps that the hreDus
Is supposed 70 have taken from the time ne
entered the church until he had accomplished
his dastardly mission and fed in the darkness.
According TO the belief OF the sexton the man
forced an entrance by tearing away the IRON
grating from a chancel window in the rear OF
The church Beneath this window are num-
her Of gravestones. from which ne could easily
have climbed through the window when once
oFened. The sexton also confirmed the report
that the alcohol lamp used for lighting the gas
Jets had been taken from its place in the Vesu-
bule and was found in the organ room near
the place where the flames originated. Ihs
lamp the sexton is positive he left in the vest'-
rule previous 70 the fire. He is also posiu'e