The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-16
DANGER FOR THE SCHOOLS.
FIREBUGs AND THIEVES THREAT
EN- THE BUILDINGS.

Chatham School No. 1 Was Follow
ed Last Night by n Similar Occur
renee at ST. PatricIS's schOOI-PO-
lice Are Looking for the Miscre-
nnts-Theffs Were Committed at
the Academy and at the Anderson
Street schooI-BeIieved Small Boys
Are Doing the Wicked Work.
The school buildings of the city seem In
danger from thieves and firebugs. Three
schools have been entered in two nights,
and in two of them fire was discovered
after the departure of the miscreants.
The hour of the discovery of the fire was,
fortunately, early, or there might have
been some greater damage than the burn
ing of teachers desk.
Night before last a desk in Chatham
School No. /, fourth grade. Miss Clag-
horn. teacher, was discovered ahre about
$50 O'Clock. The department put out the
fire within a short while after the arrival
Of the apparatus.
Last night at o'clock fire was discov-
cred in the rooms of the Fifth
grade of st. Patricks' School, Miss Ennis,
teacher. The circumstances were identi-
cal with those at Chatham School No. l.
The fire was confined to the desk of the
teacher nothing else in the room being
burned. The destruction of the desk was
almost complete. the flames having dam
aged it more than was the case at the
other fire.
Chemical Engine No. l put out the fire
in St. Patricks School shortly after its
arrival. The firemen had been at the
Chatham School fire the night before, and
were astonished to see just what had been
found there.
Just about this time every year there
are more than apt to be small sums of
money in the teachers desks. 1t is GUS
tomary for some of the grades 10 make up
Christmas presents for the janitors, the
cbiging colored men who usually fill these
places being great favorites with the chill
dren, who readily give their nickles and
pennies to contribute toward making their
Christmas happy.
The teachers are in charge of the funds
that are r0ised for this and kindred pur-
poses. Often they leave the money In
their desks. The children are aware of
this practice, and sometimes the 6nowl-
edge gets 10 the ears Of those who would
not hesitate to take advantage of an op-
portunity to secure 1t.
1t is believed that this Is Just what has
happened Bad boys have learned that
money was to be found in some of the
desks and they have employed some
means familiar to them of securing adj
mission into the buildings at about dusk
Most of the school buildings have win
doEs near the ground that afford easy ac-
cess to the interior. This is especially true
of Chatham Academy, where the first dep
relation and incendiary act were com
mitted
The rounds of the teachers desks were
made at st. Patrick's School before fire
was finally set to the desk of Miss Ennis
Why the incendiaries should have select
ed her desk Is not known. 1t is possible
that there may have been a boy concerned
| in the affair who nurses a fancied wrong
| all teachers having at some time taught
| children who entertain these grudges.
| Mr.. Arthur j. O'Hara, principal of ST
| Patrick's, is convinced that the deviltry IS
| the work of small boys. He had no clue,
| but sought the superintendent of police TO
see II anything could be learned 10 fix the
| guilt. He said the superintendent is in
| clined to believe white boys have been
| trying their prentice hands as burglars
| and firebugs. MIR. O'Hara says the Of
tenders. If caught, should not be dis
| charged on account of their age.
| The desk of the principal was not left
| inviolate. When he reached the school
and went through the building after the
| fire he found that two drawers that he
! had locked had been opened. There was
no money in these.
AT q ueHinS OF lhG ltdCneTS yesterday
! afternoon Supt Ashmore called attention
| to discoveries that had been made, and
cautioned them to leave no more money
| in their desks. They will carry contribu-
| tons home with them hereafter, and burg
| lars, young or old, will not have their
| search of desks rewarded by finds
The hour practically the same in both
| cases, at which the fires were discovered
induces the belief that one or more small
| boys are engaged in the work of entering
| the schools. Whether in spirit of mis-
chief, 6iscontent with teachers, or GRIM
irality is not known, but doubtless one
of the three has moved them to set fire to
the desks.
The fire in Chatham Academy was
due to a burglar. Superintendent Ash
more made a careful examination of the
premises yesterday molnng and found
what he regards as ind sDutable proof
that there was a burglar in the buiiding
the night before. 1t is superintendent Ash
more's theory that he burglar ransacked
Miss Claghorn's desk breaking the locks
of the drawers that were NOT open. 1t was
| found that the drawers BAD ueen forced
| when an examination was made.
The depredations of ne burglar ha1 rot
| been confined to thai Que room. A small
sum of money had been left in her desk
by Miss Claghorn, and that was missing,
as were also small sums from The desks
Of two or three other teachers. The thief
ing for anything of value he could tind
about the d ks OF the teach rs
The detectives were 40 lied Of the thefts
Superintendent Ashm7re, unft rtuna oiv,
had no cfue to offer, and he IS doubtful if
the de- ectives win be able TO ferret out The
guilty one. It is hopcd that they may be.
for his was rot the first visit raid the
academy by thieves.
The Anderson Street School was burg
larized the same night, possibly by tie
same thief. Several Of the rooms We're re-
lieN ed Of bo0ks ard o.her ar i.les No clue
a-..llr.-d in /, 4. II E1r.