The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-10-04

IS CAPTURED
Negro Caused Jacksonville's
Reign of Terror.
CONFESSED THURSDAY
Henry Gallagher, Employed at the Ho-
tel Admitted That He Had Started
All the Fires but one-Is Now In
Newfane Jail to Await Trial.

All the Fires but One-Is NOW In
Newfane Jail to Await Trial.
The perpetrator of the fires and 9th
er outrages which have terrorized the
inhabitants Of Jacksonville for the
past two months was captured We'd
nesday evening after he had made an
unsuccessful attempt to burn the barn
connected with the hotel in that viii
lage. The incendiary is Henry Gal
lagher, is years old, negro who came
to Jacksonville from Springfield
Mass, last November and had been
employed at the hotel. Gallagher Is
known to have served time in a Mas
sachusetts industrial institution and
since his residence in Jacksonville his
reputation had been none too savory.
In fact, he had been under suspicion
by number of Jacksonville residents
for some time and to many it is not
surprising that he has been identified
as the one who has caused so much
trouble. Gallagher is now in Newfane
Jail awaiting trial on the charge OF
arson for which there is a severe PEN
atty in this state.
The circumstances that led to the
discovery of the frebug brought to
light a novel method that he had
adopted to carry out his purpose. At
l6.45 Wednesday evening when d. Nj.
Canedy, proprietor of the hotel, went
to the barn to feed his horses he
smelled smoke and upon investigating
discovered it coming from the direc-
tion of the stairs that lead to the
In, r. liaanvara6
that a hole had been bored through the
floor under the stairs and hempen
rope saturated with kerosene intro
duced in the hole so that the lower
end could be lighted from the base
ment of the barn. Quickly running
to the basement he found the lower
end of the rope slowly smouldering
After extinguishing the flame Mr..
lCanedy went to the kitchen of the ho-
tel and on finding Gallagher accused
him of trying to burn the BARI, but
the negro stoutly denied all knowledge
of the affair. Deputy o. r. Chase was
then called in and together with w.
A. Brown piled the boy with ques-
tions. For several hours the lad con-
tinued to affirm his innocence but I'm
ally early yesterday morning when
impressed with the suffering he had
caused and the amount of property de-
stroyed Gallagher admitted that he
had started all the fires except that
which destroyed the buildings of Ar
thur B. Chase and had attempted to
poison the horses of W. A. Brown and
w. A. Clark. The only reason he gave
for starting the fires was that he
opl aninup1
seeing the flames light the skies. he
further stated that he had no grudge
against anyone and had worked faith
fully carrying water at every fire.
After his confession Gallagher was
placed under arrest by Constable o.
lib. Kingsley and brought before Jus.
tice Schuyler Murdoch on complaint
issued by Town Grand Juror Fl. G.
} Porter The incendiary was bound
over to the grand jury without bail
; and was Immediately taken to New
fame Jail to await trial
Gallagher began his series of crimes
in the latter part of July when he
fred an outbuilding connected with
the Masonic hall and would have
caused the destruction of that prop
erty had not the blaze been discovered
Immediately. He then set fire to the
barn of W. A. Brown July 81 and soon
, afterward attempted to poison the
: horses of Mr.. Brown and w. A. Clark
by putting paris green in their man
gers. A little later Gallagher made
, an attempt to fire another one of Mr..
Browns barns but it was discovered
in time to prevent loss. Three
! ! fba fro which de-
; stroyed the buildings of Arthur =.
Chase but Gallagher claims that he
had nothing to do with this blaze.
; The barn belonging to II. 9. Porter
was totally destroyed by fire last week
Tuesday night and it was only by des-
/ perate work that the remaining build.
i ings on that side of Main street were
: saved.
The last fire previous to the discov-
/ cry of the criminal was started early
, Sunday morning of this week in the
barn and sheds in the rear Of the no.
E tel. By heroic work the inhabitants OF
4 the village checked the flames after
: they had reached the partition which
separates the new barn from the old
structure, but they would not have
been able to accomplish this had not
, the heavy rain assisted them. After
: the fire was under control small
, blaze was discovered in the shed ad-
r Joining the hotel but this is supposed
to have started from the heat of the
3 other fire. Several sleighs were de-
: stroyed and at one time the outlook
9 was so dubious that much Of the fur
i niture in the hotel and in E. j. Rob-
! ortc q housa was removed.
: After this fire the townspeople took
6 heroic steps toward protecting them
r selves and their property. Eighteen
e special police officers were deputized
.. and the selectmen of the tswn Of
fered a reward of 5000 for informa-
ton leading to the arrest of the fire.
], bug. The fire engine belonging to the
g town of Wilmington was sent to
o Jacksonville Tuesday for use in case
: of emergency, and help from Whining
). ton and Readsboro came during Sun
2 days fire.
= A short time previous to the last
r fire a watchman saw figure skulking
h in front of the hotel and fired but the
a person escaped. After the fire Sun
y day morning fsh-pole to which was
attached a cloth soaked with kerosene
y was found in the rear of the hotel,
J. and it is supposed that this is what
Gallagher used to start the fire.