The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-04-14
THOMAS HEALEY, ALLEGED FIRE BUG, ARRESTED
Is Given Hearing Thursday Afternoon Before
Squire Smith. and Held Under $500 Bail.


Thomas Healy was arrested Thurs
day on warrant sworn out by Eu-
gene Cortright charging him with
wantOnIy and maliciousiy setting fire
TO and burning the barn of c. A.
COrtright and Son. The warrant
was served by County Detective n.
Il. Spencer, and he was taken before
was given a hearing late Thursday af-
ternoon and as result of the hear
ing he was held under $500 bail. He
pleaded not guilty to the charge.
At the hearing Attorney Chester
A. Garratt appeared for Mr.. Cort-
right.
Calvin Brown testified that when
Lee Eie, the Chinaman, who was the
first man to see the fire, came to the
barn to notify the men to look after
the fire, Thomas Healy called him a
bad name and told him to go back
and mind his own business.
Il. G.. Skinner testified that he
seemed to have standing grudge
for some time against Cortright, and
had said a number of times that he
was going to get even with him. 1t
seems Healey was discharged for
drunkenness and incOmpetency, and
a new man had been engaged to take
his place at the COrtright barn.
Even yesterday Healy persisted in
threats to get even with Cortright
and said she would get even before
tonight" and that "he knew what he
was talking about"
The testimony having been heard
Squire Smith committed Healy UNI
der $500 bail.
Fire broke out Wednesday night,
shortly after nine o'clock, in the hay
loft of the barn owned by C. A. Cort-
right & Son, and used by them as
livery, at the rear of the Lyric Thea
ire in the No. 100 block, Main
street, destroying three barns before
its course was checked. Damage was
$4,000. The alarm was turned in
over the Consolidated phone from
the fruit store of A. Barbieri, just
across the street, at 9:05 p. m. by
LorenZ Bried, and a general alarm
was sounded, all the fire companies,
viz, Honesdale Protection Engine Co.
No. 3, Hose Company No. /, Alert
Fire Company, Chemical Fire Com
pany promptly responding. When
they reached the scene of the con-
fagratiOn the flames had gained such
rapid headWay that their efforts were
confined to saving the adjoining
properties. 1t was a long and stub
born fight that the volunteer firemen
of Honesdale waged, and it was mid
night before the last stream of wa
ter was turned off.
The origin of the fire is a mystery
From all accounts it started in the
hay loft of the Cortright barn. Eu-
gene Cortright, when seen early
Thursday morning by a Citizen re-
porter and questioned as to the prob
able source of the fire, said:
Il haven't the least idea. 1t start
ed in the hay loft, so they all say.
There was a couple of tons of baled
hay stored in the loft. | never allow
any one to smoke in the barn. My
loss will be about $4,000 on which
l have about $2500 insurance"
The patrons in the Lyric Theatre
were given quite a shock by a num-
ber not on the bills of the repertoire
company appearing there in week s
engagement. Shortly after nine
o'clock John Carroll, stage manager,
walked on the stage, and announced
thot biiCA q neto q III 10 III a Ddl Ii uGAI
door, but that the audience need not
be alarmed
Smoke began to issue from the
footlights before he had finished
speaking and the crowd beat hasty
and orderly retreat from the fire zone
to place of safety out doors.
The Lyric theatre itself was some
what damaged, one cornice being
burned off, but not sufficiently to
concel the show scheduled for Thurs
day night. The members of the
troupe ran to the lobby of the play
house and took their trunks with
them to place of safety.
The flames gained rapid headway
licking up everything in sight. Not
withstanding the heroic efforts of
the firemen the fire spread to Peter
sons and Blakney's barns adjoining
and they were speedily reduced to
ashes. Bucket brigades on adjoining
houses kept the roofs and sides wet
thus preventing the flying embers
from destroying the adjacent dwell
ings.
The barn right to the rear of the
Cortright barn is the Honesdale
Milling Companys barn. The barn
to the north of the livery stable barn
is owned by Mrs. Emma Brown.
All the people in the Brown prop
critics had their things torn UP
ready to be removed at a moments
notice. The first house on the north
side of the Cortright barn is occupied
by G. p. Sommer, the jeweler. In
the second Edward A. Lindsay
lives. The third, big fiat
was on fire several times, and the
firemen worked hard to save it. This
fiat is occupied by the families OF
Harry Penwarden, o. NJ. Spettigue
Jr., Jacob Ref and County Detective