Evening star., 1914-02-15
Presidents Horses
Burned to Death.

Burned to Death. with oans,derah,s
loss. The disaster is thus described in
The Star of the next day: +
THE building, except that part used as
carriage house. was destroyed. The
building was of brick. and contained at
the time six horses. all of which were
burned to death before they could be
taken from the stable Two Of these
horses were the private property of the
President; pair of blooded bay horses
were owned by Mr.. Nico.ay, the Presi-
dents private secretary. while the re-
naming two ponies were those used by
the Presidents son. Tad Lincoln. One
of these ponies was all the more highly
priced in consequence OF having once been
the property of Willie, the deceased son
the Presidents private coachman, left the
stable to get his supper about s o'c.ock.
and he was first notified of the fire by
the President himself. who discovered the
smoke. but before any one could reach
the stable it was in flames.
"A large crowd collected as soon as the
alarm was given, and the different steam
engines and fire companies were on the
ground in a short time, but owing to the
combuSt Bile nature oil the material wi h
in the stables, but little cou be effected
by them other than preventing a further
spread of the flames. The large quantity
of old material scattered over the grounds
in the rear OF the Treasury bui ding made
this quite task for the time being. 1t
IS estimated that it will cost $4,000 to
replace the stable.
The po ice were promptly on the spot
and Officer Stanchcomb arrested a man
by the name OF Patterson McGiee on sus-
picion of having set the stable on fire
McGee was formerly a coachman for the
President. and was discharged yesterday
morning, but was seen about the stable
about an hour before the fire was dis
covered"
before a magistrate. for lack of evidence
x
'Cross-eyed Davy Pretzman (men-
toned by us yesterday as having been
arrested in Maryland on sus-
Arrest picion of being spy and
confined in the Old Capito
VI ePJ' says The Star of February
IL. 1864. "is the same individual who. IN
company with Jake Creamer. Gid Sher-
~, Ben Gruber and ether notorious char
acters, left Hagerstown at the breaking
out of the rebe.iion and went to Harpers
Ferry, and enlisted under the rebe' BAN
ner. Some two or three weeks after he
succeeded in procuring his discharge, re-
turned home. was arrested and released
on taking the oath. He kept very quiet
unit l the battle of Antietam, when he be-
came loud in his denunciation of the fed
eral government, for which he was ar
rested and sent to Fort McEenry, but
was released on again taking the oath.
Pretzman returned to HagerStown and
nothing was heard of him until ii was re-
ported last summer that the rebels had
crossed the river into Maryland when he
was seen to mount Il horse. ride to VIII
Transport and escort the rebel advarce
guard into Hagerstown. Then he at
tempted to recruit cavalry company, but,
falling he joined the rebels a private.
During the stay of the rebels at Hagers-
town PretZman rode up and down the
streets of the town, fiourishing his pistol
and vowing vengeance upon the heads of
loval men We learn that PretZman made
his appearance in Hagerstown on Sunday
night last, just as the various churches.
were leaving out. Seeing the crowd APP
preaching him. he lay down against
house, pretending to be asleep. Several
citizens stopped and looked at him, and
a little boy who was passing went up to
Pretznan and. COVERING his f"cs.' %
claimed, IT'S Cross eyed Davyi' He made
no effort to escape, but attempted the old
dodge of having fit A gentleman i'm
mediately seized him and. unbuttonin a
citizens coat he had on. found underneath
It the Confederate uniform"