The New York Herald Newspaper, November 27, 1864, Page 1

THE NEW YORK HERALD. WHOLE NO. 10,318. ATTEMPT TO BURN THE CITY. Discovery of a Vast Rebel Conspiracy. Twelve Hotels Fired by- Turpentine and Phosphorus. GBALAR ATTEMPTS ON THE SHIPPING. Prompt Frustration of the S&cheme. GREAT PANIC AT BARNUM'S MUSEUM Excitement at Niblo’s and the Winter Garden. Full Development of the Plot. ARREST OF FOUR OF THE PRINCIPALS, Qne of Morgan’s Guerillas Implicated, HIS ARREST AND IMPRISONMENT. Vigorous Orders of Major General Dix. The Perpetrators to be Tried by Court Martial and Hanged Immediately. Rewards Offered for the Ar- rest of the Guilty. OPERATIONS OF THE DETECTIVES, THE LATEST PARTICULARS, a, &e., e, ‘The details published in yesterday’s Humacn respecting ‘what tarns out to be avast and fiendish plot to bura @own our grand Empire City gave rise te the most pro- Sound excitement among all classes of our citizens. There ‘Was 20 padic, no evidence of ridicuious fright or the wild @pprebension that might naturally be expocted to resalt from the discovery of a couspiracy, which, if successful, weuld have been accompanied by such unspeakable hor- Bers. Our people took the affair very collectedly, taking ll things into consideration; but they did not the leas om tRat account realize the fact that they had escaped, ag ®y @ miracle, from a dreadful calamity, which might Rave ieft half the city in ashes and consigned thousauds @f innocent persons—men, women and chiidren—to the most horrible of deaths. Viewing it in this light, eer citizeos may be said to have repeated She Thankagiving festival yesterday, for in every quarter ‘were to be heard the words of congratatation and gratiy ‘Cade to God for nis uom‘stakabie imterposition in our be- Balt. The city of New York has undoubtedly bad a most ‘weaderful escape, and the result shows how easily the ‘Dest laid plans may be frustrated, and how difficult it = te bur down a great metropolis like New York, where ‘the Police and Fire departments are managed so ener- qetically. A few minutes after the discovery of the plot ‘Catel Engineer Decker and Superintendent Kennedy had @aused notice to be served on the proprietors of all tue Bbotels in tbe city to be on their guard, and owing to this Gmely warning, no doubt, is attributable in a large de. Bree the failure in general and iu detail of the incendiary eenspiracy. ‘There is no longer any room for doubt as to the authors ef the conspiracy. The developments already made indi- ate beyond a question that some of the minions of the ered traitor, Jett. Davis, aro at the bottom of it, if, in. deed, it is not a plan that bas received the sanction and approval of the rebel President or some of his principal Supporters. The police have mado arrests of some sus. pistous partics, and their an‘ecedents are of such a char- Beter that the Fire Marshal, detectives and otber authori Olea are satisfied the plan is of seceab design and execu- Aon. It would be imprudent to publish all we know on the @abject as yot, and we therefore retrain from giving a Great many facts connecied with the plot, which would be read with interest by the public. In due time the @etectives will undoubiodiy suceced in capturing most @f the guilty parties concerned, and then our readers ‘Will be furnished with the fullest particulars, A WELL KNOWN SECESH HOTEL UNMOLRSTED. 3 avything wore needed to point to the aushors of the eed with unerring certainty, it is to be found io the fact that one of our hotels, somewhat notorious for the goests it usually sbellers, seems to have been un. Maolested by the incendi The botel, which was We headquariors of George N. Saunders, and the principal rebel refugees of tho South and their sympa- Wiizing friends in the North, was passed over by the Phosphor iuminators, 14 is well to remember also that ‘we bave long been threatened wiih the conflagration of @ar privcipal Northoro cities by the Southern chivalry. Piracy on the seas and robberies on the land are their favorite methods of procedure, Bank robberies and con- Gagr. tions aro the latest io order, Tbe whole war on their side hi @avage crucity. The mi been marked with of the wounded at Bull Fan, the poisoning of wells aod of food, the infamous Weatment of our prisovers, the aesassination of non. Memdatants and the madigoant spirit, whieh bas diaplayed sel toward the loyn! people of the North are no doupt Biates authorities were not moved by a slight caase when, just preceding the election, they warned the Mayors of all our principal cities to be on the alert agaicat an extensive pilot of inceidieriem, The result would seem to fully justify the alarm then created, and even the apparestiy hersh measures recommended adopted. The attempt to burn down this city by one COmmon means, and at about the seme hour, and on the same night, is evidently a part @f the conspiracy then partially discovered, OUR SOUTHERN RESIDENTS. It will be remembered that Major General Dix issued an order in the latter part of October requiring all the Southern residents in the Department o° the East to register their nemes at General Peck’s headquarters be- fore the third day of November. This order bas been obeyed only in a very few instances. It is believed that there are not less than twelve or fourteen thousand Seuthern refugees resident in this city; but of that large number only a part bave thought proper to obey General Dix’s order by registering their names, and the disregard of the rest is looked upon 8.8 vory suspicious ciroumstence, All that was Tequired of them was to come forward and show their loyalty; and baving refused to do s0, they can hardly consider themeelves deeply wronged when they Jearn that the authorities view them as suspicious char- acters, unfriendly to the government and likely to join In any wild scheme foritsovertbrow, Itmay be that many of them are honest and harmless, only desiring to live ia quiet and peace, but the fact that they have not complied with Gen. Dix’s order leaves ne room to discriminate, PROMPT ACTION OF GENERAL Dix. In view of the developements yesterday, Major General Dix bas issued the following remarkable orders, indi- eating what sort of punishment the perpetrators will re- ceive, and calling again upon Southern residents to come forward and register themselves:— - GENERAL ORDERS——NO. 92, Hyapquarrers, Derartasnr oF Tus East, New York, Nov. 26, 1864. } A nefarious attempt was made last night to set fire to the principal hotels and other places of public resort in this city. If this attempt had succeeded, # would have resulted in a frightful sacrifice of property and life. The evidences of extensive combination, and other facts dis- closed to day, show it to have beon the work of rebel emissaries and agents, All such persons engaged in secret acts of hostility kere can only be regarded as spies, subject to martial law, and to the penalty of death. If they are detected, they will be immediately brought Defore @ court martial or military commission, and, if comvicted, they wilt be execuied without the delay of a single day. By command of Major Gecoral DIX. D. T. Van Borex, Colonel and Assistant Adjutant General. GENERAL ORDRRS—NO, 93, Alsapguanrers, Dararraet oF THe East, ‘New Yous City, Nov. 26, 1864, } ‘The Major General commanding reoews the notice given by General Orders No, 80 to all persons from the iosur- gent States to reg'ster their names at the hoadquarters of Major General John J. Peck, second in command in tho Department, at No. 37 Bleecker street, within twenty- four hours after their arrival in this city, If say such Person fails te comply with this requirement he will be vegarded as a spy and treated accordingly, Keepers of hotels and boarding houses are requested to send to the same headquarters the names of all persons from the insurgent States taking lodgings with teem im- mediately on the arrival of such persons. It is got doubted that the danger which the city has just escaped ‘will insure a compliance with this request. If any one falls to comply with it he will be held responsible for any evil cons- quences which may resuk from the omission. By command of Major Genera! DIX. D. T. Vas Buasx, Colonel and Assistant Adjutant Gencral, mx mopus orseanor. “? ‘The plan of Gring the Rotels suggests the theory that some person well versed in chemistry must have been engaged in it. Im all the hotels the mate- tials used seem to have been turpentine and phosphoras, The phosphorus was in solution, placed ia Glass vials of six oF eight ounces capacity. These vials ‘wore sealed with plaster of Paris to prevent the air from coming in contact with their contents. It is cnvecessary to explain that, at oréicary temperatures, when exposed, phosphorus undergoes combustion. These bottles were found tm the rooms of the hotels, generally on the upper floors, unsealed, and the beds were saturated with tur- pentioe, which some people sappese contained phospho- rus in solution, but which prebabiy was aot the case, the {intention being that the beds and clothes should readily catch the flame oreated by the ignition of the phosphorus, When we contemplate the completeness of all ¢hese preparations it ssome traly wonderful how they could have proved so ‘ensuccessful in every instance. In all the rooms black leather valises were found containing botties of pho. spborus and turpentine. The carpet on the floors, the sheeting, curtains, beds, towels and al other available articles were spattered with the inflammable material. At the Fifth Avenue Hotel a set of cartridges soaked in turpentine was discovered, These were intended un- doubtedly to expiode and scatter the Jame ia every direc- tion, THE FIRE MARSHAL’S THEORY. ‘The theory of Fire Marshal Baker is that between twenty-five and one hundred persons were implicated in the plot, and that it was to have been consummated on Thanksgiving Day, with a view to creating the groater consternation, Mr. Baker ts led to this view by the fact that certain writings have been found in some of the black valises seized, in which there is mention of a meot- ing that was to have taken place on the afternoon of Tharks giving Day. This meoting was to occur in the Metropolitan Hotel, Whether it ever camo off or not is unknowa as yet. Bat this Mr. Baker considers certain: that the arrargo- ments were to commence the firing on Thankagiviog night, and that the operation was postponed for some undiscovered reason; also that the idea 10 selecting such ‘a day was to create the impression in the South that the deed was the work of a party in the North whoare in- dignant at the election of Mr. Lincoln and determined to resist his authority. MOVEMENTS OF THR INCENDIARI “Tho movements of the incondiaries seem to have been arranged very uniformly, At ench of the hotels the sup- posed incendiaries appeared in the character of travellers desiring rooms for a few days. They carried small black leather valises, signed fictitious names ou the hotel books, and carried their own baggage to their rooms, In this way at least twolve of our large hotels invaded by the incendiaries and exposed to ail the dangers of a terri. bie o-nflagration, The hotels #0 far discovered are:— 1, Astor House, 2 Belmont Hotel, 3. Howard Hotel, Love,oy’s Hotel. Tammany Hotel. Metropolitan Tot ngiand House, 20 Hotel, St. James Hotel. Some of the suspected parties were quartered at the hotels four or five days. H, L. Haynes, who put op at the Astor House, beld a room since the 20th inst. THE ASTOR HOUSR THE RENOKZVOUS. Haynes was in the habit of receiving frequent visita from mysterious jndividuels, and from this cironmes nce it i Heliewed that the Astor House was @ sort of rendez- yous for ali the coospirators, Fires were mado jo bis room very often, according to the chambermald, and re markable consultations reomed to be be d there, ACTION OF THE HOTEL KERIER: ‘The proprietors of the various hotels have, as a matter of course, been greatly alariwwed by the wicked attempt to destroy their property, and have teken all the mea. Pemembered by the recording angol avd will be brought against them io Heaven's chancery. The desperate of. fort on Friday may bo justly attributed to the fendian ineiples of this samo chivairy. Tho essence of war Dvsuwes, we admit, yet even that is subject to certain Festrictions common 10 all civilized nations, It ts one Shing in Ddattic or on a march to de violont; but to burn Gown hotels, where war does not exiet, is quite another The wretches who would bave destroyed all our pal hotels but one by fire, and caused the death of beng barmiess coonpents, deserve no pity, and should Uey be dotectov, aa we have no doubt they will be, gould be hung ap In an drief a apace am ponsibie and as Goon a8 10 law will permit, TUE RRORNT BORDRG Barns, With the evidence of this extenst piracy in our @aldas, Were can no longer exist @ douds shay the United sures necessary to protect themacives from foture ein! Jar attempts, Yesterday a consultation of the proprietors took place, and the following reward was offered: THRER THOUSAND DOLLARS REWARD. The undersigned bote! keepers offer the sbove reward for the arrest apd covviction of the persout engaged in fetting fire to the hotels on the night of the 26th and the moroing of the 26th November STEISON & €O,, Aator Hours, SPOTTS & HAWK, St, Nioivolas Hotel HITCHOOCK, DA Fifth Avenue Hoter A LELAND '& CO, A LACHENMYER, Lat JAMIS 1, HAMAY, St Jamea? Hotol, R. FRENCH, greneh's Motel, President Hote! Keepers’ sueiety. So far as we Dave heard, neither tha Mayor ner Gov ‘nor bes ieeued a reward for cypture of tne guilty parties, The hotels were nnder eirict watod alt day yea terday, and A suilicient fore of police kept abous them day and night to be ready for any emergexcy, Ibo NEW YORK, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1864. boarders were naturally very nervous, and it is ® be | Presomed did not sleep quire as soundly as last week. 1 THR CHIRP CONSPIRATOR ‘a Delieved to be a member of Morgan's old command, and one of the prisoners, it is said, who escaped with | Others of Mon gan’s men from the penitentiary at Colam- Dus, Obio, He was captured on the blockade runner Rouen, while trying to miake bis way into the confederacy to joio bis command, and was sent to Fort Lateyette. ‘While there be made oath to being « British subject, and a long correspondence ensued Letween Secretary Seward ‘and Lord Lyons tn relation to him, which resulted to bis Tolease from Fort Lafayetio, about two weeks since, A portion of that time he ‘been staying at the Lafarge House, and was there, occupying room No. 203 at the time of bis arrest, He was examined yesterday alter- noon, OPERATIONS OF THE POLICE. From the moment it wes ascertaived that the fires were the work of incendiaries, Proaident Acton directed that the whole machinery of the police should be brought into requisition to ferret out the perpetrator Mr, a Permtendent Kennedy seconded his efforts so ably that in abrief space of time two parties were under arrest and the officers were upon the scent of others concerned in the plot, and who were making what subsequently proved to be vain endeavors to escape. Orders were sent cut to the police of New York, Brooklyn and Williamsburg to notify all the hotel keepers within their respective precincts of the modus operandi of the incendiaries, and caution them to be on their guard, . THE DETECTIVE FORCE, ‘under Chief John Young, went to work with the most commendable encrgy, and have thus far succeeded in discovering the entire plan of organization, the names of the parties concerned, how they obtained the means to carry on the enterprise, and who were the principal in- Btigators and directors of the whole affair. THB PLAN, ‘The original plan of the marauders was to have simul- taneously fred the hotels at the lower and upper parts of the city, and while the Fire Department and the police Dad their attention distracted to these remote portions of the city, to fire the hotels and other public buildings io the more central points. Tne next step would bave been to have fred the shipping, beginning with the hay barges, which they had the idea could be fired apd pushed up , alongside the sbips and stesmers and thus destroy a vast amount of property. During the enactment of these scenes three of the more desperate of the gang were to have proceeded to the task of destroying the iron-clads pow in the harbor, To this end they bad provided themselves with numeroug, appliances, among which was a large quantity of Greek fire. As nearly as poasibie, these steps were to be taken together, or at Jeast 80 close upon each other as to render detection by the police almost an impossibility,” wub Wert TO ACCOMPLISH IT. In carrying out this plan it was pot thought prodent ‘to trust the affair in the bande of Southern men who had | been long enough in this city to get a touch of Unionism. Importations were made direct from Richmond, Peters- burg and Canada of men sworn to accomplish the dread- ful work. The detectives became aware that a new class of men were arriving from the South and the provinces, but could not get any hints as to their designs. 6o long fs ten days ago they were aware that some plot was afoot, but could not succeed in arriving at it. They learned, however, tbat the time fixed upon for the per- formance of a certain piece of work was about the 4th of December. 4 PREMATURE MOVEMEKY. It will be seen by this that the movement was @ pre- mature One, and that the force detailed to do the work Dad not altogether arrived. The reason of this was thet the parties feared the whole matter would and that the eatire design would ber; , hence the bungling manner in which the affair was carried out, HS POINTS TO BS GAINED. In the awful consternation that was expected to have @usved among the citizens, and that, as they thought, would have paralysed thom, it was beileved that the ea- tire city would ave been given over Tethe thief end the Plunderer; that the looal thieves, who ever stand ready to take advantage of all public as well-as private dis- treases, would bave fallon upoa public and private houses, and that scenes of plunder, rapine and murder would engue such ag the metropolis has never yet witnessed. By theso awful means it was supposed that the first city {n the Union would be laid in a heap of smouldering Taine, ber resources destroyed, and her people fiying from the spoiiattons of the plunderer and the red band of the assassin. Tho prematate development of the plao ; ‘the numerical inadequacy of the parties who were to have executed the deed, and the vigilance and energy of the police and the Fire Department, were the happy com- ‘Dinations that saved the city from swift destruction, THE ARRESTS. ‘Thus far four of the principal parties concerned have been arrested, and with them 80 mucb of the means that had been provided to carry on the work as had not yet been expended. The money wasto gold, and was found in the safe of the Treasurer of the Organization, who is now under arrest, The work ie still goiog on, and by the time this paragraph is read it is probabie that a majority of the partiesjconcerned will be in custody. ADDITIONAL REWARDS. Tm addition to the reward offered by the hotel Keepers, ft is stated that the insurance companies are to havea meeting to morrow to take some measure in offering some additional reward.- 1he matter will also be brought up in the Common Council on Monday, and a resolution jotro- duced authorizing the payment of a handsome reward for the arrest and conviction of any of the parties concerned. It is thought the rewards h the aggregate will not be less than ten thousand dollars, THE OPERATIONS AT THE HOTELS. Below we give the fullest and latest details reepecting the aflair, together with a complete doscription of the operations of the incendiaries at the hotels. Astor Ho ‘The great excitement created among the hotel keepers, and the precaution given by the police on the above night, led the proprietors of tho Astor House to be somewhat on their guard, Accordingly, about two o'clock A. M., Sat- urday, a strict watch wa: pt on each floor of the hotel. Some ball a dozen pails of water were also placed at the bead of each flight of stairs, and towards morning Mr. Stetson seemed to congratulete Limee!f over bis lucky escape from the disasters that bad attended the St. Nicholas, Metropoiitan avd otber hotels. About eight o'clock Detective Derry, stationed at tho hotel, snd in whose charge the guard bad been placed, favo orders that each room be searched, and the bed and bedding examined, jo order to see if any com- bustibie material could be found, Jobn Spring, watch- man on the top floor of the hotel, proceeded to the sev- eral rooms fn his immediate charge, and om opening No. 204, fronting on Verey street, dircovered the room enveloped in flames. At the same time a dense volume of smoke poured out Into the hell, which soon alarm ef fire throughout the botel, The prompt efforts of @ number of workmen in the building was the means of the fire teing speedily extinguished; when, upon examinaiin, the fire was found to have been burning nearly all might, In the centre of | the floor the beams wero found to ve burned through, and most of the floor burned to a cinder, Nearly every articlo of furniture wee more or lene do stroyed «The matiresses bad been cut open and thorousbly eatoratea with turpentin tapon the ticor, The tebles, chairs and washstand wore piled on top of (he beds and the match applied, The reason for the fe pot sooner being discovered was Owing to the fact, no doubt, that most of the smoke os- caped up the ebimney Jt bad, however, emouldered | during the entire » ,Whieb no douwnt, preserved it | from burating ont and Gring the building. Tho fro | burned through to the floor below, which, together with water, used to extinguish it, did considerable damage. Three dotties containing turpentine, none of which bad deen opened, were found Im the room—1 fae smilie ot those found at the other ho Severn! bottles had also bern used in the room and in eaturating the bede. On the 20th lostent m young man, apparently about five feat nix inches in beight, light complexion aod noatly dressed, registered hin name as W, 1. Haines, frm Unio, He bad with him at the time a emall block Jenther carpet bag, and war assigned to the above room, Te has retained the same for the past week, and Das frequently boon sero im And about tho hotel—in fact, | bo did nob keep bimpelf secluded, bub wae ovyory ised an | Gay tm and ont the hotel and barroom, Most of the Wme he kept a fire in his room, and grserally from three to jour persons galled on bim each day, At fimes they would remain for several hours; some times to a late hour in the evening. 18 is aleo presumed that he was a chemist, from facts known to the police, and that be is the same party who was, about two years ago, confined im Fort Lafayette, He was what is called a telegraph tapper. Having telegraph instruments of bis own, he would apply them to apy line and thereby fmtereept messages from one station to another. ‘The damage done to the building, together with the furniture, wil! not fall short of $1,000, which is fully covered by insurance. oom No, 187, on the floor be- Jow, was mostly damaged by water, Great credit is due to the porters and engineer of the house for the prompt manner jn which tho fire was extinguished. The Belmont Hotel. Notwithstanding the proprietor of this hotel, which is located on Fulton street, adjoining the Heratp office, was promptly notified to be on his guard for fire, he, like others, became the victim of this daring plot, About twelve o'clock smoke was dine covered issuing from the rear of the second for, and emanating from room No. 2, The various employes being up at the time andon guard, the room was immediately entered, and its con- tents discovered to be on fire, In the room a strong odor of phosphorus was apparent. ‘The fire, pot baving gained much headway, was speedily ex- tinguished, Upon examination the bed and bedding ‘were found saturated with phosphorus, as well as moat of the furniture. In the room was discovered carpet bag containing six bottles of phosphorus. The room, it appears, bad been engaged by @ man who re- gistered his name as Lieut. Lewis, United States army. Ho was subsequently arrested and conveyed to the Polico beadquarters and conflaed for the night, Yesterday morning he had an examination im the presence of the Fire Marshaland the proper authorities, when it wasclearly sown tbat he was inno- cent of any conection in tho matter. That he had only registered bis name, had the room assigned him, after which he went out, never even going up to the room or knowing Sts Jocation, This, with other facts, proved his innocence, and he was honorably discharged. It 1s said that he isa lieutenant in «ne of the colored regiments, It seems that whoever the culprit who fired the premises was, he must have gained admittance to the room with false keys, During the excitement and alarm the hose attached to this office was promptly manned by the mon employed in the press room, and @ line stretched intothe Duildinge, but their services, we are happy te record, were not needed, though greatly appreciated by the pro- prietor of the Belmont, as will be seen by the following card:— Betmoxt Horst, Nov. 26, 1864 ‘The proprietor of the Helmont Hote) desires to express: bis obligation to Mr, Bennett for the prompt services tendered at the incendiary fire at this hotel on Friday evening. He desires particularly to mention the efficient manner in which Mr. Joseph Elliott, Mr. James Ennis, and other attaches, manved and conducted the hose at- tached to the Heratp Building, which, in ao incredibly short space of timo, was got ready for conservative ac- tion, and pinced in'such ® pesition as entirely to com- mand the Be!mont premisee, thus insuring safety to its iamates and allayiog exciternant and alarm. Mr. J. G. Bexnett, J. P. RICHARDS, The damage to the furnitare will amount to about $100; covered by insurance. Barnum’s Museum. ~- ‘Te seems that the efforts to destroy the various build- {ngs throughout the city were not confined solely to the hotels, but several places ef amusement came in fer a share, An attempt was made shortly alter nine e’clock 0 fire Barnom’s Museum, and had the combustible ma- terial been thrown into any other portion of the build. fing {t is doubtful if the building would have escaped de- atruction, About the above hour, as stated, one of the men employed on the fifth floor observed a sudden flash Of fire at the fogs of the stairs leading to the upper story. In @ moment the whole foor was dis- covered im a bleze in and about the stairs. Instantiy «@ cry of “Fire!” was given, which ves through the Lecture room, startling every one and causing the most intense excitement. Almost Defore any of those in the Lecture Room could get out the fire bad been extioguished, but.this did not seem to allay the excitement, and men, frantic with excitement, slid down the fron pillars from the upper tiers, and several ‘women were with the gseatest effort prevented from leaping headlong fato the parquet, The attaches of the house, together with sevoral citizens, displayed most heroto courage in trying to allay the alarm. From a gontlemaa who was present we jearn that several ladies fainted, and several were badiy crushed in endeavoring to got out of the building, The andience was very large, and hed the fire broken ont in any of the stairs leading from the main entrance great loss of life would have taken place. The giantess became so alarmed that she ran down the main stairs into the street, and took refuge in Powers’ Hotel. It was also fortunate that the fire did not break ont in the lower portion of the building; for had 1s gained head- ‘way there would have been no chance for escape, aud the sacrifice of life would have been terrible. Upon examina- tien it was fouod that a quantity of phosphorus had been thrown upon the stairs and floor, setting fire to the wood. The act was done #0 quickly that the parties aped detection. The damage is but trifling. Levejoy’s Hotel. Two attempts were made to destroy this botelon the same night. The first fre was discovered about nine o'clock, by one of the occupante, on going up to bed, who observed that there was considerable smoke on the fourth floor, and who forthwith notified those in charge Of the office of the fact, Several of the waiters and em- ployes, together with the clerk, proceeded to the floor in question, and there found room No, 121 enveloped in flames. Every article in the room was in a~ blaze, and with such headway bad the fire progressed, that there was every indication that it would be imporsibie to subdue it without the aid of the Fire Department However, numerous pai!s of water were procured, and in a short time they had the satisfaction of getting con trol of the fre and confining ittothis room only, The extinguishing of the fire waa indeed most fortunate; for had it gained further headway there is not a question of doubt that tho entire building would have been do stroyed. Great credit is due to the untiring efforts of the employes, for their zealous labors at the fire, Tne alarm created, as might have been anticipated, fome little confusion among the guests of the house) but, fortunately, there were but few lady guests, ‘And none, that we could learn, bad retired for tbe night. | The furniture im the room was totally destroyed, aod was valued at two hundred and fifty dollars, Mr, Joho P. Hoggtos, proprietor of the hotel, has an fosutance on bis farniture of thirty-six thourand dollars, 1n city companies THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM. It appears that oo Monday Inet, the 22d inst. a person | giving his name as William H. Warren, of Schenectady, | N. Y., was assigned this room, aod bad retained the saise | up to the time of the fire; though from the statement of | the chambermid it appears that the only wight the be! | was occupied was on the firat night of hie arrival. No | one Reems to bave noticed who he was, or can give any idem ag to bis appearance, except the above girl. She only has a falot recollection, avd describes him as rather a tall man, gentlemanly dressed, | and having with him a amall learner traveling bog. J Upon an examination ef the room two bottles, labelled | “spirits Of turpentino,’? wero discoverol, The bed. | clothes and mattresses were piled up in the centre of tho floor, and were #0 found, in flames when the door was broken open, THR SROOND ATTEMPT. After the first fire the police of the Second prorinct gave notice to the proprietor of the various attempts that | were being mado to fire the sovernl hotels in the city, | And thereupon proper guards were placea on each floor, with a sufficient supply of w thou'd another fire bo discoyored, Shortly after eleven o'clo ky however, avd, In fact, almost simultanconely with tho alarm of fire at the Relmont Hotel, ove of tho watch- neo discovered fire in room No, 91, in the sout hoast jor- tion of the building, The door was instantly broken open, and the bed and bodding dixcovered enveloped io flames, Th was # ily extinguished, doing vo furl damage (bao the destruction of the above articles, This room wan registered to a man giving hs oom: J, Jones, of Soheneoindy, N. Y. Ho took the room on the 2int Inet,, but bas never been observed going io or Out From the apperrance of the two names. reo aut Jovea—apon ihe register, (here seems to bea fim. larity fo the bandwriting, and without # dount were | ' written by Who same yersum, This hows coucivsively | | tated. | thatthe same man agsuraed both names, and was the riginator of both fires. The loss on furniture in room No, 91, it is said, wiil amount to about one bundred aod Mifty dollars. Io this room were also found two bottles marked ‘Spirits of turpentine,” and precisely the same ize as those found in room No. 121. T jt. Nicholas Hotel. At balt-past nine o'clock she alarm of fire was given at the St. Nicholas Hotel. For a time the greatest coufusion Prevailed, On reaching it it was sscertained that the fre had originated in three rooms of the middie Rouse aud one in the front. These were numbered respectively 1298, 129,139 and 174, All the rooms, with their furnl- ture, were burned up; but the fire extended no further. In one of the rooms a small bottle was found, which bea evidently contained phosphorus, together with a piece of sperm candle, The bedclothes and mattresses bad beea eatarated with phosphorus, amd a strong odor of this fofammable material pervaded the other apartments which had been fired. Owing to the promptness of the hotel inmates the fire was extinguished before tt had time to spread, As to the perpetrators of this atrocious attempt the hotel proprietorz or their officials can at present give no clue. Room No. 174 was occupied by a man whogavoe his name asC, 1. Harrison, New Jersey. No, 139 was teken by @ person registering bis name as J, T. Allep, Albany. Both of those parties had been but a short time at the hotel; but the offse clerk bas an idea that be could recoguize them. They were both middle »ged men, dressed 1 @ark clothes, and appeared as if they had travoliod some distance. Harrison put up at the Qotel on Friday afternoon, and bad not been seen since registering bis name on the hotel book. A lady, who was jacom- moded from the fire, left the St. Nicholas aad procesded to the Metropolitan, where sho was afterwards arrested on evspicion of being connected with the conspiratcrs, On examumation yesterday, however, ber jonovence was conclusively proved, when she was immediately dis- charged. The damage done to the St. Nicholas will probably amount to about ten thousand dollars. Much credit is due to the proprietors for the excellent manner in which their fire apparatus is regulated, Had it not been for the promptness and eficiency of their employos there might have been a different tale to relate. The Metropolitan Hotel. The fire broke out at ten o'clock in room No. 302 at this notel. This room is situated on the top ticor, fronting on Broadway. It was tho only part of the house injured, and tho loss wii amount to about fifteen bundred dollars. In @ few minutes tho fire was entirely ex- tinguished. An eropty bottle, smeliing of phosphorus, a pair of boots and a valise were found in theroom, Oo ‘opening the valise it was found to be full of phosphorus, Tbe occupant of this room hud registered his name as ‘James Simeon, Rochester.”” fle came to the hotel on the 2ist jostant, and disappeared on the evening of the fire. His whereabouts has not yot been ascertained, but the police are on his track, and hopes are eatertained of his speedy capture. r Nib ‘At the Niblo’s Garden theatre, which adjoios the Metropolitan Hotel, and where the play of the Corsican Brothers was being enacted, much excitement prevailed. ‘The theatre was crewded to excess. The parquet, dress circle, family circle and galtery were filled with a highly fashionable audience, nesriy one half of whom were ladies. The play had gone on quietly and the last act was being performed w: whisper, which gradu- ally awelied into a cry, was raised that the house was on fire, How this ides originated might be casily explained. ‘The fire engines were heard by some partics near the entrance to the theatre, getting roady for their opera- tions in Broadway, PRICE FIVE CENTS. desk and engaged s parlor on the third floor (No, 84), aud signed bis name on the register as Jobo Schools, Mary- land. in writing bis name one of the elerks {po | the hotel says that ‘‘he looked as if he was some- what embarrassed, and took # longer time to sign ‘baa intelligent men are usually in the babit of doing? Our reporter examined the entry om the book of the hotel, and it is evident that he wrote hia name ioe disguised band, The word “Jobn” te « sit imitation of @ scboolboy’s writing, while the sursame Somewhat better; but the abbreviation for writer is @ perfect master of chirography, the Deing excctleutly executed, It w @ usual custom in all hotels of any pretension, when a guest arrives end engages apartments, to ask for their baggage checks, and if they have spy smail parcel in their bands to furnish servants to carry the same to their rooms. The a Schools, beving only & small valise, the bookkeeper asked bim, im accordance witb the usual custom, to give it toa m nt to be takea to Si. He at first hesitated, and the bookkeeper attri- buted his embarrassment to a deiicacy of exhibiting even to the servants bis scanty wardrobe, little thinking that in that smal! package was contained 2 chemical compound with which the infernal wretch inien‘ed to destroy, pot ouly the hotel, but the innocent :uests who were domicie@ there, and, by the ala of his azsociaties, to consume by fire the whole city of New York. After a little hesitancy the incendiary Sinally permitted one of the servants to carry his valize tothe room, be following closely aud watching thet his important baggage should not be mis- [aid, 29 If was of the greatost Importance to him, no dowbt, that be should carry out his part of the diabolical Progrermae, a8 a mistake on the part of any of the incem- diaries in carrying out the details might render the gra’ vandal plot avertive. On reacbing bis room he entered, and, not wishing the services of any of the employes, he shut Dimvelf up i his room, and nothing more was thought of the matter until about twenty minutes before eight o'clock, when the gentleman occupying room No, 85, oppo» sito, experienced a peculiar ameil, and on opening bis door was met in the hall by a perfect cloud of smoke, sme! ing sirongly of phosphorus and turpentine. fuppsing that the building wason fire, he ran down stairs and gave the alarm; and, fortuoately, the hour being carly, suflicient means were at hand to subdue the fumes be- fore they communicated to any other part of the building. Every floor of the hotel 1s supplied with buckets, which are kept constantly filled with water, ready for any emer- gency, and relays of servants are kept constantly on duty in every hall and passege, to provide against apy further attempt ogainst the bul'ding, Sioce the fire was discovered, Mr, ‘Schools’ bas been missing, and on searching his room au empty bottle was found, labelled ‘*turpentine,” from a ceriain druggist im Kighth avenue; butas the withholding of the name ie considered prudent by the authorities we refrain from publishing It, The key of the room occupied by the in- cendiary, has beeo oarried olf or lost, and the door had to be forced to gain un entrance, Nothing but the intervention of a beneficent Provi- dence has saved our city from partial destruction The premeditation with which the wretches acranged their programme shows beyond a doubt that we jo our midst a sot of robel emiseariee, who are determined, if possible, to carry out the plan long since foreshadowed through the columns of the Richmond journals. Fifth Avenue Hotel, ‘The incendiartes seemed bent upon the total destruc- | tion of this valuable buffding, having secured, in addition to the chemical agency used at the other hotels, &. most infernal and diabolical contrivance in the shape of an in- fernal macbive, consisting of numerous cartridges, so arranged that in case of an explosion every soul om fronting the building. ‘This gave rise | the floor where it was Placed could only escape tothe very natural @upposition that a fire was then immediate death by a pecuiler dispensation of raging, would be ie Sames, The performance was and that in a few minutes the whele theatre stopped for | the incendiaries was frustrated, as the room ia which (be Providence. Fortunately, however, the istention of the time. The utmost consternation prevailed, acd the | combustible material was placed was 20 thoroughly air whole audiesce instinctively rose upon thcir feet, La- dies fainted and otherwise showed tokens of distress, tight esto prevent the conflagration from spreading to other parts of the building, avd it was not until one of Things were in thie condition, when Mr. Wheatley made | theservants opened the door in the moraiag that the fire wae discovered. ag soon as the air was admitiod the a short speech, assuring bis audience that there was no fire, por signs of a fire, A boy also made his appearance on the stage with a large placard, on which was patated fa conspicuous letters “NoFire,”” This immediately calmea the fears of the eudieace, and the performance went quietly forward to its close. The modes of ingress and egress to Niblo’s theatre are so capacions that, sheuld ‘any well founded csuse for alarm take piace, there would not be mach difficulty experieaced in* making a Tapid escape, The Lafarge H At the Lafarge House @ similar attompt to that of the other hotels was made. A fire was discovered at half- past nine o’clock¥in room N. 104. Thore was litte difficulty hore experienced ta getting the flames under. A few pails of water wore used, when the entire denger was passed. The damage to property will not amount to more than five hundred dollars, The mattressos and bed- clothes were saturated with phosphorus, while matobes were strowed in profusion around the reom. Before the firemen bad arrived at the hotel the flames had been extinguished by the employes ‘The author of this fire is said to be ag mdividual who registered his name on the books of the hotel as “J. B. Richardson, Camden, N. J.'’ This man made his appear ance at the hotel about three o'clock on Friday a(ternoon, and going immediately to the office demanded a room. His request was acceded to, and he was shown to No. 104. He carried in his hand all travelling bag, The Winter Garden, Adjoining the Winter Garden thoatro is the Lafarge House, The play of Jullus Cosar was boing enacted, the proceeds to be devoted to the Shakspere Monument fund, ‘As at Niblo’e,an immense audience filled the building from parquet to dome, An intense interest was maol- fested in the piay by the Inrge ascomblage, and the ut most quiet prevailed until shortly after vine, It ‘was then that the excitement attendant upon the fire at the Lafarge House commenced. A gentleman ia the dresa circle, as the story goes, seeing the firemen arrive to aid in extinguishing the flames at the Lafarge, informed some ladies who were in his company that the theatre was oo fire, and that they bad Dotter got ont into the street as quietly and noiselessty as possible. This remark was overheard by those in the vicioity, @vd the alarm sprond throughout the whole house iu as short a time as it takes to relate it. Several ladies in the dresa circle stood up, and their exatoplo was soon followed by nearly the entire audionce. Things now Assumed @ Most excited and dangerous stale, woen Inspector Leonard, of the Metropolitan Police, who was in the theatre at tho time, cried out in a loud voice, so that every one in the vast audience distinctly beard him: “its only a drunkeo man; keep your seats.’ Those Limely words of tuo Inspector bad a good ettect, and the excitement was soon allayed, A fquad of policemen was then placed at the entrance of tho theatre, so that nove were allowed to pars until the performace had been concluded and the fre evgines remove’. Had the panio been allowed to extend, there is no koowilg what disaster might have occurred, The New York Iotet. There was no attempt made by the conspirators to set fire to the Now York Forel, Our reporter visited (he hou-e during the day, but mo movemunt of iuierest jo this ovonection bad taken place, nor could any circum atances of anuspicious character be pointed out which would lead to the idea that jncenaiarism bad beon medi The St. Jamon Mocet, ‘This hotel, which is lnented on tho corner of Broadway ond Twenty-sixth street, bad a parrow escape from de strvetion on Friday evening inst, ae a most determined elort was made by the incendiaries to effect their dia. Bollea) purpose, bout ix o'clock on the evening of Friday aman, ap pari bout twenty-eight or thirty yours old, entered the ab ve hotel, Laving io bis band @ email black loather valise, of nos sullicleot capacity to carry*maore thaa one charge of linen; and after pacing tho floor in a rather ebstracted manner for a few seconds abruptly sp pr ached the office, and,adaressieg the bookkeeper, suid, | ‘Tm ist to engage a room,” The bookkeeper repliod | ibat bé could accommodate him, acd desired to know | how tong he wished to romain a guest of the establish: | ment, Ho replied that he would probably remain a | week an desirous of belog shown to bis room with } As little delay aa poa.idie, evincing a rather embarrased fecling and evading, as far as possible, an extenced ja- terview witb she manager, Mo Sally come up to bho the dovouring barst forth with most fearfat effect,' and were it not that employes of the establishbmest were up and Inbored with’ the most uaticing energy, serious damage, if mot the total destruction of the hotel would have en- sued. In the room im which the fire occurred, were found about dozen largo cartridges so distributed @round the room, that if the fire shoald reach them the most terrific explosions would sure'y follow, the notse of which they no doubt supposed would add to the general confasion and aid thom in carrying out thetr tn- fernal desigus. The managers and proprietors of the Fifth Avenue merit the ceosure of all representa- tives of the press in refusing in tho most ungentiemenily mavvor all icformation on the subject, and even going so far as to deny emphatically that any attempt had been made to burn the hotel, not- withstanding (hat one of the proprietors rushed to police headquarters yesterday morning ia @ most terrible state Of excitement, and gave the facts from which we are enabled to give the foregoing account. What their mo. tives were for withhulding any information which might in any way lend to the detection of the guilty parties, is @ question for them to answer, ‘Dut if they supposed that they could keep the fact a» secret, they were very much disappoloted. Fortunately, however, the hotel w: and no doubt such mea. sures will be taken as to prevent in future the possibility of any such attempt being made in this city. The aeteotives are busily engaged in ferreting out the guilty parties, and it is to be boped, for the wake of homanity, aad as an example for all evil doors, that the guilty may bo brought to condiga punishment. Howard Hotel. Botween three and four o'clock yesterday morving fire was discovered on the fourth floor of the Howard Hotel, corner of Broadway and Malden lane, in room 44. It seems that a gentleman wh» occupied the adjoining room was awakened about the above hour, and found bis room filled with smoke, and a singular amei) iter to that of turpentine, He got up, dressed bimself and went dowm to the office and notified thore on duty of the fact, The | porter or night watchman was rrdered to go up and see | the banse, who, on proceeairg to the above floor, dixco= | vored that the room adjoinivg tbat of the informant, (No. | 44.) was en fro, The door was soon broken open, | when the bed and bedding were discovered in flames. Fortuaately it was discovered just In time, and extinguished without creating any alarm throughout the house. | The bedding was found eaturated with phosphorus, and the furokiure piled upon the bed. A bottle, evidently having contained phosphorus, was found to the room, and. alike bottle within the bedding. The room tm question was engaged on the 220 inst. by aman giving bis namo ac S. M. Harvor, of Philadelphia, Ho bas not bean noticed in of about the hotel since he took the room, and war not observed to wave the hotel during the vigor, From the appearance of the fire it must have beon fred after midnight, a8 iteertainly would bave gained gre tor headway bad it becn started at the time most of the other hotels were fired. N» clue to the whervabouta of this man bas as yet beea ascertained. The dim Amount to about one huvdred doiara, Fully masured, United States Motel. One of the most determined atrompts among the many made to fire the large hotels wae tbat at the Cuited St.tes Hotel jn Fulton stroet, The eubstances used for combus- Lid'e purposes were of * betior cisss than (hose (ound ab the other hotels, consietiog of turpentine, rosin and ybos- phorus ¢ mbived, and laid about im such quantities that, | ad ic not doen for the timely discovery of the tire, the evtire building would have been destroved in a very abort tne, The attempt in this respect wag boties con- | geived whan tho otbers, aod was calculated to produce the most disastrous resuite, OPERATIONS OF TAB INCENDIARY. Io the oarly part of Friday a young mao c: hotel and requested to be shown to a room, would like to remain to dinwer, fe bad with & black bag, Which was new aud appeared to o very iittie of anything, Beside this be had begange. Tho proprietors not liking bis appearances told him they were fall, butas he aopeared determined to stay, infortred im that ne might come back at vi. bt and thoy would give him a room ti possible, AL Six 0 clocl na at the } he came In aod registered bie same as Win, B, Orowa, ‘ CONTINUED ON KiGHIH PAGR