ATTEMPTED INCENDIARISM.

Evening Post, Issue 52, 8 April 1865, Page 2

ATTEMPTED INCENDIARISM.

About six o'clock la9t evening a glare of fire was observed in an empty shop in Walker street, adjoining that of Mn Thompson, butcher, and nearly opposite the Caledonian Hotel. The alarm was given, and a number of neighbours assembled and burst in the door, which was securely locked. In the back room of the shop they saw a pile of loose paper and rags in a blaze, which had communicated with the wall. In the pile was a long piece of burning candle, which had been the means of igniting the paper, and which had probably burned for a couple ofTiours before it got down to the inflammable material. Fortunately a bucket of water was soon obtained, and was the means of extinguishing the flames. The materials composing the pile were then exarainedj and were found to have been saturated with

spirits. The police were at once informed of the facts. The premises in which the fire was found had for some time past been used as a bootmaker's shop, and the occupants only leit them yesterday forenoon about eleven o'clock. They are situated close to the scene of the late fire in Hope street, and are immediately adjoined by a very large number of stores, small cottages, and shanties, all of which must have inevitably been destroyed if the fire had gained a firm hold before its presence was observed. There was a high wind blowing from the north last night, and it is difficult to conjecture to what distance the flames might not have been carried. Very grave suspicions exist as to this being an attempt to destroy the building by fire, and the matter was being investigated by the police up to late hour last night. — Daily Times, April 1.