Wallingford, CT Meadow Street Fire, Jun 1884

INCENDIARIES IN WALLINGFORD.

NEW-HAVEN, Conn., June 4.---If matters keep on as they have been going lately half the voting population of Wallingford will be under arrest for arson. The latest capture is Henry Strauss, senior member of a firm of cartmen, with headquarters on Madison-street, in the borough. He was arrested this morning by Constable Austin and taken to the village lockup. In the afternoon he was taken to the case was continued. Strauss is charged with burning buildings on Meadow street June 7, 1884. The property belonged partly to him, and he is accused of trying to defraud the insurance companies who had policies on the buildings. At the time of this fire neighboring buildings, owned by Thomas Galligan, were destroyed, and Strauss is charged with burning them. John A. Cook, a cartman, owned a building in Elm street, and this, too, was burned some time ago by an incendiary fire. Strauss is declared to be responsible for this fire, also. His arrest is said to be due to discoveries made by the officers who worked up the other arson cases, and there is a report that all the cases can be proved to be connected. Officers are still trying to find C. S. Hall, who is also charged with arson, and who escaped from Constable Austin some weeks ago. A posse of Meriden officers was taken to Wallingford yesterday, and the town was searched, but no Hall was found.

The New York Times, New York, NY 5 Jun 1886
__________________

Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!