Statement of Silas Mead
Made at Danbury, Conn.
Tuesday Feby 3, 91
My name is Silas Mead. I am foreman at Beer Lumber and Coal Yard. I am 33 years of age; and I live on Duck St.
This morning I arrived at yard between six and seven o’clock, about 6:30 am, I think, I was told by the flagmen at crossing, that an attempt had been made to fire the yard last night. I have not heard of it up to this time, I went into the yard and after I had been there about one hour, I went around to see where, they had attempted to set the fire. On the sixth ride about midway of shed, I saw where oil had been spilled, while looking at it, I saw on the ground under a brace, that ran from the shed to the ground, and three feet from where the oil had been spilled, a [pint] bottle with paper in neck for a cork. It was a brown glass bottle, I picked it up, saw there was something in bottle. I poured some out and saw that it was oil. I then took the bottle and put it into the office where I kept it until I gave it to Mr. Bevaus at about nine this morning.
(I then showed him the bottle now
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[Mead page 2]
In the possession of the mayor, that is the bottle that I picked up, and is the same bottle that I gave Mr. Bevaus.
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