New York Jan. 17.91.
Jos. M. Ives. Esq.
259 Main St.
Danbury. Conn.
Sir.
Our operative J.I.McM. further reports.
Thursday Jan 15, 1891
To-day in Danbury
After breakfast, I called at the office of Mayor Hopkins, but did not find him, he not having yet arrived. I wanted to see him before I called on Morris Meyers Chief of the Fire Dep’t. It was 9.45am when I met Mayor Hopkins. I told him that I desired that he fix it with Mr. Meyers so that Meyers would have no hesitation ingiving me a plan straightforward statement as regard the members of the Fire Dep’t and to any trouble or feeling that there may be in connection with the present salary received. The Mayor then in reference to Stevens said that Steves late yesterday made some very violent
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threats against Mr. Meyers, and the Dep’t to a Mr. V.E. Barnum of 404 Main St the Mayor is of the opinion that Stevens is insane on this subject and gave various reasons for thinking so. I then went with the Mayor to meet Cap’t Keating to arrange for a talk with him, the Cap’t. was not in his office at the time but we saw Mr. Meyers out on the street and the mayor called him in. I was introduced to Mr. Meyers and made arrangements to meet him at the Turner House at 1:30 p.m. today. The mayor brought in Cap’t. Keating of the Police Dep’t. and introduced him to me. He said he would at any time during the day give me any information in his power. He left and returned to his office. I went to store of J.M. Ives where I got a small map of the city that will serve for the purpose of showing location of fires. I returned to the hotel to be ready to meet Mr. Meyers after diner. At 3 p.m. Mr. Meyers came, his delay being caused by a slight fire on Liberty St. caused by a servant girl smoking a pipe. I told Mr. Meyers I wanted him to give me full and impartial account of the fire dep’t and also of its troubles and its individual members, also any suspicions that he might have as to the authorship to the origin of the late fires. I took his statement up ‘till 5 p.m. when he had
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to discontinue to go to the Engine House, but will continue at any time that I wish him to do so. I left the Hotel with him and walked up town with him where I learned that the Engine on going to fire at noon overturned at the cor. of White and Ives St.s and was badly damaged and the driver hurt. I went as far as post office and then returned to Hotel and had supper. I met Mayor Hopkins; he has great confidence in Morris Meyers’ word and places great weight in what he says.
I was informed by Granville Holmes tonight that there was a report that he cannot place. That there was an attempt last night to fire some houses on Ives Court, but he could not get any confirmation to the rumor.
Yours Resp’y,
Pinkertons Nat. Dect. Agy.
Robt. A Pinkerton Genl. Supt. E. Div.
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