The crimes, follies, and misfortunes of Chester County- the arsons of the 1840's

In previous posts I have said history is something of an unsolvable mystery, and Father Time is a shadowy figure, here and then gone, always a step ahead of those who seek to solve his riddles. Unfortunately, this view seems particularly suited to the series of arsons that occurred in West Chester from August 1844 to September 1845. 

According to the book West Chester to 1865: That Elegant and Notorious Place, the first in a series of suspicious fires in the borough occurred on August 8th, 1844, when the barn of Mr. Anthony Bolmar was set ablaze. A $100 reward was offered for the arrest and conviction of the arsonist. An arrest was never made. 

The winter of 1844-1845 passed quietly, with no suspicious fires occurring in the borough. Then, on the night of Monday June 2 1845, the barn of the Black Bear Tavern was set ablaze. The Tavern was located in the center of town, and embers from the fire whirled eerily through the night sky onto the rooftops of nearby buildings, including the county courthouse and the county records building. Miraculously, firemen were able to contain the blaze, and the borough was spared a major disaster. However, residents were sufficiently spooked by the incident that on July 3rd, a town watch was established in response to "numerous attempts at incendiarism."

Unfortunately, the arsonist was undeterred- on the night of Sunday, August 31st, Enos Smedley's barn on West Gay Street was set on fire. The following Wednesday the borough burgesses posted a reward of $200 dollars for the person whose tip led to the arrest and conviction of the firebug.No arrest was made, and on September 11th, the stables of the Washington House Hotel, located in the most densely populated part of the borough, were set ablaze. Once again, the fire was contained, and the town dodged a bullet. No one was certain this was a case of arson, but the circumstances of the fire were suspicious, and the incident further frayed the nerves of already anxious borough residents.

The situation was by now reaching a fever pitch, but just when it seemed the residents could take no more, the arsons suddenly stopped. Though many were relieved the ordeal seemed to be over, an arrest was never made in the case, and there was no sense of closure for the residents. The identity of the arsonist remained  a mystery.   

While the identity of the arsonist will never be known, modern psychology and criminology allow us to make some educated guesses about the type of person who committed the crimes. According to psychologists, arsonists typically have a low IQ (between 70 and 90), and report feelings of intense anger. They turn to arson because they are unable to express their anger through appropriate channels. Many of them claim they had neglectful parents, who physically abused and humiliated them.

FBI statistics indicate that half of all arsonists are under the age of 18. Many of the remaining half are in their late 20's. Older arsonists are often motivated by profit (i.e., insurance money or putting a competitor out of business). 90% of arsonists are white males. Like the firebug of the 1840's, many of them are never caught.

The crimes, follies, and misfortunes of Chester County- the John Reed murder trials

The John Reed murder trials, which took place in 1821, offer clear support for Gibbon's wry assessment that "History..., is indeed, little more than a register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind." But not for the reasons you may think.

John Reed, an African American, had been a slave in Maryland before he came to live in Kennet Square. According to Reed, he was freed from slavery by the will of his master, and he came to Chester County around 1817 to start a new life as a free man.

On the night of December 14th, 1820, a group of men arrived at Reed's home. One of the men, Samuel G. Griffith, claimed that Reed was a runaway slave, and that Reed was his property. Reed was asked to come outside. He refused, and the men tried to force their way into his house. Reed shot Griffith as he tried to enter, and bludgeoned another man, Peter Shipley, with a club. Both men eventually died from their wounds. They had in their possession handcuffs and a length of rope.

Reed was arrested and put on trial for two counts of murder. He was acquitted in the murder of Griffith, but found guilty for the manslaughter of Peter Shipley. As punishment, Reed was sentenced to spend nine years in the Penitentiary house of Philadelphia.

Though Reed was convicted of manslaughter, the real crime in this case was slavery, the folly was putting a man on trial because he used force to protect his life and liberty, and though two men lost their lives as a result of what transpired the night of December 14th, 1820, one could argue they got what they deserved, and the real misfortune was Reed's, who ended up losing his freedom because he fought to keep it.