Of course the question of how the fire caught was quickly agitated by the crowd of neighbors who thronged thither at daylight to survey the ruins. It was soon decided that it must be the work of an incendiary, and the people were not slow in charging the crime of arson which had nearly proved so fatal to human life, upon a young man named Edward Anderson, a relative of Mrs. Dole, who was known to have made threats against Mr. Dole. There is very strong circumstantial evidence against this fellow as will be seen further on. Mr. Dole sent word to Marshal Bridges, by W.H. Libby, who drives the stage from North Windham to White Rock, requesting him to come out immediately and investigate the affair. Mr. Bridges lost no time in responding to this request and was soon driving post haste toward Great Falls.

On arriving there he found the tracks of this Anderson left fresh in the loam in the rear of the barn in the plowed ground next thereto, and where he had crossed the bridge as well as unmistakable traces of him for quite a distance along the road. Anderson is a cripple, walking with the assistance of a crutch and a cane, with prints of both of which supports were plainly visible on either side of the boot marks. From this and other evidence Mr. Bridges made up his mind to arrest Anderson at once, and accordingly rode to the place where Mr. Anderson made his home when not at work in Lewiston. But he was not there and had not been there, so the folks said, since Friday evening, when he left the house saying he was going to the store. Mr. Bridges procured a fresh horse and drove to a number of places in the vicinity where it was thought Anderson might be, but found nobody that had seen him since the fire. The Marshal then drove to Sebago Lake, but was told by the depot master there that Anderson had not got on the train from the depot since the fire. After visiting several other places, with like results, Mr. Bridges started for home reaching there at 11 o’clock Saturday night.

Some of the people at Great Falls expressed the opinion that Anderson might have thrown himself into the river, as he was noted for strange mental freaks, at times almost verging on insanity. Others thought he might be hiding in the woods, and would be forced to come out by hunger in a day or two.

The latter opinion proved the correct one, and yesterday Mr. Bridges was noti- fied that Anderson had been seen in the woods early that morning. He immediately rode out and arrested Anderson at the house of Elijah Emery, an uncle of the incendiary. At first Anderson was very reticent, but the marshal finally got a confession from him that he set the fire. Anderson said that Mr. Dole and his wife had lied about him and slandered him, and he was not sorry he burned his buildings. He said he stayed in the woods Saturday night and then came out and slept in a little shed until daylight, when hunger compelled him to go to his uncle’s for something to eat. The marshal brought his prisoner into the city and lodged him at the jail, where he now remains.

Mr. Dole, whose buildings were burned, is said to be a fine man and respected by the community in which he lives. He said he knows no reason why Anderson should entertain ill-will against him. Anderson formerly owned an interest in the property, but Mr. Dole bought him out, paying him a fair price. But some of the neighbors state that Anderson was not satisfied at the trade and had declared repeatedly that Dole would not come out of it any better than he did. Mr. Dole is a trader at Great Falls and also postmaster.

Anderson, or Thompson, which he says is his right name, is a well-educated man, and has taught several terms of school. Lately he has been employed at a box shop at Lewiston. He left Lewiston about five days ago and went to Great Falls, undoubtedly, as the people there think, with a mature plan for burning Mr. Dole’s property.