Rambles about Portsmouth. Sketches of persons, localities, and incidents of two centuries: principally from tradition and unpublished documents. By Charles W. Brewster.

INCENDIARY SKETCHES. 201
RAMIBLE CXX.
Incendiary [Sketches -Pilgrilm Da y —The G0reat Fire
of 1813 - The Incendiary.
AMONG tie most fearful pests of society, the most reckless of desperadoes-the most fiendish in human formmay be classed the incendiary. While there is a certainty
of his presence shining out from conflagrations here and
there, the whole community are in disquietude, each fearing
that his own neighborhood will be the next visited.
There is a monomania pervading the incendiary, which
shuts out all ideas of the rights and safety of others. The
burning building and the excitements of a fire seem the
subject of the highest gratification. There are others who
are guilty of incendiarism from motives of malice.
In December, 1804, the incendiary torch was applied to
several buildings in Portsmouth. On the 8th, to a large
barn belonging to Moses Brewster, at the Plains, consuming fifteen head of cattle and seventeen tons of hay. On
the 10th, a barn of Samuel Sherburne at the Plains with
valuable contents was consumed. Eight days after, another
of Mr. Sherburne's barns, with fifteen head of cattle, thirty
tons of hay, etc., were burned. Efforts also were made
to set fire to a building near Joseph Chase's, between Pitt
and Buck streets.
Large rewards were offered, but no disclosure was made.
Sometime after, an attempt was made to fire the barn of
Mr. Perkins Ayers, who occupied the house now of A. D.
Gerrish in School street, opposite the School House. The
incendiary left a tin pot in the barn, which was exhibited
to the public to find an owner. It was recognized by Mr.
Oliver Briard, who occupied the house No. 26 Hanover
street, near the barn. Suspicion rested upon the girl living
there, named Sukey Nutter. She had lived with Capt.
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