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Henry Blake laid the brick for the furnace, and left the end of them toothing, supposing that the hot air chamber was to be continued along, and built of brick, and covered over the top with sheet iron and brick laid in mortar, as all hot air chambers are, or should be. He went and called Dr. Bates into the basement for instructions. Dr Bates told him that the hot air chamber was to be built of wood. Henry Blake knowing Dr. Bates, said to him; "Dr., do you think it will be safe to build it of wood?" The Doctor thought a moment, turned, and went to talking about something else. He is a man who, when he once takes his position, never recedes, and much more, he never allows a mechanic to make even a suggestion to him. He knows what is what, because he has read the English Authors, he knows he does.

Perhaps the public will ask the question -- "Was there any person who for malice or revenge of any wrong, real or imaginary, or any motive whatever, who was bad enough to set that building on fire? The question was asked me by one of the Jury, to whom it was that S. S. Bartlett had said that the officers dare not turn him away; thus intimating that there might be some grounds of suspicion that he had set it on fire, to be revenged on them for discharging him; but no one who knows him thinks that he was bad enough to put the lives of those patients in jeopardy; although they are well satisfied that he perjured himself, to screen Dr. Bates before the committee.

The next person who might be suspected, was the author of this little book, who said so much, and had tried to do so much to expose their iniquity, and whose feelings were so much prejudiced against the institution. Then, if such were his feelings; did he do it? I have been told that such was the report at the fire; that he had undoubtedly set it on fire to be revenged for the injury which he had sustained at the institution. But, says a friend who heard the remark, "that is a likely story to tell, when to my certain knowledge he has not been in the State for more than a week." Well, that was true, and I could prove an alibi, sure enough. But supposing I had been at home and asleep where I had slept for about three years? Could I have proved an alibi? Oh, no; it would have been impossible; and undoubtedly Dr. Bates would have had some one or more to have sworn the deed upon me, in spite of all that I could have done to clear myself, and then I should had to have gone back; and again become a tenant for life of that abode of dispair; for let me commit whatever crime I might, I should be called insane, crazy or mad, and should not be sent to the State Prison like other criminals. -- When I returned home, about a week after the fire, some said, "well it was lucky for you that you was not at home;" others said, "well I was thankful that you were gone," and all that I looked upon as friends expressed themselves as being highly pleased to think that I was out of the reach of any suspicion, and even one person who is clothed with a little brief authority, and whose duty it might have been to have arrested me, had any charges been preferred against me, said, "well, Mr. Hunt, I am glad that you were not here, for now they can't accuse you of setting the fire." Well, there are none more thankful than myself, that I was out of their reach, for I have no doubt but that I should have been arrested as the incendiary if I had been at home.

There being no suspicion against myself or Mr. Bartlett, the next question to be asked is, is there any other person upon whom the breath of suspicion has at time rested by any person or persons whatever? Yes, there is one other, and only one; but who has ever uttered a word or thought of the kind? -- Surely nothing is said publicly. Very true. But is there any proof against any one? No, none whatever. Well, who has said that they thought anybody, or any one person in particular, had set the building on fire? There are a number of people in Augusta who have no doubt in their own minds as to the origin of the fire, but there is not the least proof against the person whom they mistrust; no, none whatever. They only speak by inuendoes; no open declarations; yet it is perfectly understood who they mean by their hints. For instance, it is asked, who do people say that it was? Why, they don't say it was any body, for fear they would accuse the right one.

Then who did they mistrust, or say in their opinion had set the fire? I only dare to whisper the name in your ear. Well, who was it? It was no other than Dr. James Bates, the superintendant. But there is not the least proof against him, and so you must not tell of it. Is it possible that any people have said among themselves that they had no doubt but what he had set it on fire? Yes, they had so, and it is said that it could not have taken fire as it did, and at the spot where it did, unless it was set on fire; and they had no doubt but what he had set the fire, because there was no other person that was bad enough to do it, and no other that they know of had any motive for so doing. Why, you astonish me -- what motive could he have for setting it on fire? Well, then, you must know that he had motive enough for doing it. In the first place he had escaped being turned out by the investigating committee only by the skin of his teeth, and he very well knew that he could not stand the seige of another legislative investigation, which was sure to come on him like an avalanch; and, further, he knew that if there was no hospital, if it was destroyed, he could not be turned out, for there would be none to turn him out of. Beside that, he knew or had every reason to believe, that very soon that crazy man, who had put him to his strongest trumps, and his best played game, was about to publish an exposure of his deeds of darkness to the world which, if it made its appearance, would be sure to crush him in the estimation of all honest men; and again, if the building was set on fire it would be a very easy matter for him to raise a hue and cry against him, as the incendiary, and cast him into prison, and thus crush him and his book, all at one blow.