St. James FD-fatal fire at Prescott Hall Butlers farm.

January 4, 1900 A mysterious fire at St. James with Suspicions of foul play. A very disastrous fire occurred on the farm of Prescott Hall Butler, at James on this date. When the fire was first discovered flames were coming through the roof of the hay loft of the main barn, and so fierce did it burn, without adequate means of fighting it, that not only this barn bu the carriage house and stables were also burned. The corn crib, containing 500 bushels of corn was saved by a few men throwing water and shoveling snow, which prevented a further spread of the fire. All the stock was saved except one large hog. A large lot of hay, straw, vegetables and machinery were destroyed. In the cellar, under the main barn, 1,000 bushels of vegetables were stored.
The burning was evidently the work of an incendiary, and the manager of Mr. Butlers place was confident he knew the guilty party, but gave no name. A day or two afterward, however, he discharged a Pole employed on the place who then went to live with a man occupying alone a small house near the Sound. The next night the owner of the house rushed in apparent haste over to his nearest neighbor, Mr. Thomas Smith, crying that his house was on fire and that the Pole was in the flames. Mr. Smith and others hastened to the rescue, extinguished the fire, but with the examination they could make, could see nothing of the pole. The next morning however, he was found dead in a bed still smouldering, severely burned upon his legs, arms and face. On raising the body from the bed it was found lying in a pool of blood, which of course suggested foul play, and the firing of the house to conceal the crime.
Coroner E. S. Moore of Bay Shore was notified and assisted by District Attorney Livingston Smith made a careful investigation, at which there was some peculiar testimony by no evidence to show that William Balks, the man who was under suspicion had committed murder or arson and he was accordingly set at liberty.
From The Suffolk County News January 12, 1900