NEWSPAPER & ARCHIVE
AUBURN, N. Y., April 30 - The Cayuga County Courthouse was destroyed by fire of unknown origin this afternoon. The building was a handsme [sic] landmark of Colonial type, erected early in the last century, and was the scene of William H. Seward's defense of the negro murderer, Freeman, the first to use insanity as a defense in a murder case in the United States. The structure was surmounted by a dome, and this fell in an hour after the fire was discovered.
The vaults of the Cayuga County Surrogate are believed to be intact, but some of the records of the District Attorney, Sheriff and of lawyers in the outer rooms of the Surrogate's chambers were damaged, together with the law library in the chambers of Justice A. P. Rich.
As the fire began in the upper floors, a gang of men working with deputy sheriffs and jailers rescued many records before being driven out by the flames.
The loss will reach $200,000.
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