Yesterday afternoon about two o'clock, Mrs. David TAPLEY observed two men running past the window of her house on Metcalfe street (St. John) She paid no attention to them but shortly afterwards it was discovered that her house was on fire ... Hardly had this fire been quenched when the cry of fire was again heard and the hundreds of people who had been at the burning of Mrs. Tapley's house, rushed madly down the public stairs and slid over the rock leading to Main St., there to find a notorious loafer named Chas. DAY had been caught in the act of setting fire to a schooner laden with hay, lying at the steamer Star's wharf. The man had been discovered by Mr. CLARKE and knocked down by the crowd that had by this time collected at the wharf. The follow was handed over to Major CUNARD who tied him securely with a rope and succeeded in getting the dastardly villan into a carriage amidst cries of Lynch Him! Lynch Him! The Major drove off with his prisoner with the enraged crowd following. At last the Portland Police Station was reached and the prisoner put inside. Even here an attempt was made to hand DAY, and one end of the rope with which he was bound was actually placed around his neck, when Major CUNARD effected his release by placing his revolver close to the head of the man who held the rope. (see original)