Who to blame for the flame?

I realise that the title for this portion of the story dealing with the fire at the North Sandhurst State School, Irishtown in mid-July 1890 is not very original.
However, the result of the fire at the school which partially destroyed the weatherboard building, was to become the source of much speculation among Irishtown locals, as well as fire brigade members from the different brigades who had attended the blaze which destroyed about half of the school.
The police came to the scene of the fire, and they found some clues that showed that the fire had been deliberately lit.
The last person who had authority to be in the school was the faithful charwoman, Mrs McDonough.
She had cleaned the school building on the Friday evening and locked everything securely as she had been accustomed to do, for the past 16 years.
Young Skurrie, who was the first person to notice the fire as he was passing nearby, told the police that he found a ladder belonging to the school under the verandah.
Mrs McDonough was able to state that the
ladder was never kept in that position, so easily accessible to any
stranger.
The police were keen to follow up any clues they could find.
A teaching aid box labelled The Mineral Kingdom was found to have been interfered with, as it had been opened and drops of candle wax
had been found on some of its remaining contents.
Who would have been responsible for this outrage in the poor community of Irishtown?
The detectives who had been assigned to the case were quick to question many people as to what they may have observed on the Saturday, the day prior to the fire taking place at the school.
Some of the local people mentioned that they had seen some swagmen nearby and these were immediately declared to be people of interest.
The detectives attempted to ascertain whether these swagmen had camped under the verandah of the school, however, not a soul was able to verify that information.
It has been estimated that in 1890 about one fifth of the working male population were classified as swagmen.
Swagmen were the itinerant labourers, chiefly working for farmers.
They made a meagre living from the work they were able to secure.
Frequently these men would be glad to get a roof over their heads, whether it was sleeping in a stable, a humpy, hut or a shearing shed.
The promise of a meal and perhaps a few shillings for their long working day kept them going.
Some swagmen took up small contracts for local councils, grubbing tree stumps out of roadways, cutting drainage channels and filling holes could be part of their lot.
Swagmen were fortunate if they secured some employment or other for a sum total of a little over six months of the whole year.
Swagmen had to carry their few possessions and walk from one farm or shire to another, asking for work.
It was for them work or starve, there was no option.
Because of this situation the swagmen were employed, but then, the remuneration promised would not be handed over to them; in the dry months this could lead to some payback, a carelessly dropped lit match could be one way in which they vented their spleen at being cheated.
Having all this in mind the detectives managed to secure information that the swagmen who had been seen near the school were heading to the Murray Road, the way to
Epsom, Huntly and beyond.
The swagmen were on foot and on a good day they may trek up to 30km, having asked for employment on their way.
Four men were of interest to the detectives, precisely where these swagmen were, was to become known a day later on the Monday following the fire.

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