The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-22

ignoring the moral hazard In underwriting policies
As the best meanh Of more ehectaaly checking
the crime OF arson and bringing its perpetrators TO
condign punishment hereafter, would earnestly
First. The adoption OF more perfect and efficient
system OF police prevention. ..
second The prompt expulsion from the Fire De-
partment OF all disorderly and lawesS characters.
Third. The thorough examination by competent
inspectors Of all risks before writing on them, con-
slant supervision OF the same during the continu-
ance OF the policy, and re-examnatlon at the time
OF renewal ana on every application for increased
Fourth. The exaction of the condition. in all con-
tracts for indemnncation for loss by fire, that GER
tain proportion OF the risk should be borne by the
Insured.
acter Of which was at all doubtful.
Sixth. The offer of liberal standing rewards by
both the municipal authorities and Boards OF Fire
Underwriters, for such information as would lead
to the detection, arrest and conviction Of incen-
diaries.
scrutiny In taking security in cases OF arson, prompt
ness and perseverance In suing out forfeited recog
nizances and the unrelenting prosecution OF all
perjured bailgoers.
ARRESTS aud Convictions for Arson.
The report OF the Fire Marshal OF New York for
1869, states that there 9l3 fires in that city
during the year, causing total loss OF S34l6,4O2.
The great excess OF losses in Philadelphia was
owing TO the terrible casualty at the stores OF the
Penn Warehouse Company.
The number of cOnvictonts for arson in New
York, for the year ending october 81, 1859, was g.
two men and one woman
In Phladelphia, for the year ending December 81 q,
1863, there were 5 convictions for arson-two men
and three youths.
Since the appointment of Fire Marshal Blackburn,
thirteen years ago, 9l4 persons arrested the
charges OF and suspicion of having committed
or intending to commit that offense, and conspiring
with and nstigatng others to perpetrate the same,
and being accessory thereto either before after
the fact, or both. The number convicted, either by
their own confession to the Fire Marshal by pleas
on arrHgnment, or verdlcts Of jures in the criminal
court, was 163--an average OF one conviction a
month. the ages OF these detected parties ranged
from elght TO seventy years.
In no city in America or Europe as far as / have
been able to obtain information, has there been a
larger number OF persons found guilty OF ncendiar
ism In the same period of time. For half a century
Immediately preceding the creation OF the fire de-
teCtivG branch of the police by Hon. Richard VauX,
convictions for arson in Philadelphia were very
usual The arraignment OF an lncendary was so
uDirequent an occurrence that it conVulsed the
entire community. The records OF the criminal
courts show that sometimes there was not solitary
conviction for that ofense in continuous period OF
five years. Prior to 1910 trial for arson was
Between 1910 and 1850 there was an occasional in
stance. After the formation of the MarshaS police
in 1850, the instances became more frequent. Bat
in all other things, so in the detective opera
tons OF the police what was everybody's business
was nobody's business, and 1t was not until 1851
when fire detection was made speciality by Mayor
Vaux, that this alarming crime was grapped with il
earnest.
The Fire Marshal then gives a detailed account o
the fires at the Patterson bonded warehouse, the
BuTd block, and the Commercial Exchange, ant
by a complimentary allusion to the Insurance Fire
Dot