The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-04
INCENDIARY FIRES.
Why They are Started and How the
Criminal Purpose Is Detected.
From tie Chicago Netcs.

From tie Chicago Netcs.
SIN these days incendiarism has become
limited almost to a single motive, and, in
my opinion, the evils of one line Of business
are responsible for it, )" said n. W. Shay, the
city fire inspector. arson from revenge
or malice is of such usual occurre ce
that it need not be taken into consideration
at all. The one thing behind incendiary
fires is money, or, more specifically, in
surance. Buildings in which we have found
proof or ev dence of arson have invariably
been found to be overinsurej. | could cite
you case after case of recent occurre zee,
and l believe that if Illinois had such law
as New Hampshire has incendiarism would
soon be thing OF the past.
"In New Hampshire the insurance COM
pauies are only allowed to insure for the
actual value of the building and contents,
and in c Sc OF accident are obliged to pay
the full face value Of the policy Here in
surance companies will insure a man, prop
erty for any fictitious value, though in case
of fire they are ve y careful to estimate the
actual LOGS. There is a temptation to over
insure and fire buildings from mercenary
motives; Il, rs a matter of fact, much of
this sort of work is done by people who
have distorted notions as to what they will
receive as damages They know that their
property is insured for twice or thrice its
value, and think that by committing arson
they can make money. Incepdiari,m, too,
is often the outcome of lack of business
success and impending failure. Be it from
ignorance or shrewdues5, however, the
Golfers Of the insurance compan es are the
things In view. i have a number of cases
now in hand, and Few ones are cropping
out all the time.
"Manv more fires are doubtless the result
Of premeditated intent than is supposed. In
49, IL
Of the property the benefit Of doubts, though
it is often against our convictio 5. Incen-
diarlsm is one of the hardest crimes on the
calendar to convict man Of, but it is not
so difficult to detect There is almost ALWAYS
some precaution not taken, something for
gotten that was necessary to cover the guilt.
Idon't wish to imply that most incel iaries
are bunglersI think the reverse is true.
But one indication points to another and
one question suggests another, till, though
we haven't evidence sufficient 10 incrlm-
mate man, we have all that is needed to
make him suspect. [ have more than
once been able to predict to an insurance
company that a fire in a building would be
speedily followed by another fire in the
same structure. Twas guided simply by in
dicarions conclusive enough but still too
indefinite for positive action.
Kerosene is now rarely used in arson.
The fire department, as incendiaries have
learned TO their sorrow, get on the field Of
action while the smell Of the oil is rankest.
Suspicion is Immediately aroused. Nor are
elaborate preparations often made. It
seems as though there was but single idea
TO fire the building somehow and trust 10
luck. No reg I'd is ever had for other in
mates of tho building. My experience has
convinced me that few incendisries trust
their secret purpose with n second party.
Still, most of them try TO arrange matters
so as TO be able to prove an aliDi. They
want TO do the work themselves for the sake
Of safety, and consequently exercise their
ingenuity in all sorts Of ways to clear them
selves
''How many Of the great fires where the
destruction is pretty complete are the result
OF arson is a mere mat er of conjecture.
Still, fires Of an undoubtedly incondiary
origin are as a rule not disastrous The de-
partment is too alert for that; there are too
many wstchmen. Scarcely week passes,
however. that our suspicious are not aroused.
and | believe they will continue to be so
long as insurance Is made bait for cupidity
and wrong-doiug.h