The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-22
YOUNG F[RE-BUGS.
A Fifteen-Year.Old Los Angeles
Boy Burns Several Buildings.

A number Of years ago In the City OF Mil
waukee occurred a number of disastrous
fires, accompanied by losses of property and
life that are yet indelibly impressed upon
the memories Of the residents of that city.
No place seemed safe, and the incendiaries
seemed 10 defy detection. 1t was at length
discovered, however, that the fires were all
the work of a regularly organized band Of
bows. many of them of tender years, who
had so STEPPED their minds in the sensa-
tional literature of the day that they had be-
come callousel to all sense of right and
honesty, and actually imagined there was
something noble and courageous in the daS-
tardly and vicious work they were carrying
out.
For some time past Los Angeles has had a
similar series of serious fires, all evidently
of incendiary origin, and for time 1t
seemed as if the villain who originated them
would not be found. A boy was recently
arrested there. however, who was evidently
the guilty party. He at first refused TO give
his name, but lis identity and the partcu-
lars of his career in crime are at last qls-
closed, As in the case Of the Milwaukee
bows, the wicked turn OF mind manifested
bv this youth of Los Angeles is attributed to
the debauching influence upon his brain OF
the flash literature of the day, a clrcum-
stance WHICH SuOulu SCI hO do q lDND VI " 90
ing to all who have the responsibility OF
training young minds. In regard to this
case, the Los Angeles Times says:
The bows name is Lewis Case, aged 10
wears, aud he has been living with MS
parents on Sixteenth street, just back OF
the Hotel Figueroa. Recently a complaint
was sworn out against him, charging him
with incendiarism, on which he was ar
raigned and his examination set for Satur-
day morning at $50 O'clock, he being sent
to the County Jail in the meantime.
Before leaving the police station young
Case made a full confession as to the firing
of the Methodist Church on Fifteenth
street. the Chinese laundry, Miller Bros
barn and the Main-street car barn, but de-
MED that be fired the englne-h house. From the
fact. however, that he had tre-badge No. 20
in his possession, which was on the engl-
neer's vest in his room at the house when
the firemen went cut, and was missing on
their return, the officers are OF the opinion
that he is guilty of this crime also; In TACT
the finding of the badge was the first cleW
the officers got, young Case claiming that lie
found it on Fourteenth street.
In regard to the attempt to burn the
church, young Case said that he attended
the Sunday-schoOl, and determined to burn
the building because the teachers snubbed
him. He effected an entrance through the
rear, got can OF cOal-0i with which lie
saturated the carpet aud set fire TO it, after
which he made his escape by the same way
that he entered the building. fortunately
the blaze was discovered il time, and the
fire was eXtingnished.
He next fired the Chinese laundry out
near Washington Garden, stealing the Goa :
oil from the printing office OF Eddy %
Soues, where he worked, and almost i'm
mediately after firing Miller Brothers barn,
first, he says, untying the horses. one OF
which came out but the other remained and
was burned 10 death, the boy looking on.
Young Case then slipped across to the
Main-street car-barn and made his way to
the rear Of the building. where there is lot
of hay, which he touched off with mate b,
again making his escape. This IRE would
have been disastrous one but Tor the pres
enco of mind of the night-watchman, a
young man named Schultz, who, when he
saw the blaze, gathered up an armful OF
loose hay and fell on the fire, smothering IL
before it got good Roadway. Had it burned
two minutes it would have been beyond
control, and number of horses would have
been destroyed.
Young Case insists that he was alone in
the work of starting the fires, and while 1t
is probable that this is true so far as the
actual firing is concerned, the officers be-
lieye that there is at least one other person
implicated, and it Is thought that he has
made good his escape, although all hope OF
catching him has not been abandoned.
Young Case offers no explanation for his
curious freaks. He denied everything until
such evidence was produced that he could
not get out of 1t, and then he owned up.
His parents, who are hard-worklng. re-
spectacle people, are completely crushea Dy
the disclosures. The boy has heretofore
given no indications of viciousness. but Tor
the past year has been reading up on the
''penny dreadful literature, and 1t Is TO
this pernicious influence that his unaccount-
able actions arc attributed.