Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-11-11
lEs NE AND RIP.
WHEN / DONE SET FIRE TO DE
HOUSES
Min aud Me Runned Races TO Git
Away-A Negro Ineendiary
Makes a Confession,

Al last the author Of the many In
cendiary fires which have occurred within
The last year have been traced to their
source. The criminal aud the author OF
them Is Frank Fears, the negro and be
is convicted ont Of his own mouth
shortly after Assistant Chief Watkih
arrived from Cleburne last night with
Fears, Chief Maddox Ind him brought 10
his office. The negro did not come with
the intention OF coufcssing the crime; but
Chief Maddox, with consummnte shrcwd-
ness played on him. until, breaking down
completely, he confessed All
Frank" said Chief Maddox. when the
negfo woe seated In his office you might
as wen tell the truth. I've got evidence
that will convict you, sure I've got poo
pie win saw you running away from the
fires, aud yOu can't escape
Then after telling Assistant thiei
Maikld To close the blinds, for fear somc
nf thd onrdged citizens would ehlooi
| Fclrs. a rusc which had perceptibic
effect. Mr. Maddox continued;
fNUw, Frank, If you'll tell me the whole
truth, IN do everything ! can to get you
OF with the least sentence; maybe ] can
| gci you oil with two years. II You don't
| tell me the truth, III send you up for
| fifteen or twenty years
| n'he urgrp was thoroughly alarmed
| when Mr.. Maddox concluded. The rnsc
about the curaged citizens frightened
him very much. He began 10 trcmbo
| and, II lie had confessed nothing, his dis
| cOmiturc would have convicted hin.
MIR. Maddox" said Fears, after some
! hrsitn tiln, If You'll get me on with two
! years l'll tell all ! knows
/ Mr Maddox thou called in Assistant
Chief Maddox ana Detective Scott. Be
| fore the three Fears made his confession.
The houses which hr confessed to burn
/ ing are as follows:
! Mr.. Dritz house. 10 the Drtz row.
a house belonging 10 Mr-. Moore, on
! Railroad avenue.
An clubhouse across from Mayor Pad
| docks re, id,ncc.
| J. II, Slndige'- residence, ON Adams
| street
MIR llWm's barn
Mr., Ellis barn
Mr. Wrights house IN the Eighth ward.
He declared he didn't tire ihc barns OF
| either Mr. Reilly or MIR Met lpWnu. He
admitted burning the houses Of Rev MIR.
| Wilson and Mr.. Jewell. the latter OF
which was his last job in this city
Before Fears had begun his confession
MIR Maddox told him explicitly that any
thing h. said would be- used as evidence
uGainsi him.
Mr., Maddox asked him who wns with
him when he set lire tn the Louses. NO
h0dy. he replied. "ccpt my little dog,
Rip. Me and Rip went always together,
ana when we'd set en- aiirc we'd have a
race 20 zee which cOdld get away tust."
Why an you burn those l.ouses
prank: asked the chief.
"t'h, iu~t cause ! liked 10 see de fire. o
he replied nnchnlnnty. IFS mighty
sorry, II" continued, lint IL can't he
helped now, and | guess when you gets
go h"nl IA de bars mouf de- hcsl way
"a get u nui is dc oasiest,'
Inc detection aud capture Of IFeurs
make one at tho nentcst and clcyrrpg
bite of detective work that has ever heer
done In Fort Worth. Since Il bccnIA,
known that the frequent fires Ia thii
city about a year ago were all OF uccn
Diary origin, Chief Maddox. assisted hl
Assistant Chcl Nlntkin, mud, in fnct. by
all Che force In sOmr degree, has bcci
working necessarily on the case. III,
never gave M hopes Of capturing The
man, and has written hundrtdes of let
tcrS and made many trips 10 look a
men whom he suspected Oi bping Fears
a popularity OF all The fires was thai
they wcrc started with hay aud sindlin.
wood, d fact which Fenrs admitted las
night Another pcculnnb which Mi.
Maddox discovered was that Tho hny yai
made Of johnson grass. When thrs,
fires were occurring Fears WAS cmployc,
ns "A cook Inv j. a. reilly and MIR
Reilly had lot of Johnson rraes hnv /,
his bnrp. When this pyidpnce yv,4 yGy,.,
so nicply around Fears tbs I,nis NM
was fired. a. WAS also tho bonsp of III
lowell ME Bpyt DIV CHIEF N,dioS