Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-08
A FIREBUG AT WORK.
Three Buildings I'm Flames In the
County Last Night.

Citizens living in the county east Of the
city are greatly agitated over the appear
ance In their section last night of a DAN
gerous 'frebug." This morning complaint
was made to the officers at police head
quarters and Inspector Hollinberger detail
ed two of his detectives to make a thorough
investigation of the affair. The first APP
pearance OF the incendiary was at the col
ored public school building near Benning.
There the incendiary used Kerosene oil and
would have destroyed the building had not
Mr.. A. Chaplin discovered the fire and sum-
moned the neighbors, who turned out in
full force and succeeded by the prompt use
of salt and water In subduing the fam IS.
This fire was started shortly after 10 o clio *.
A man was seen to walk hurriedy from the
little building just before a citizen discov-
cred the flames. The colored people living
near the school responded to ar alarm with
out delay and soon extinguished the fire
that had been built on the basement floor
and fed with oil. Persons who saw the
man are unable to tell anything of his color
or appearance, and therefore they do not
know whether the ''firebug'' is a tramp or
not
Mr.. w. H. Laccy's Darn.
Being unsuccessful in this attempt, the
fiend made a second trial at the barn on
the place of Mr.. w. H. Lacey, q we'll
is near Central avenue and the Hamilton
road. There the large barn was set on fire
and soon the blaze illuminated the heavens
and attracted many persons from their
sleeping rooms. Here, as at the school
house. the colored residents turned out and
turned out but did not go all the way to
the scene Of the fire, because there was no
water there.
Mr.. Lacey's horses were saved, but two
cows, wagons, carriages and farming i'm
plements were reduced to ashes. bucket
line was established. and the smouldering
timbers were thoroughly soaked to prevent
flying sparks doing more damage. The loss
Is estimated at $1,000, and there was an
insurance on the building of $1,000.
Mr.. Allman's Stable.
1t was after / o o'clock before the light from
this fire had died away. and then the resi-
dents of Benning road this side of the Eas-
tern branch came near being called out to
assist one OF their neighbors, Mr.. Daniel
Altman, a dairyman.
When No. engine company started for
the fire on Mr.. Lacey's farm. they went as
far as Allman's. and, thinking sparks from
the engine might do some damage, Mr.. ALI
man got out of bed and examined his prem
ises to make sure that there was no danger.
Finding things all right, he again retired.
but about 80 o'clock a knock at his door
awoke him and a colored man Informed him
that his stable was burning. There were
thirty-two cows and three horses in the
stable at this time, besides two men sleep
ing in the loft and large quantity of feed
Mr.. Altman ran from the house as quickly
as possible and called for help. Fearing the
poor dumb animals would fare the fate of
these in Mr.. Lacey's barn, Mr.. Alma n
rushed in where the flames had started 10
do the deadly work and succeeded in ex-
tinguishing them before much Roadway was
gained. In doing so he was badly burned
about the hands.
An investigation of the premises showed
that the fire was undoubtedly the work OF
an incendiary and the criminal had come
from the direction of Benning, for he had
taken one Of the coal oil lamps used 10
light the county road, and had poured the
oil on the stable where the fire had started
AS already stated. the police are investi-
eating the three fires and hope to capture
the incendiary.