The evening times., 1895-12-06
TOWSON'S BOY PYROMANIAC
Explanation of the Cause of Many
Recent Fires in Maryland.
Young Brown Had an UncontrOlla ble
Love for the Spectacle of Flames
and OF FiremeD Fighting Them.

Baltimore, Dec. .6.--Alexander Fell Brown
| aged seventeen years. OF Towson, was ar
| rested yesterday and lodged in Jail on six
| warrants, sworn out by Detectives John Fl.
Kratz and Albert Gault Of this city, charg-
| ing with arson In as many cases.
The properties burned were either In
Towsou or its immediate vicinity, and were:
Haystack, owned by E. Tyson Ware.
Hay barracks and contents, owned by
John n. CorbiD.
Stable aud horse, owned by ]. Alexan-
der Pariett.
Stable, owned by Charles E. Tresdweil.
Stable, owned by Mrs. Ida v. Booth.
Grange Hall, slightly damaged.
The arrest OF young Brown was shock
to the residents of Towson, where bis fun
lily is highly respected.
The fires had become so numerous that
every property owner in the town lived in
constant dread OF being the next victim.
They began over two months ago, and the
volunteer fire department turned out in each
case to extIuguish tue flames. 1t soon be
came evident 10 the firemen that the flames
were the work of a firebug.
The county authorities made a careful
Investigation, but could not find the guilty
persons They then appealed to the city
police officials for aid. and Detectives Gault
aud Kratz were detailed upon the work.
These detectives were suddenly called off
to clear up the LaDge murder case at
Gardenville, Baltimore county. After the
arrest OF Jerome Councell on the charge of
numbering Capt. and Mrs. Lange, the detect
ives went back to the fire bug case. They
patiently worked uut every theory and ran
down every clew until their suspicious
finally centered on young Brown.
The boy was an enthusiast on the subject
offires. Residents of the town say it was a
fhn,
tunity he got he would visit the engine
house and study the machinery. He at
tended all meetings of the fire Company
and could be seen at nearly every fire.
No evidence c,uld be gotten against the
lad until the fire In the stable OF Mrs. Ida
Booth, on the Joppa road near Towson. last
Tuesday night. The flames were seen by
Rev. A. r. Reiley and his daughter, who
were passing along ruad near by. An
alarm was given and the flames were eXtin-
guished. The detectives then discovered
partly burned candle which had been put
i'll Il lot of stra w In the stable, apparently
with a view of setting it un fire.
Their search through the grocery stores
in Towson revealed the fact, they say. that
such a candle had been purchased on Mem
day last by young Brown, and that he could
not account for its use. They found the
lad at work in the drug store where he was
employed. He was taken into back room
and questioned by the detectives closely.
His answers were shrewd and clear, but
in some cases conflicting. When accused
directly of setting fire to the Booth barn,
the detectives say, he broke down and cou-
fessed.
The boy told the detectives that he was
fond of fires and loved to see the men fight
ing them. He related, the detectives say,
how he set fire tn Mr.. Wares haystack
and Mr.. Corbin's barrack with matches
and then watched the flames. He got into
the Treadwell stable from an overhangjng
willow tree, he stated, and set the stable
on fire. Parletts stable was fired from
within, entrance being effected through
an open window.
The attempt to burn Grange Hail was the
most ambitious of all. Brown told the de-
tectives, they state, that he got Into the
hall through cellar window and piled
excelsior and paper under the stairway.
To this fuel a match was applied. The
flames were discovered 10 time to save the
building.
The boy was committed to jail by JUS
tice Joseph 3. Herbert OF Towson. states
Attorney Duncan has fixed his bail at $500
in each case.