The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-06-04
THE FIRE BUG CAPTURED

The citizens of Austin and the fire
men were narrowly saved from another
confiagration last night at the hands
of the fire bug that has been do
ing this city to the queens taste
for the past few weeks. There
is an old saying about the pitcher
going once too often to the well and that
is certainly applicable in the present case,
for the young man who lies in the city
Jail this morning was caught red-handed
last night while just entering upon his
nights work. The police have been I'M
usually active during the past few days
and nights and while the public have
not. for prudent reasons, been informed
of their movements they have ever been
on the move and lookout. There has
been no let up in the work, the officers
being on duty most of the twepty-four
hours in Il vain attempt to locate the
man or men who have been turning this
city upside down during the past few
weeks with his matches and coal oil.
Last night, as usual. the police were
out scouting and watching carefully
every corner and hiding place possible.
For several days past they have had one
young man in town under the closest
watch, thinking that he was the one they
wanted, and last night proved that their
surmise was not without foundation. 1t
two of his men followed the man they
have been shadowing for the past two
days to n little empty house on West
Fifteenth street and permitted him to
break into the house, and then just as
he was about to carry out his nefarious
plans they nabbed him. He was game
and showed fight, but it was useless as
the officers We're on him in trice and
he was oyerpowered before he knew ex-
ntl hot hnI hnn bn
he was arrested he was searched and all
the paraphernalia necessary to his vOca
ton was found on his person.
His identity has been known to the
police and few others for several days,
but for the benefit of the public The
Statesman this morning will state that
his name is Harris Fisher, and he is just
turning the age of 81. He has lived here
most of his life up to the past few years,
since which time he has been rowing, and
it was while on these wanderings that he
acquired his taste for lawlessness.
When taken to the police station last
night he at first stated that he had only
been in town for short time, but after
a while he admitted that he had been
here for some timeand that he was respon-
sible for all the incendiary fires we have
had of late. He admitted that he fred
the store of Mr.. Eugene Robinson, the
mousse on East Eleventh street, tne mousse
on West Ninth and the graded school
building. He says that in the case of
the latter fire he stayed at the fire until
the Protection Hose company arrived
and then left. He added that at most
all the fires he had spent considerable
time knocking around the houses before
firing them and in the case of the Graded
school he had stayed there at least half
an hour before he fired it. He seemed
to talk very indifferently about the whole
matter andin additionto confessing about
firing all these houses he said that he
was also responsible for the robbery of
the United States mail boxes here last
Friday night, as reported in The States
man. He explained that with a power
full jimmy he had he could prize open
mail boxes with as much ease as though
they were made of paper. He has sew
eral very fine burglar tools with him and
is well equipped for business. When
asked for an explanation as to why he
fired the buildings he said that he used
to be fireman here himself and he liked
to see the boys run and that he just had
a desire TO fire buildings anyway and
could give no other reason. He seemed