The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-11-03


Justice. Il was a big piece az work on
ar. Davis part and the testimonials
presented 10 him by the board OF I'M
derWriiers indicate the importance the
Insurance people placed upon H.
Among the "hrchugs" Harris was re-
gardcd as a master mind. lie was fer
Tile In resources. and seemed fearless
OF consequences. lie extended the
sphere Of the gangs operations from
small cast side shops 10 big Broadway
stores Being a furrier by trade. /,
was he who planned and arranged Ter
lnccndlary fires In furricrs' establish.
ments. Just as a man named Isaac
Fucker made speciality Of fixing"
clothing store fires
Some idea Of the profit that was de-
rived from the business. may be had
from the fact that. Notwithstanding the
long division" that had 20 b. made OF
The spells" Harris was rcpuied 20 b.
worth from $4,000 to $500 900 when
he took French leave. although a haIf
dozen years previous he was almost
penniless his home In President a.
brooklyn. which he owned. was mag.
nlhcently appointed. and his family.
consisting Of wife. ave young girls
and a little boy. were the envy OF their
aelghbors. Harris had a fac stable
and the pair OF notified grays we're
known far and wide In the CITY Of
Churches. In fact. the HAIRLESS lived
In quite a luxurious style. and were re-
garded az very agreeable people. and
those OF their fellow citizens who knew
them must have been rudely shocked
when the startling truth came out that
the head OF the house. n he had had
bis deserts. would have been doing
hard labor In Sing Sing instead Of
speeding his thoroughbreds on the
Ocean Parkway.
Harris frebug or inccndlary gang
vas one 81 several which had a mutual
understanding that neither should in
wade the territory OF the other. An
Old man named lsaacs was the nominal
head OF the Harris crowd. although
Joseph Harris was the brains OF the
concern.
The modus opcrandl OF these gang
vas very much the same In each cass
For instance. one Of the ring leaders
would 30 TO a man In the clothing busl.
ness and say;
This is pretty fair stock Of goods
you have. OF course. your are In.
lrrcdf'
NO" the storekeepor might reply.
"Ah." would come the response In
tone OF surprise. That's not husl.
ncsslike. You ought 20 be insured
Besides~--with a sly wlnk-"tlmes ara
aard, and under those circumstances
a little Gre Isn't such bad thing"
on course the storckecpor would III
irst seem horrinsd At The lndlrec, sug.
gestion Of arson. but the "hrebug" gen.
irally know his man.
mo trouble about having q Gre" he
would continue. Just lct me get YOU
insured and IN see TO that. You can
make some money and I can make
come money. You needn't be- anywhere
'rnund when the IRE takes place Gll
/ YOU have 20 DO is 10 follow my IN.
structions and on the night arranged
l Tor 30 to the thoatcr. or pay a visit "a
/ some Of your friends IN Jersey"
Tho cup'dlty NJ the s,orcheepcr hav.
3 lng been aroused. moral soruples wor,
easily oycrrlddcn. end the interview
generally ended by the "hrchug" belnf
commissioned to have the stock In.
urcd for as hlGh an amount as pos
dhle.
Tho night for the IRE was duly &C.
lectcd. a few days prior 70 Il the
mechanics" or uaderliugs In the en-
ploy Of the sang" saw 20 Il that Q
supply Of naphiha hcnEine or kerosene
had been smuggled into the building
on the night agreed upon these same
mechanics" managed 10 set them
selves locked In. always providing toI
an easy and unohscryed exit The mr.
broke out Al the proper time. snd thell
! work was done