The evening times., 1899-04-20
FALSE FIRE ALARMS
THE WORK OF A CRANK
Police Believe They Have the
Right Man.
Prisoner to Be Examined Regard
ing His Sanity.
Has Long Been known rs an Eccen-
tric Individual-TO He ArraiKned
in Court Tomorrow.

| Both the Police and Fire Departments
are stirred up over the revival OF the cpl
demic Of false fire alarms.
| Several false alarms OF fire have beer
| turned in from various parts Of the city
during the last week. and although the Of
tenders have been arrested every time il
| did not stop others who were maliciously
! inclined from bringing out the men and
| horses of the fire department on these
| fruitless errands. The false alarms turn
| ed in last night were all the work of cne
person, the police claim, and that person
| is believed by them TO be demented.
The question of the cost Of turning out
the fire department enters largely into
| the matter of prosecuting the people who
maIiciously send in alarms. 1t cots the
taxpayers of the District about $50 for
every engine that is made to go to fire.
While the engines are always prepared to
go out, it is necessary to make several
changes in the appliances b=fo-e they can
leave the houses, and these necess.tate
the expenditure OF the sum named. aside
from this. there is the wear and tear on
the horses and apparatus and the nesdlsss
work of the men. Should the men have to
respond to several bogus alarms and then
have to attend a fire, they would not be-
in condition 10 do justice TO themselves
or the city.
Some months ago a gang of men and
boys started to turn in false alarms and
continued the malicious practice fer long
time before they were apprehended. The
whole community was stirred up by the
occurrence and everyone was on the alert
for the marauders. They were finally
caught and were convicted in the Police
Court, being fined $40 each with the alter
native of spending four months in Jail
Soon after this an order was issued by the
Commissioners to the effect that the pen
atty for turning in false alarms be posted
in a conspicuous position on all fire alarm
boxes in the District and this was done.
Up to few weeks ago the department
was not troubled with false alarms. but
they have again broken out, and last night
five were turned in within the short space
Of an hour. and a sixth was attempted.
The police are of tie opinion that all Of
these alarms were turned in by the same
person, and they are satisfied that the
man, James H. Smallwood. who was ar
rested by Special officer Carter and Police
man Sears, of the First precinct. is the
right one. Smallwood is thought to be in
sane. and the police surgeons will probably
be requested to examine him.
The alarms were turned in in such a
manner that the police are convinced that
the man is mentally unbalanced. He came
in direct line from the Buffalo Bill Wild
West show to the corner Of Seventh Street
and Pennsylvania Avenue. with a slight de-
Walton toward the corner of Ninth and F
Streets. Major Sylvester said this morn
ing that he was satisfied that Sma,lwood
was the man who had done all the work.
and he was also satisfied that the man
was insane.
Smallwood is a peculiar character and is
well known throughout the District of CO.
lumbia. He is familiar with the workings
Of the Fire Department. and is said 10 be
able to locate every fire alarm box in the
District from memory. He attends every
big blaze that occurs and is a familiar
figure to the members of the department,
all of whom knew him.
Chief Paris said this morning he had
known the man for thirty years and had
never known him to do anything out of the
way. When asked il Smallwood had ever
appeared to him to be insane. the chief re-
piled in the negative. His appearance is
rather peculiar, the chief said, but he did
not think that the man was a lunatic.
Smallwood was not taken to the Police
Court this morning as there were no wit
nesses available, but the police hope to be |
able to get him in Court tomorrow. An |
enquiry will be made as to his mental re-
Bp0nsibility.