The sun., 1904-12-17
BROOKLYN'S FIREBUGS CAUGHT
TWO WEAK-MINDED YOUTHS con-
FESS WHEN ARRESTED.
Put Through the Third Degree, They Tell
How Thcy Started Five Of the Park
slope Bazes-Parents Declare Ihat
Prisoners Are Mentally Deficient

slope Blazes-Parents Declare IhAt
Prisoners Are Mentally Deficient
Brooklyns frebugs were caught yester-
day afternoon and the residents Of the
Park Slope, who have been in a state OF
nervousness for two months because OF
frequent fires in the district bounded by
Fifth and Ninth avenues. President and
Ninth streets, were able to 60 to bed last
night with feeling Of security. At least
five Of the fires were started by two weak
minded youths, who were arrested yeeter-
day and have confessed, and the police and
Fire Marshal think they are responsible
for all the blazes
Assistant Fire Marshal Beers recently
applied to Commissioner McAdoo for a
detail of men to patrol the firebug district.
Patrolman Donnelly Of the Fifth avenue
station was sent to the fire marshal's
Office, as was Patrolman Helms from the
Court squad. Capt. eastman Of the Saly-
age Corps detailed two men and there were
a score Of plain clothes men sent out from
Capt. Formosa's staff, as we'll as from the
Fifth and Sixth avenue stations. Several
arrests were made, but nothing could be
found that would hold good as evidence
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On Wednesday there was fire at Eighth
avenue and Eighth street. Deputy Fire
Chief Murray, who went to it, was ap-
preached by slim, sandy haired youth,
who asked
Is the fire burning good, captain?'
The Chief ordered the boy to get out OF
the way, but later told Assistant Fire Mar
shall Beers about the incident, and detec-
tives from the Fifth avenue station ar
rested Richard Samuels, on Thursday, on
suspicion that he was the person who had
addressed the fire chief. Samuels admitted
that he was, but denied that he had ever
set fire to house. He was discharged.
Yesterday noon Patrolmen Donnelly and
Helms rearrested Samuels and also William
Canders, 10 years old, Of $50 Fifth street.
Both youths were taken to the Office Of
Assistant Fire Marshal Beers, where they
were put through the third degree. and
finally confessed that they had set fire to at
least five houses, the locations of which
they gave.
Both boys are weak minded. The Can
ders boy told rambling story Of his ex-
perienoe while arranging to start the fires
then declared that he was a good boy and
had never done anything wrong.
Il wanted to see the blaze and the fire
engines he explained.
Samuels was more stupid. The boys
confessed to setting fire to the building,
soa Sixth avenue, where they used great,
piece Of Fat. which they lighted and threw
into the cellar. This wal found by the
hremen whom they arrived, At ,44& Third
street Gamblers got into the cellar and
lighted a lot Of rubbish and at 47l Union
street they did the same. The Gre at SIS
Sixth avenue. which was the first Of the
twenty -four in the district, and was on Oct.
II, was started by the boys with bunch of
paper in an alley between two coal bins,
as was the one at 400 Fifth street. not far
from the home Of the Canders boy.
After the prisoners had told their stories
and had confessed to almost anything they
were asked TO admit, they were taken to
the Fifth avenue station and locked up.
Their parents were also sent for and Ques-
toned about the boys mental condition.
Mrs. Samuels declared that her son had
weak intellect and that he was not respon-
sible for his acts.
Mrs. Canders could not be found until
late in the evening. When she was taken
to the station house she begged that her
boy might be brought To her She said he
had never worked and that he had always
been weak minded since he had scarlet
fever when a small boy. The boy was
brought into Capt. Reynolds's office.
-Oh, Willie. Willie, what have you dona?'
cried his mother. The boy rushed to the
woman, placed his head on her breast and
sobbed.
aoh, ma, didn't do nuthin' the fat boy
put 1t all over me- he replied.
The fat boy referred to was Samuels,
who weighs about 100 pounds, although
he isn't over feet inches tall. Young
Canders sobbed and cried out the story
Of what had befallen him during his mothers
absence and again admitted that he had
set fire to several houses -just to see the
blaze and have the engines come out"
Capt. Reynolds and Fire Marshal Beers
were much pleased last night over the |
capture Of the boys. The prisoners will |
be arraigned in the Butler street court this