Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-22
STARTS MANY FIRES
AND CAUSES PANIC
Six BIazes Lit on the Crowded
West Side.
WORKS IN THE DARKNESS
Gas Cut Of Adds to the Terror of
Victims.
ELUDED GORDON OF POLICE
Little Doubt Felt That Pyro-Maniac
is at the Bottom of the Trouble
Firemen Hard Worked.
WORKS IN THE DARKNESS
ELUDED GORDON OF POLICE

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, November 22-The new
and mysterious terror which the police
have to combat. "the man with a TORCH"
who plies his business while others sleep.
was abroad again this morning while the
fog hung over the city. He set six fires
on the West Side within close proximity
to each other. Three of them were in 18th
street, one in 18th, one in 21st and one
in 23d.
The incendiary, in the time that he
worked his mischief, endangered the ives
Of over a hundred families and 500 per-
sons, frightened the wits out of the ten
ants of the six houses and went about 1t
with consummate GOODNESS and with appar-
emily no regard for property or for --uman
life. In one place he turned off the gas.
as In the case of one Of the five incendiary
fires set on the upper West Side fort
night ago, when the maniac who seems to
delight in seeing the engines turn out first
began his rounds Since then there have
been a score Of fires many of which
showed undoubted evidence Of incendiarism
and the balance of which were set down g
queer" and possibly the result OF ..re-
bug.
The man with the torch displayed his
cunning and his nerve this morning by
demonstrating that 1t was possible for him
h
of policemen. sixty in number. thrown
around the region where the first fires were
set. and yet kindie other fires, although
every bluecoat and every fireman had eyes
peeled for him. The firebug got away after
winding up his work with a grand climax.
In which he caused damage amounting to
$4,000.
Fired Tenement.
The police and the f1remen were both on
the jump all the time, pulling tenants out
of their houses or plucking animated
punches Of humanity off front and rear fire
escapes. If it had not been for their prompt
ness and bravery loss of life might have
been added to the horrors of the morning
The first blaze was discovered at 800 m
In the fve-story tenement at 1855 West 18th
street. A Gordon of police reserves was
thrown about the building. while the fire.
men got the tenants out
Several inmates were overcome, but taken
out in time.
Just the excitement was on the wane
at 1856 West 18th street a citizen approached
fireman and shouted that there was an
other f1re In the basement of 800 West 18th
street. diagonally across the street. The
tenants of this house, most Of whom were
at the windows watching the fire across the
street. began to rush pell-mell to the street
While the firemen were struggling with
the fire at 800 West 18th street word was
brought to them that the whole cellar of
the house at 235 West 18th street. was in
house. with twenty-four families in it.
"A lot Of kindling wood had been taken
from the hods in the hallway and placed SO
that 1t furnished fine material for the in
cendiary's torch.
The entire hall was soon ablaze
Cut Off the Gas.
By his work In cutting off the gas supply
the fire fiend had devised the best possible
means Of creating a panic. From out their
smoked-choked rooms the tenants, in a
frenzy of fear. clambered onto the fire es-
capes at both front and rear Of the house.
The Railways were filed with the smoke,
and the situation had become desperate.
Mrs. Catherine Arnold, Nho lived on the
second floor rear, was injured on the fire
escape. She was taken to the New York
Hospital by DR.. Stewart, where it Is
thought she may die.
The f1remen were getting control OF this
fire in 18th street when word was brought
to them that there was fire in the five
story tenement with twenty families at 81
West 21st street.
Just as this fire was extinguished the
most disastrous fire of the entire lot broke
out at $50 West 23d street. This is a five
story apartment house of ten apartments
occupied for the most part by newspaper
men, artists, and actors The entire place
was Quilted. The last fire was in 324 West
18th street, in the basement. Ten families
got out of the house In short order. The
blaze was put out without much damage.