Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-03-05
NEGRO IS HELD
ON SUSPICION
MAY KNOW SOMETHING OF RE-
CENT FIRES
L. r. Bradley Booked as a Drunk al
Police Station Until the De-
tectives Can Look Up
His Record

- L. brduley, negro employed at
Ascot park, was arrested yesterday
morning under circumstances which
lead the police to believe that he may
know something of the recent incen-
E. Murphy, the arresting officers,
caused the man to be booked as a
drunk, without bail.
Bradley was found in small store
at San Pedro and Twenty-ninth
streets. He was unable to explain his
presence there, but seemed to be slight
ly under the influence of liquor. A
lock and some tickets were found in
his pockets.
The prisoner stoutly maintains his
innocence. TIE told the officers that
he was on his way home and being
slightly under the influence of liquor
had fallen on the sidewalk. When
questioned regarding his identity he
claimed to be a janitor at Ascot
When asked what he was doing in
side the store, Bradley denied having
been there. He seemed to be quick
witted for drunk" and was careful
in his answers. The officers have re-
ferred the case to the detectives, but
they have kept their movements on the
case a secret. Developments are expect
ed today. and they possibly may be
of startling nature.
Theory of Police
In connection with this case the
police continue their work in search
of the pyromaniac. The heads of the
department now are convinced that the
person responsible for many of the
fires is insane on the subject of in
cendiarism.
IF the fires had have been the work
of a professional" said an official,
there would have been different de-
velopemnts by this time. The pro-
fessional incendiary has robbery for
his motive as a rule. By starting fires
in different districts at once these fell
lows draw the patrolmen to the place
to protect the property, and thus leave
unprotected other districts. While their
attention is centered on the fire, it is
an easy matter to rifle stores and
| houses.
I'm some cases the men rob stores
| first and then fire them to cover up
their work In only a few cases have
| any traces of robbery been found in
| the burning buildings. The conclusion
that we arrive at is that the fires are
the work of one or two individuals and
prompted by insane motives.
"The only description that the de-
tective department has received even
of suspected incendiary is of man
with cap and overalls. What kind
of description is that? Detectives are
human and must have clews to
work on"
Brady Will Be Freed
The police are confident that more
than one pyromaniac is operating I'M
the city, and until capture is made of
one or more of these fiends more in
cendiary fires may be expected.
James Brady, arrested Friday by Of
fcer Hoosick, is still in Jail and he has
been closely interrogated by the detec-
tives. He seems to be half-witted and
tells several conflicting stories.
When discovered by the officer he
was lurking in an alley off Fifth street,
acting in a suspicious manner.
He says he came from Chicago and
has only been in Los Angeles a few
days. He may be turned loose today
as there seems to be no evidence
against him.
The police say that it is almost i'm
possible for them to ferret out an in
cendiary. The deed is done and the
man slips away long before an alarm
is turned in and he may be in the crowd
watching the blaze while the officers
are searching for clew.
Cranks May Do 1t
One of the detectives said yesterday
that he believes that more than one is
setting the incendiary fires of the past
two weeks. Possibly beginning with
one man. other unbalanced men become
inspired to emulate the example set
them and they continue the nefarious
work.
The police hope that one of the fire
fends may become bolder in his opera
tions and thus be detected in the act Of
setting n fire.
There is little danger of an incen-
diary fire during the daytime, but with
darkness as a shield the pyromaniac
begins his work and the fire depart
ment expect lot of extra calls all the
weeks and the officials are nerved up to
the highest tension.
With public feeling aroused as it is
it is said citizens might make short
work of man detected in the act of
setting fire to a dwelling house, and
the police might have hard work to get
MIN to the station alive. Detectives
are still working on partial descrip-
tion of two men seen near the planning
mill fire Friday night near Figueroa
and Pico streets and there is possi-
bility that the right man may be landed
within a few days.
officers are arresting all suspicious
persons on sight and on being taken to
the central station all such individuals
are given a rigorous examination.
The police realize that they have a
difficult proposition before them, they
say, and are practically working in the
dark
If the fires are set by crooks and
housebreakers sooner or later some of
the gang will be rounded up, but If one
or two pyromaniacs are the authors the
difficulty in catching them is very
great, say the detectives.
Three Small Fires
The fires during the day proved in
significant.
A small fire at 3O6 South Figueroa
street at s o'clock was caused by the
explosion of an oil lamp. The damage
to the owner, r. P. Jennings, was
about $50
At 1880 o'clock in the afternoon the
department had a call to 2930 Downey
avenue. Only nominal damage was
done by the explosion of gas stove.