The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1907-03-28

SuDulu Suiiuteu thdb buO hiC m"t
shal being supported by the in
surer would work for his interest
as against that of the insured.
OF this suspicion the attorneys OF
the criminal are quick to take adj
vantage, charging that the assist
ant fire marshals who have gather
ed the evidence are paid detec-
tives of the insurance companies,
whose business is to aid a pluto
cratic foreign corporation in eff
fort to avoid paying the just claim
OF a neighbor.
Through the philanthropy of
the newspapers and magazines ot
the state which have given an
enormous amount Of valuable space
to bulletins of department, the
public has been shown that in
surance companies simply assess
the danger from fire In each build
ing, collect the amount of the as
sessment and use the money SO
collected from several hundred
buildings to make good the loss on
one that is burned that when one
defrauds an insurance company
the community pays the amount
that the fear of prosecution and
conviction is the only protection
one can have against being burn
ed out by an enemy and that every
person in the state pays in some
way his share of each fire loss, Ee
the cause incendiarism, Ignorance
or carelessness. The fire marshal
department will continue to be
EN- mbarrassed to some extent by
prejudice until its expenses are
paid from the general revenue
fund, as are other state depart
ments.
Pyromania (fire madness) is II
symptom rather than district
form of insanity, but in many OF
the cases in which it occurs 1T is
the first evidence of mental de-
rangement. 1t is difficult to con-
Wet such a person because no mo-
tive for the act of burning can be
shown and he may exhibit no
other symptoms which suggest a
maiady of the mind. Later, other
marked symptoms of mania de-
yelop making the disease unmis-
taxable, but in the interval he
may set a number of fires. How
ever, he oftner than any other in
cendiary is seen while committing
the act, for he has at the time no
fear of punishment.
The pyromanic is seized by an
imperative desire to burn. While
under this irresistible impulse he
has no appreciation of the fact
that his act will injure Others or
may result in punishment to him
self.
This propensity of the insane is
most likely to develop in the in
durable classes of the insane, and
in the imbecile, and sometimes is
seen In those suffering from epil
epsy and paresis. There never
comes time when it is safe to
society for one who has once had
an irresistible impulse to incend
iarism to be at large.
The increase in the number Of
this class of burners in proper
tion to population and will he
greater each year, because the in
crease of the insane population is
proportionately greater than that
of the insane.
In the group of those who ara
lncendiaries on account of malice
or revenge ls placed those who
burn because of envy or jealously.
The number of these cases has
been diminishing as the public
have become impressed by the
fact that suspicious fires are IN
vestigated by trained assistant
fire marshals who pursue incend-
iaIies relentlessly. The deterrent
effect from the existence of these
state fire-pollcemen ia not so mark
ed in this class as 10 ia in the class
who burn Ia defraud because the
burner for gain dispassionately
weighs possibilities.
ID s. CREAnRR