The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-04-07


! The firebug and the fireman are
sworn enemies. This is not &c
much because the firebug makes ex-
ira work for the fireman, but because
these fires usually mean bad ex-
plosion. And this is likely to catch
the fireman, as he is the first person
to enter the building after the fire.
bug has done his work.
F1remen are always on the lookout
for suspicious fires, and at the FIRST
sign OF Joker" that is, the con-
trivance used to start fire. they
take pains to preserve II and send
Tor the Fire Marshal. The Fire
Marshal and his assistants keep in
touch with the fire company nearest
their homes and at any hour OF the
day or night can be notified OF
touch off," which is what the fire.
men call an incendiary or prepared
fire,
Tho firebug or incendlary starts
fires for several reasons. The more
harmless firebugs are pyromaniacs,
persons whose insanity shows itself
In connection with fire. The Fire
Marshal has caught boys and men
who set fires Just to see the horses
and apparatus respond, or to see the
iiremen at work, or simply to see
the fire burn. One young man, who
started a dozen fires in tenement
houses, said he had a message from
God to burn up the houses.
Fires are also set for malice or
revenge, and In one well known case
the Fire Marshal had warning of 4
prepared fire In an Italian tenement.
The police were called In to assist,
but the presence of heavy looking
citizens with big shoes. large watch
chains and thick mustaches, gave
warning to the firebugs and the Job
was given up.
Most incendiary fires and the more
dangerous ones are touched of" to |
get the insurance. This is the In |
centiye with ignorant and dishonest |
aud with business men
IN trouble who are not averse TO
beating" the insurance companies.
Overinsurance In the tenements
Is a regular practice and each year
The Fire Marshal In his annual re-
port, calls attention TO the evil. Il
IS regular thing to find one set of
ooms where the tenant has policy
md every one OF six to twelve board
RS has also a policy, In amount
rom 500 to $500. The total In
urance will amount to several thou
and dollars, while the real value
II all the property is not more than
few hundred dollars.
This invitation to make fires for
rofit Is also extended 10 small shop
eepers, who, for instance, can get
1000 worth OF insurance on
took that is valued at $500. This
J especially dangerous, because II
he shopkeeper burns his store the
re is likely to extend through the
and endanger the sleeping
A recent fire in Chrystie
treet, where twenty persons were
urned to death. Is a typical instance
I this danger.
Beating the insurance companies
moro or less a practice at all :
mes, but from 1885 TO 1896 II as. I
imed system and organization q
nat caused a sensation when the !
icts were laid bare by a New York '
aper at the time. Fire making was u
zen such regular business and q \
an named William Ettinger was q
'gularly paid by many insurance II
,mpanies for informing them In ad-
lnce Of where fires would occur. k
his information enabled them to 81
Incel policies on the risks. d
Ettlnger could supply this infor- n
alton because he knew the work.
gs OF the various bands that ma lie
shonest fires regular business.
Or Instance, there were the. cigar
ing," the "shoe gang" and tie el
furniture gang" The operation of
% shoe gang" will show how the al
lme was worked. vi
A man named Isaacs kept shoe m
ore on the east side and his place ol
as not only the headquarters for fe
ooked shoe fires, but also the gath
ing place OF the mechanics, or art. 81
Q firemakers. the men who prepar- d.
and set off the fires. Isaacs and XII
8 band would open q shoe store. hi
II in a big stock of new shoes aud
i insurance equalling or exceedin. fe
g value OF the stock. Then they an
ould replace the new shoes with III
d shoes and burned shoes that had bf
ready been used In other fires.
hen the stock had been changed So
Q mechanic" or firemaker would co
me around and touch on the ON
ace; after the fire public adjust tu
in league with the band, would IA
tile the loss with the insurance m
the burned shoes would ma
removed to their storage place n.
d preparations made for anoth<r
e; re
Young Isaacs was finally caught
a fire marshal in peculiar circum-
lnces. A marriage had been con-
acted for young Isaacs and his co
Iher was to furnish a wedding an ON
wry. He did this by setting up co..
0 young couple in business with q as, f
,ck Of shoes. few weeks after Ba