Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-10
Com, Putnam Talks About
Fire Investigations.
Current Year Shows Good Per-
centage Of |neendiaTy Fires.
E,ection Ordered tor Co. | First
infantry, Portland.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
N.x+ Meeting of Governor and Council
Tuesday, Dec. q, at ~ A. NJ.

From the number of suspicious
fires which have during the year now
drawing to a close claimed the atten-
ton of the State insurance depart
ment, of which Hon. Beecher Putnam
of Houlton is the head, it would seem
that this class of fires, while IT may
not exceed the record of some preVl-
Gus years, appears this year to De
rather more prevalent than usual. me
number of these fires which are at
present receiving the attention of the
department is about one dozen, a rev
of which have occurred Wlthn the
past two months, and several of them,
upon investigation by the department,
have been found to be of incendiary
origin. As to the causes of these in
cendiary fires it is estimated that at
least % per cent. of them are set for
the purpose of getting the insurance.
In speaking upon the subject of in
cendjary fires Commissioner Putnam
said yesterday that they form one of
the most difficult problems with which
the department is confronted, one
reason being that in case of an arrest
it is not only very hard work to con-
vince jury that the fire in question
was of incendiary origin, the bulk
and sometimes the whole of the evil
dence being of a circumstantial ma
ture, but it is equally hard to secure
conviction Of the suspected party
Concerning the prevalence of in
cendiary fires in any particular Sec
ton of the State, Commissioner Put
nam said that the field did not Sc m
to be confined to any one locality, but
that the fires We're scattered all over
Maine, from the eastern border to
York county, being mostly in the
country towns, very few OF them hav-
ing occurred in the cities. Another
feature in connection with these fires,
he said, was that they had occurred in
the older counties, the newer coun-
ties being practically exempt. There
has during the year been but one case
in Aroostook county, and when it
came to trial at the September term of
court the man was acquitted And
the same is true of the other northern
counties.
As to the cases which are now be-
ing investigated by the department it
is considered that several of them
which are considered suspicious at the
beginning of the investigation will.
when the work of those in charge is
completed. be found to be Of other
than incendiary origin. One of the
important convictions of the year
through the assistance Of the depart
ment is that of John Elwell of st.
George. for the burning of the Odd
Fellows hall at st. George. EIwell
was tried on the charge of arson and
upon conviction at the September
term of court in Knox county. was
sentenced to five years Imprisonment
in the State prison at Thomaston.
Another important case, in which
the investigation by the department
resulted in the arrest of the suspe red
party and which is now awaiting the
sitting of the January term of tie
Superior court of kennebec cOu 1ty is
that of William B. Richards, To-
year-old boy, the charge being the
same as that in the case mentioned
above. The charges upon which
young Richards was arrested were
those Of setting fire, on Nov IS. to the
barn of Frank d. Rand of China,
which resulted in the destruction of
that structure. and on Nov. 81 to SIT
ting fire to Mr.. Rand's house in four
different places, the fires being dis
covered however in season to save the
muse. from destruction. The boy at