New-York tribune., 1910-07-30
BOYS CAREER OF CRIME
Police Astounded by Youngsters
Revelations.
ONLY SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD
Father Attempts to Kill His Son
When He Learns CO His
Confession.

Crime and it's consequences seemed to sia
very lightly last evening on Michael Cardo,
seventeen years old, OF No. 81 North fst
street, Williamsburg, as he confessed 20
Deputy Police Commissioner Reynolds and
Thomas F. Brophy. acting fire marshal. IN
the commissioner Office, in Brooklyn Po-
lice Headquarters. 70 having set FIRE 70 a
rurnber of houses for the purpose OF COM
rnitting burglartes-
In his bcyish treble he calmly teld 90
having started a fire In a large tS-S-nsn-
house adjoining the one IN Nhica hts
parents and his eight brothers and sisters
1--we The commissioner and the marshal
were amazed at his tale. and the oldest
officer in the building said that never be-
fore had he heard such a story from an
apparently innocent looking lad Cardo
confessed 10 completely in FIVE arson cases
and In as many burglaries When the
tov's father heard the story he threatened
10 kill hts son. and might have done so
only for the police
Cardo was arrested by Detectives Barry
and Mcdonald. OF the Brooklyn dstsctivs
bureau. on admissions made by John Boris.
sfxtaen years old, OF No. 139 DevOe street,
BROOKLYN Boris IS IN Raymond Street jail
FIopfag that a confession would obtain
1enfency for him, he told The story 10 ths
rolice and to Mr.. Brophy- He was ar
rested for burglary on July n He said
that on that date he and CardO had ser
fire 20 a house IN Union street and then IN
the excitement had stolen clothing from
one Of the apartments They realized 81
on the clothing.
Cardo was taken first 10 Mr. Brophy's
office, where. the marshal said, the lad
had lied like Ananias- Mr. BrOphy thought
that police surroundings might frighrea the
youth into confessing and took him %
Commissioner Reynolds's Office.
The boy said that he started "EIs first
fire" with Boris, at O'Clock on the after
noon of July q in the hallway Of four
story brick tenement house al No. 96 North
1st street. and the second on the same
afternoon in q three story frame house az
No 81 South Sd street, where many per-
sons narrowly escaped with their lives.
The fire caused damage OF $500
The boys next set fire TO the four story
brick tenement house at No 259 Kent ave-
n11e. starting the blaze in the cellar That
night they set a fire in the four story brick
+enArnent house at No 1t8 Metropolitan
ayau11e. and a few hours later they entered
the cellar Of the four story brick tenement
bo,1se at No. IS Grand street and set frs
To il. All these fires were set on July 2.
Didn't Want To Be Bum
.,yybv did you do it?'' asked Comnis-
sioner Reynolds
..Ob I didn't want TO be a bum, and
knew what I'd get az home II / didn'I
work" said Cardo. Struggling his TIM
shoulders
I'm all these fires" said Mr- Brophy.
I'VE found traces OF wax
.arba+ was from our bombs said the boy
.eBombs.' exclaimed the connissioner
yes said the youth, bombs You
see. we watched the Italians N 1ac1oFy
in North sth street making them anu
that's how we learned 10 make them O--
selves"
noIds-
..Phosphorous and carbolic acid said
the hoy. I'VE put the wax around il 10
keep the air out
seDid YOU know that you set fire 70 q
house adjoining the one in which your
father and mother and your little sisters
and brothers Iive7f' asked Mr. BrOphy.
Sure said the boy
What would you have done II they
had been burned TO death?" asked Mr..
Reynolds
I'D a killed myself" said the boy,
without a sembIance OF emotion
During the day Mr.. BrOphy took the
boy 10 the houses which he and Boris
had set on fire Cardo showed how they
had placed paper and other irfauma5ls
material in the cellars or fn the Railways
and then had run a trail OF con0ust-
iole stuff from the cellar 10 the first hall
way and sometimes from stairway TO
stairway.
Mr. Brophy, with several detectives.
took Cardo TO his own home When the
boys father heard his confession ne
sprans at him, seized him by the yhrosr
and cried: My God, that I have raised
such a sonI III kill you The father
was pulled away and the detectives ran
out Of the house with the boy