Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-12
LOOK FOR F|REBUG
lncendiary Blaze Stirs South
east Highlands.
SECOND IN FEW MONTHS
0il-Soaked Couch Placed Against
Wall and Match Applied.
BUCKET BRIGADE rs FORMED
Flames Are Soon Exting,iished and
san Unfinished Dwelling Il
Saved by Neighbors.

| Headquarters Detectives Evans and
1 O'Dea and members of the eleventh po-
lice precinct are -endeavoring to learn
the identity of an incendiary who made
1 an attempt last night about 0 o'clock to
Fbufn the unfinished dwelling Of J. W.
McClosikey, on Barry avenue near 4th
street, Southeast Washington Highlands.
Three months ago An incendiary fire
on the premises Of Peter Guisan, Barnaby
road. not great distance from the scene
of last nights blaze. aroused resiuents
Of that section, and 1t is believed by
some of the residents that both fires were
started by the same person.
Last nights fire thoroughly aroused the
residents OF the southeast section Of the
| District and searching party was
formed to aid the police. Capt. Ander-
son and Lieut.. Plenmons sent out oil the
officers available last night and today
to run down the f1rebug, instructing them
to leave no stone unturned in their en-
deavor to solve the mystery.
An old couch saturated with oil was
placed against the side of the unfinished
| dwelling last night and fired, the light at
| tracing number Of neighbors. The
formation Of a bucket brigade resulted in
the blaze being quickly .n extinspisned be-
done and without the aid Of the local IRE
department.
No District Water Supply.
There is no District water supply at or
near the scene Of the fire, Oxen branch
and springs and wells furnishing the
only sources Of water supply 1t was
suggested that No. 5 chemical company
be summoned from Congress Heights, but
the members Of the bucket brigade did
such prompt and effective work that the
Il Arop not IAI
| j. T. Hazel was the first one to respond
to the cry Of fire. He hurried to the
property of MIR. McCloskey and, he after
ward stated. saw the form Of q man dis
/ appearing in the direction Of the Mary
! land side of the line
/ Following Mr.. Hazel were q number Of
/ neighbors, most Of them with buckets
ready to assist in the effort that was
unfinished building. Their work proved
| successful In a few minutes the OIL
soaked sofa was dragged from the house
| and the blaze which threatened the de-
struction OF the building was extin-
| guished.
Policemen were summoned from the
| eleventh precinct. Lieut.. Plammons. who
was on duty at the station, hurried sew
eral men to the scene Of tho fire TO start
the investigation without delay. Mr..
Hazel was positive about having seen q
| man leaving the vicinity Of the McClos-
key house. although 1t was impossible for
| him to tell II the man was white or
| colored.
0dor Of Oil.
| Near the slightly burned house the
police found what was left Of the old
couch. and there were still traces of the
odor of oil about II. From Mr. McClos-
key the police learned that he had not
been on particularly good terms with all
his neighbors, although he would not &C.
| cuse any of them of being responsible
| for the conf!agration last night.
Several weeks ago Mr. McC1oskey COM
planned to the police that q box Of car
penter.s tools had been taken from the
partly constructed dwelling The reported
theft was committed at night. but Mr..
body with 1t. He recalled that ill-feeling
existed between some of his neighbors
and himself.
Recently. the police state. the tools
were FOUND In ditch near Oxen branch.
The box had been placed in the ditch and
covered with earth. but none of the tools
had been taken. Mr.. McCloskey and the
police readily concluded that there was
mniic e and .hs s not dishonesty In the case.
nights fire was started by the person
who caused the fire on the place OF Mr.
Guigan In February. That fire was
started In q pile Of cordwood. Oil had
the match applied. The blaze was ex-
tinguished before it had spread from the
cordwood and reached a building. An oil
can; was found near the wood by the
police. An Investigation was made. but
nothing was learned by the police to
warrant them in making an arrest.
Repairing the Damage.
Today Mr.. McCloskey began repairing
the damage done last night. He says he
| has no intention Of abandoning the build
Ing because of the fire, but will make
every effort to bring the frebug to JUS
tice. Inspector Boardman learned Of the
| fire this morning and detailed the two
headquarters men to conduct tho investi-
| cation.
Nothing definite was learned by tho po-
| lice as to the ownership of the old couch
that was saturated with oil and placed
against the structure. It was saio at
the police station that the couch do not
belong to Mr.. McCloskey. The establish
ment of the ownership OF the couch, the
| police say, may not be Of much value in
the investigation. as 1t may have been
| taken from dump.