The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-08-10
Responsible for
Losses TotaIing a Million
WAS CAUGHT AT GREENFIELD
Bernard C. Murray of Hartford, CT.
Acknowledges That He Fired
Hotels and Other Buildings.

Hartford, Ct, who by his own word
has identified himself as the firebug
whom the police have been looking
for in connection with the 100000
fire which destroyed the Wilson Ho-
tel and adjoining blocks in North Ad-
ans on July 2, the 100000 fire in
which the Waterbury, Conn, city hall
burned to the ground and the city
records destroyed on April %, the
rapid succession of fires in Spring
field on July 5, which kept the fire de
partment worried all that day, be-
sides fires in Greenfield and Turner's
Falls. Murray's statement may clear
up mystery which has surrounded
series of fires of suspected incendi-
airy origin in Massachusetts and Con-
necticut extending through the past
three years, and the total loss from
fires which can now be trac'1 10 his
work would probably run beyond a
million dollars.
Murray's description of his own
motives in setting the string of fires
which has marked his stay in many
cities in this part of the country he
lays stress on the fact that he did not
work for a mere desire for excite
ment. He appears to have been ruled
by the instructive pyromaniac's
prompting whenever he saw an OPP
portunity to set fire, an impulse
which drove from his mind all thought
of the consequences. He went about
his work as a hotel porter or clerk
in whatever position he could get,
and started blazes generally without
generalization, often in a sort of APP
parent hysteria, wherever circum-
stances suggested the idea to his
mind. On several occasions he was
active in his efforts to put out the
fires when they were discovered
and at the Wilson House fire in
North Adams he exhibited unques-
tionable bravery in rescuing some of
the guests of the hotel who were
nearly entrapped in the fire he had
set
His astounding confession, which
was signed late yesterday Afternoon
in the presence Of Thomas Manning,
chief of the Greenfield police, and
Herbert ]. Cook, jailer at the Frank
lin county house of correction, is as
follows
Greenfield. Mass, Aug. 9. 1912.
Il, Bernard c.. Murray, of my own
free will and without being offered
any inducement other than a desire
on my own part to make the follow
ing statements in relation to incendi-
AIRY fires during the past six months
for which | have been responsible
On or about the 18th of April, 1912.
in the city of Waterbury, Ct, set a
number of fires, including the city
hall and hotel called the Chelsea.
In Greenfield, Mass, set the fol
lowing fires: May II, the HOLSTER
barn, so-called, in the rear of the
Congregational church, May %. the
Taylor block, so-called, property Of
Williams estate; May /, the HOLSTER
house, so-called; June 8, the Central
house, so-called, the property of the
Pond estate.
In Turner'S Falls. in the town of
Mont que set the following fires
June l. the Grand Trunk Hotel, so
called. the property of NJ. J. O'Keefe;
the Allen block, corner Avenue A
and Second street; June %. the Hotel
Vladish, so-called, the property of
the Vladish Bros; the Bartlett block,
Avenue A, between Fourth and Fifth
streets.
In North Adams, July 2, set fire
to the Wilson House.
In Springfield, Mass, June 5, set
a number of fires.
BERNARD C. MURRAY.
Witnesses: Thomas Manning, II. J.
Cook.
Murray's most spectacular and des-
tructive fire was that i'm North Ad-
ans, which destroyed the Wilson Ho-
tel, the adjoining Empire Theatre.
and numerous stores The day was
marked by other fires in the city.
which were suspected to be of incen-
diary origin. but which were discov-
cred in time to be checked with
small loss. The North Adams fire
was one of the few which caused i'm
minent danger of death by burning
alive to a number of people. All of
the guests in the Wilson Hotel were
finally rescued. as we're the occu.
pants of the apartment houses. with
out serious injury, and the rescuers
were aided by the efforts Of Murray
himself, who took great risks to get
the people whom he had endangered
from the flames.
The investigation made in regard TO
Murray by the Greenfield police re-
vealed the fact that his name was
Bernard G. Murray and not Charles
Murphy. as il had been given at the
time of his arrest. He is the son
OF a former fire commissioner OF the
city Of Hartford. and his family in
that city are thoroughly respected
Two years ago he was arrested and
tried for the forgery of a check. to
which he signed his fathers name.
Al that time he was placed on pro
baton in the superior court Of Hart
ford county. and soon after he left
the city. Since then he has appar-
emily been wandering about. working
most Of the time in hotels. where he
has done work as a porter. clerk OF in
any capacity. While he was living in