New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-05
ORGANIZED GANGS.


...,hnrgh. Philadelphia, Baltimore fa'er-
va other cities are organized bands
.s-o-rakers. who undertake JOBS
~ ~ these places. one OF THESE
was. not long ago. operating IN
s.,s-son, n. J. That city, by the way Is
1t 80, a rival Of greater New York IN
=. rurber Of its suspicious fires.
81, was amply proved in Paterson that
-.,r.nce and incendiarism have direct
lection. Where companies declined to
..n. nolicies in certain districts, arson
'..,ss Where agents renewed their ac-
titles in those sections, crimes OF IN
-a,,,sr, increased in direct ratio TO the
Inn, Of insurance issued. Companies
,.vs again reverted 10 the old practices
s.-..,sr There are incendiary districts
|, paterson in which many suspicious fires
..ur and vet insurance companies are
~, ,.r,,ng policies in those sections.
.rhs same conditions prevail In New
vo-t The refusal OF insurance COM
,,n,es to accept risks in districts where
,,csndaries are known to operate inVarl-
Nv acts In sanitary HldTIti'
.1,urance and incendiarism go hand
d, hand. and no radical change can be
s,ourht about in the conditions until in
sur,nce companies seriously grapple with
n. problem Of previous inspection OF all
,roDerty on which application for insur-
,nee js made Otherwise, incendiarism
vnl continue, despite the activities of pub
NJ authorities TO round up firebugs. Con-
uctons and prison sentences for arson
ar. after all, only treating symptoms.
M effective alteration can be made until
me problem is dealt with fundamentally
Insurance is one OF the main roots OF
tbe arson tree The cutting off or insur-
srce policies will deprive this growth or
ID principal nourishment. and the elimina-
ton Of the evil thereafter will present no
irperabe difficulties.
TESTING THE COMPANIES.
Mr.. Johnson tells in an interesting fash
Ion how the department. 10 test this mat
ter Of Insurance. and TO ascertain whether
Il was true that most OF the reputable
fire insurance companies OF New YORK
would grant policies 10 applicants With
out previous investigation. began in De-
eernber 1911, taking out insurance on
household effects situated in various apart
ments rented from time 10 time in differ
.nt parts of the city. He tells the story
as follows:
"A four-room fat was first engaged on
,hor ha GaCnnH fnOr OF
tenement building at No. 2S9 East 1Olst
street The weekly rental was s.. This
apartment, by the way, was in an excep-
ionslly good location for observing the
movements OF certain persons whose oc-
cupation led officials of the Fire Depart
ment to suspect that they were connected
With the 'fre-making industry
To furnish this apartment With the
necessary household effects on which in
surance policies might be issued the fol-
owing articles were purchased;
Two wooden kitchen chairs. at ST cents
On. small gas heating stove with tube. %
Ihrse sash curtains. at i6 cents each AZ
One cuspidOr ....................
Total value a
Upon the aforementioned articles and
Including insurance at an address where
there vas no property az all the depart
ment obtained altogether the sum of
1880 worth OF insurance. On other arti-
cles OF even less value the department
obtained $4,000. making a total Of 1927, 800
under l3S different policies.