The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-12-12
BULL kRAF 7
CAUGHT AGAIN:
At OLD TRICK
FORMER FIREMAN WHO TERROR
lied CITY TWO YEARS AGO,
TURNS IN FALSE ALARM.
Watched "The Boys Run" to Thirty
Eighth Street Blaze, Then Ola
Desire Returns.
Bull Kraft ut work again.

Bull Kraft at work again.
This exclamation escaped the FPS OF
no less than Il dozen police and city &c
tectives last night when the second ire
alarm was sounded from the South Side
within three-QuartcrS or an hour. Ill
less than half hour more kraft was
under arrest charged with turning III :,
false alarm from Box % nj EOn ana
Twenty-cighth streets.
In a few minutes the former city fire.
man. who q little more than TWO years
ago terroriZcd the city. cNhauseted nre-
men and fire horses and almost ran inc
shoes of the policemen and detectives
had confessed that he turned in mo
q further investigation of his activities
last night. and it is probable that Some
OF half dozen or more indictments re-
turned against him for his alleged at
tenlptS at arson two years ago VIII pe
brought up against him again
from Box I'll Ut Eon and Thirty-elghth
streets. summoned the south SIDE nre
departments 10 the rear Of the southern
Theatre where a small blaze had start
ed in the roof OF the little building
ofrmcrly occupied by McCreighty's SOFT
drink bottl!ng works. The blaze, how
ever had not gained any Roadway and
was eXtingushed with a few buckets OF
water before the tiremen arrived
Recall Faas to Sound.
W men an attempt
the recall the box failed To work prop
erly for some reason and the alarm
bells hit "2-1." the box number at Nam
street and the Steel bridge. Instead q" OF,
tho recall signal "3-3." When
failed to repeat. fremcn knew that the
recall signal had iizzled. but the Nigi-
liant engine company, as ~ matter Oh
precaution, respondeH. .u
4 little more than q half hour after
the fire at 1hrtE;eignth street rIa box oS,s 90
lives in the Vicinity know that Kraft
had been near. ran to ascertain who ha:
turned In the alarm. Less than hali
Carey and a city fireman. whose name name
is being withheld. encountered bull
Kraft running away from the box. Re
Numbering the dark day" OF two years
ago. they seized Kraft and he vas
rushed i'm an automobile TO the offtc"
OF Fire Chief Edward Rose MT the
Chemical fire station, where Detectives
Tom Kelley, Ed Minard and Dave
Clary placed him under arrest.
\ conference OF officials was hhr'
riedly called nj the police stal!nn. a.
tended by Police Lieutenant Edwin H.
birch. Prosecuting Attorney y. y. Nc
kcc, Court Stenographcr Louis wal
tcrs. Fire Chief Kosc and the city oe,
,cctives While witnesses VIII" had
seen Kraft turn In TIC alarni were d..
Tom Kelley into Ih- lobby or INC p"llc"
office and Informed him That ne was
ready to confess IL pulling box %. re
was taken before the officers ana maze
n statement. following which he was
taken to the lookup.
Following The series OF hr"s Whicn
Kraft was accused Of starting 'Wo years
ago, several indictments. part felony
charges. were rcE!rncn against MN. tt
was tried on a miSdrm"an"r charge I'll
uItcmnIinr To fir" tho Warwlck thini
company plant. u" was convicted ana
served a year IN the Ohio county jail
About eleven weeks ago he completed
his fail term and upon his release went
To Detroit. Until about i've weeks ago
ne had worked either at Detroit or Flint
Mich. ,.
Five weeks ago h" returned TO nee,
ing and has been working al the hccl-
ing Mold and Foundry plant.
That Kraft could not have started me
fire at Thirty-cighth street last niSn,,
ls reasonably sure. Al the time, huS III
was pulled Kraft was standing III Twcn'
ty-s,vnnlh street and stood there ~airh-
ing the fire department run by. oHicri
Rrimsnn is authority for tn" statement
That hr had not been far from Iw"ntE-
seventh street FOR some tim: before the
alarm was sounded. -:
Kraft Is said 10 hay" given as MS
reason for turning In the false alarm
that hr was drinking.