New Britain herald., 1917-02-22
FIRE BOMB THOUGHT
 PLANTED IN CELLAR Flames Spread Rapidly and ,Ex~ plosions Are Heard by Reynolds
 WATER 0F' NO AVAIL

and Wife Believe They Saw F1re-
 bug Surveying Building Several
 Days Ago.
 Belief that the fires were not only deliberately set as part of a sys- ter mind in crime but that the build ings were visited several days ago to "get the lay of the land" is strength ened by experiences of MT. and Mrs. Hugh Reynolds Monday night. They are believed to have encountered the "brains' of the suspected combine, three unidentified men, who were found acting suspiciously about the Reynolds property and the building Tt Commercial and Center streets that was partially gutted last night.
 Reynolds was on his way from the was attracted by the form of man skulking about the rear of his mer- cantile-apartment building on the corner. The man, tail, well-dressed and unidentified by Reynolds as hay ing been seen seen previously, entered the alleyway from Center street,
 
 to escape discovery: Watching him, Reynolds noted that he was apparent ly making efforts to inspect the build ing exteriorly without being observed. A little later and the man had disap- peared.
 Seen to Join Companion
 Mrs. Reynolds left the house lit tie later to attend church meeting and noted the man as she stepped from the veranda Her suspicious were at once aroused when he stepped hurriedly back from the building tried to hide in the shadows and held up his hands in an apparent attempt to cover his face. Seeing that Mrs Reynolds was approaching him rap- idly, he hurriedly turned, broke into. a semi-run and went up Center street towards East Main street. Mrs. Rev. holds attempted to catch up with him so as to get a description of him. Looking back several time, he quick ened his speed and was joined by two companions, who had been openly idling near East Main and Center The three hurriedly conversed, looked at Mrs. Reynolds and then disao- peared on East Main street. going in an easterly direction.
 Discovery of the fire by Reynolds last night was attended by circum- stances that are considered to be high ly suspicious and indicate the use of bombs filled with some mixture like "Greek hre' and great cunning But & few moments before discovery he had attended to the furnace and been about the cellar. Everything was carefully cleaned up and the fire was in order.
 Bomb Suspected.
 He had hardly got to tho supper table when his son, Hugh Reynolds, Jr., came in with information that there was Q little fire in the cellar. They went to the scene and according to their story, found the blaze confined to an area hardly larger than a bushel basket. It seemed to glow in a man. ner that even then, caused suspicion that it was not like ordinary fire Rey- holds, senior, seized a fire hose and was about to turn on the water when fire was discovered bursting out near the fire plug. He believes that the fire was "planted'' there with the idea of cutting off attempts of turning on the water quickly.
 Fighting his way to the fire plug, he turned on the water and directed the nozzle toward the first blaze discov- cred. There were immediate results that, in the belief of officials, indicate that a bomb or chemical mixture was used. As the water struck the flames there appeared to be a slight untitled explosion and the flames were scat tered over wide area The cellar be- came a furnace, the flames spreading with great rapidity. Telephone calls were frantically sent into fire head quarters but all available apparatus
 Continued on Eleventh Page)