New Britain herald., 1917-04-12
BULLETS FAIL TO
 HALT FIRE BUG'
Man Seen Applying Torch to Barn
 at Power Plant

Discovered in the act of setting fire to barn at the power house of the United Electric Light and Water company off Corbin avenue about o'clock this morning, an unidentified skulker disregarded the orders of Su- pernumerary Policeman Harry An derson to halt, apparently escaped three bullets sent after him as his form disappeared in the gloom and eluded a posse of police rushed to the scene. Casting aside his heavy service overcoat, Policeman Anderson eXtinguished the threatening blaze that would have been beyond control with a few seconds more headway ! and then started in pursuit of the rapidly-fleeing form. The few seconds delay was sufficient for the pursued | to make good his escape. He was lost on Harrison street. Realizing the importance of effecting a capture, Policeman Anderson aroused residents or that thOroughfare, requesting that an emergency call be telephoned to l headquarters for endorsements. Ser 1 geant George J. Kelly received the l call at 15, rushing Policeman Gustav Hellberg and Patrick Howley to the scene in the patrol. The section was searched thoroughly without success. l Vigilance and quick work by Po. 1 1ceman Anderson frustrated the at 1 tempt of the maurauder, believed, by l the authorities, to be a sympathizc'
 of the Central Powers in a campaign
 to cripple the city's public service 1 plants. There is a strongly-developea l suspicion that he is the same person ! fo +Lo Of iro
 ism in the city, the person discovered
 skulking about the Traut & Hine
 manufacturing plant several weeks
 ago and the suspic;ously appearing 1 person fired on by q guard at the
 Lake Shuttle Meadow pipe line late
 Tuesday night.
 Ignors Command to Halt.
 Policeman Anderson was making his rounds when his attention was at
 tracted to a f1ickering light at the
 nearby barn, and flames burst sudden
 ly into view. Almost at the same time
 that he started on q run for the ] building, the form of a man was seeli
 to make a hurried exit and dash for the street, using great efforts to keei'
 in the shadow. A command to hal'
 under penalty of being made target
 for Policeman Anderson's heavy ser
 vice revolver only seemed to increase
 his speed. Three bullets were sent al
 ter his rapidly disappearing form.
 Hastily surveying the scene and
 casting aside his overcoat as he ran,
 Policeman Anderson reached the
 scene of the rapidly-spreadlng flames, scattered the burning waste to one side and stamped out the names
 There was every indication that the fire had been cleverly planned ana
 started in such a manner that, put TOT the vigilance of Policeman Anderson and his quick work, it would have
 been beyond control before asslstahce could reach the scene
 Making sure that the flames were
 ouenched, Policeman Anderson
 although greatly handicapped by the
 delay, started in pursuit of his quar
 rv now q long ways ahead and rapldl,
 disanDearing The revolver shots hae
 aroused the neighborhood, and resi-
 dents. scantily clad, appeared at win
 dows and doors. The request Wa
 made that someone telephone in {
 call to police headquarters for help
 Police authorities are condr in: 1 an investigation today. They = 9
 a loss to explain the cause of the at
 tempted firing of the building unles a mart of the general campaign of tho } incendiary. who is at large, or for th'
 nurpose of getting the power house : euards away from the main building so that it could be fired, blown up o ] it's valuable machinery ruined.
 Although the authorities are reti
 cent relative to the affair and the line t of investigation followed. it is report ed that the general description of tn . man discovered by Policeman Ander sen corresponds with that of the per , son seen leaving localities where othe