New Britain herald., 1917-02-23
Police Throw C0rt
 Around House l Mysterious Stran.
 Fails to Come Ba
MILITIA RELIEVED
 FROM FURTHER DJ

After Vigil of Thirty-six Hour
 Civil Authorities Expect to
 With Situation-PrOmin , Official Promises Sensational |
 lations in Near Future.
 Face masked with a black clotH effectively disguised his features forehead to chin and of the gd appearance possessed by one of suspected men seen running from fires of incendiary origin, al identified man called at 49 Dewey shortly after 9 o'clock this mo demanded admittance and, wherI fused, threatened to return this in that vicinity.
 Although badly scared, forI year old Helen Cobat, the oldes4 son in the house at the time, di| lose her presence of mind but sla1 the door shut, locked it and then the alarm. Police were rushed | scene by Chief William J. Rav and a heavy guard of men in clothes was assigned to that s( this afternoon. No one of suspl appearance was found. The city
 ing searched this afternoon for
 with the description given whil outgoing trolley cars and trains nnt< <<,ft txyo A
 ardson is in general charge of theI
 Possessed with an excellent de
 ton of an unidentified man, Wh
 been reported as noticed running
 from the scene of several of Wa day nights incendiary fires just
 flames were discovered, all effo} the local authorities, aided by Robert T. Hurley of the state
 are today directed towards tracin and groping about for a motive. idea that mentally unbalanced 1 son is responsible receives little ance among tho authorities. ! there will be highly sensational opments as result of the inve| tion was today intimated by or, ! New Britain's city officials. Tn more back of this than appears surfa ce," he said this afternoon. Military guards were withdraw : morning at o'clock after Coml F and I of the Connecticut Ma Guard had done thirty-six hours tinual duty. The National Gu men will be returned to duty at should there be developments warrant it. But it is believed tha augmented police force will be al cope with the situation. The T precautions will be taken and gency procedure adopted for time to come. The motive of the of incendiarism is a mystery to tn thorites. There are numerous and many theories. As far as ci ascertained all have led to
 trail, as yet.
 The total loss in WednesdaysnI fires has not been determined buI believed that it will total nearly 900.
 In offical circles there is ten1 mosphere and feeling that there be important developments with very short time. Police official unusually reticent but intimate important information has come their possesson that is likely to le| arrests. ., ..,
 It has become known that thel scription of the man seen near scene of the fires tallies in the 1 It is intimated on good authority search is being made for a man ing a light colored overcoat, siy in build and wearing 8 hat of texture. As far as can be learneI one has been found who got a look at his face.
 The impression generally pri that New Britain will not be VI for some tme to come but that sinister hand of suspected consEj will be directed at other cities II state in an alleged campaign to s1 terror and destruction among pro owners and manufacturing intereI
 Searchlights on Factories.
 There was a significant quiet i the streets last night, the calm the storm. Despite signs of less normal activity, the authorities everywhere on the alert and nc. cautions were neglected to adeql protect public and private pro Every piece of fire apparatus in city was fitted for emergency SC A cordon of National Guard under alert officers patrolled the| skirts and guarded lumber yard factory property. Chief of Police liam J. Rawlings had more than regular policemen and supernl aries on duty in the center of thd They will again be on duty to1 instructed to inspect sites consf| likely to be visited, if the "firFI are still at large in the citg/ fl Withdrawal of militia guard isl pected to mean an even fu1 strengthening of night watchm( manufacturing plants. Last nigI'