Republican farmer., 1920-01-09
IS FIRE WAS
 SET Searching Inquiry Now Going on to Locate
 Guilty Parties. FIREMEN SAW
 SUSPICIOUS ACT

New Haven, Jan. 2+Thoroughly convinced that the fire at Sabatini's cafe, headquarters for the Leonard Dundee prize fight and of men in the poison whiskey ring, early yesterday morning was incendiary, Fire Mar shal William B. Perkins, Captain Henry G. Donnelly, of the detective bureau, and City Attorney Sheridan T. Whitaker made a thorough probe all day yesterday and were forced to admit that they discovered no evil dence which would tend to place the guilt on any one in particular.
 The most startling revelation ot the probe was the set opinion of the officials, that the fire in the cafe start. ed in two places, at the cashiers desk and the bar: Within four minutes after the last person left the cafe the fire was discovered and within 9 minute after it's discovery the flames had gained great headway. This leads the fire officials to assume that com bustibles were used.
 Several explosions were reported. A careful search was made yesterday in an effort to find any clue to the origin of the explosions, but it prov ed fruitless. The last to leave the place was Frank Gargiulo, brother of the manager, and four others, in- cluding his broth her-in-law, George Grandinette. of 227 Lafayette street their wives and William R. Roman, 9S Howe street, head waiter.
 Roman held the door open for the two couples to come out. Immediately after, the side door was locked. Gar giulo and his wife walked down Court streat Tn Orappa and MT and Mrs Grandinette made their way home walking down Church street. Gar giulo claims that he did not hear the alarm nor see any engines coming MT. and Mrs. Grandinette informed the probers that they also failed to see a fire engine going down Church street, which was returning from the fire in Chapel street. They did hear the alarm, when they reached Church and George street.
 A few minutes prior to the call fo, the fire department to Sabatini's, No 1 truck was returning to it's house and in passing the cafe they saw two men near the front entrance of the cafe, one of them appeared to be fumbling with the front door knot and they were under the impression that the place was being closed.
 The action of the two men appeared to be suspicious. One of the firemer ramarked about it to his companions They observed that at that time there was no light in the cafe. Within a minute after they passed the place the flames were discovered and when they responded to the alarm, matter o1 another two minutes, they found the barroom and grill mass of flames. Marshal Perkins seemed to be of the opinion that some sort of fluid was used He was inclined to believe that a strong odor of alcohol prevailed when he first entered the cafe.
 Fire officials are trying to connect the suspicious blaze at S17 Chape street, which was discovered severa, minutes before the Sabatina blaze with the Sa!batina blaze. There is nc doubt in the mind of the officials thai the fire in the Wolcott building was also incendiary. At first it was re- garded as an attempt to draw off the fire department so as to give Soba- | tina's a chance to get a good start be- I for the apparatus would arrive.
 The Wolcott building blaze was dis covered promptly. This undoubtedl5 saved the building from serious dam age The damage at the Wofcott building was very small. while Sab atinfs including the building, is esti'
 mated at about 5,00G-