Evening star., 1920-12-27
SUSPECT FlREbUGS
IN N$19o|0.BLlE
Uniontown, Pa, Store Razed.
Youth Points Out Scenes of
13 Mysterious Cases.

CN1ONTOwN. Pa, December 27.-
Visions that the Fayette county arson
ring had invaded Uniontown came TO
residents and tho authorities early
today. when fire broke out in Ausi-
ness building here and destroyed it,.
with loss Of approximately $l5o.ooo.
" iitiam Particles. owner of q store
| IN the building, was arrested by a
deputy fire marshal soon after the
nre started, but was released for a
hearing later in the day.
nervous and excited because OF the
many inoendiary fires that have de-
the county during the past few
months. the people poured into the
streets at the drst alarm and helped
the dremen to fight tho flames The
nre, which seeemed to have had its
origin In the boiler room quickly
spread through the building: and en-
dangered adjoining property.
State polioo and deputy irS mar.
snais were at the scene, anA knpt
careful watch on tho crowds % che
hope OF finding evidence that rid
lead to the arrest of the psrsoc or
persons responsible It was - coue1b
time the building was on flre. mt the
authorities said there had hn no
suspicion OF incendiarism un0 uov
Later the belief was expressea that
crossed wires had caused the hre
out deputy marsha1S continued their
Investigation in an endeavor to locate
the real CAUSE
Points Out Myxferisus Frsreu.
Albert Smith. aged nineteen years.
OF Fafhope, son Of q real estate
operator. under arrest here In CON
nection with many mysterious fires
during the past several months. in
property was destroyed, yesterday
accompanied state troopers in an au-
tomobtle to the scenes of thirteen Of
1 the nres. F1yette county authorities
say he admitted having knowledge >
Tomorrow, say the authorities. an
examination into Smiths mental con
dition VIII b begun. Before he was
locked up In the Fayette county Jail,
and immed edfately after his trip to the
various places where school buildings
| and dwellings had been burned, he
was hurried to Greensburg. where
his hngerprints and Bertillon meas
urements were taken and recorded
smith was arrested Friday, after
custody. but released. after Burgess
! Harry Steinman of Fayette City had
organized posse in response to ap-
peals for aid, following the discovery
Of seven fires almost simuitaneously
These seven buildings were three resi-
\
church and barn. They were located
in Brownsville, Albany Hill and Braz-
nell.
At Albany Hill. according to Stein
man Smith was first approached by
members of the posse and placed tenn
porarily under arrest, but was later
set at liberty. Later in the day, how
lever, he was recaptured and taken 70
this city, where he was examined by
the county prosecutor.
4
first examination of Smith after hi.
arrest, and removed the prisoners
overshoes, which they took to the
scenes of several of the nearby fires
for the purpose of fitting them in
some Of the footprints in the frozen
reported that not only did the shoes
fit the footprints, but that a small
piece Of rubber torn from the sole
had left its mark. Among the Others
ferryman and trolley car conductor
who, the authorities said, identified
Smith as one of their passengers from
the scenes OF some Of the recent fires
That the arrest of Smith will onl,
partly clear up the mystery Of the
pressed belief of the authorities here
today. who reported yesterday thaa
| the home Of Andrew Brown. presideni
/ Of the Fayette City National Bank
WAS approached and fired on by TIVE
/ unidentified men They were driver
away by private guards. In the mean
| time Benjamin Bevier of Smithfield
who was taken into custody eevera,
days ago, is being held for investiga-
!! tion.,
PIrTsBURGH, Pa, December 81
The wave of incendiarism, which foi
! the past several months has beer
lsweeping over portions of Fayette
Westmoreland and Washington coun,t
ties, made its appearance in Alle
gheny county yesterday, when the
Johnston School building at wilkins
burg, a suburb of Pittsburgh. was
burned to the ground with a loss oi
\ $150,O00 The fire was discovered by
| member of the Williamsburg police
force, who. according to his report
| fired several shots at man runnine
from the building. The structure
| burned rapidly and firemen wns
worked on the upper floors stated
later that much Of the woodwork Dor,
L