New-York tribune., 1920-12-27
Arson Ring
Burns School
AT Pittsburgh 9
100000 Building Fired
After Oil Is Poured on
Floors; Policeman Shoots
at Fleeing Incendiary
City to Guard Property
Albert Smith, Held as Head Of
Terror Gang, Points Out
Scenes of Many Grimes
Special Dispatch to The Tribune

CpoC1dS DtSputCR TO Ihe Tribune
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 26 - Operations
Of the arson ring which already was
blamed for fire losses aggregatng
more than s4,50O,0OO in Fayette and
Westmoreland counties in the last
few days were brought to the very
doors of Pittsburgh early to-day with
the destruction of the 100000 John
ston School, in Williamsburg, a wealthy
borough adjoining this city. The in
cendiary was seen leaving the building
and several shots were fired at him.
The fact that this latest fire oc-
Cured close upon the arrest yester-
day of Albert Smith, of Fairhope
Fayette County, who is alleged to have
confessed to completely in about fifteen
fires in the Brownsville region of Fay
cite County, increased the perplexity
Of the police officials, With Pittsburgh
itself now close to the arson zone, the
school authorities to-day announced
that thorough precautions would be
taken to guard the school buildings
of this city.
Policeman Fires at Suspect
The Johnston School building was
set on fire after the floors had been
saturated with oil. The blaze was dis
covered shortly after 2 o'clock by a
Williamsburg policeman. AS the officer
started to turn in an alarm he saw a
He shouted at him to stop, but no at
tention was paid to his command, and
giving chase, he fired several shots at
the fugitive.
The policeman turned in an alarm
and hurried back to the schoolhouse
When two fire companies reached the
scene the entire second floor of the
building, modern two-story, fifteen
room structure, was in flames.
Firemen, realizing that the blaze was
beyond control of the borough COM
panies, telphoned to the Pittsburgh
Fire Department for aid. Two engine
companies and one truck company we're
dispatched, An hour after the fire
was discovered nothing remained
standing but the outside brick walls
Saw Light in School at Midnight
c. E. Williams, of Ecker Way, whose
home is close to the school house, said
that he and other members of his fam
in the school building several times
before last midnight They supposed
that the person moving about was 9
watchman or other person connected
with the school
The policeman who discovered the
fire passed the school a short time
before 2 o'clock this morning and saw
two men standing in front of the
building. He questioned them, anc
their answers satisfied him that they
were on no unlawful mission. He
passed on and, when about half blocl
away, CHANGING to glance back, he saw
the reflection Of flames in windows or
the second floor. Running back, hi
found the two men had disappeared
and it was then he saw the man dast
from the building.
Thomas G. Ryan, chief inspector Of
fire protection, who went to Browns
Vile and nearby villages to investigate
the fires attributed to Albert Smith
said he believed that Smith was impli
Gated in at least thirty-three fires
With other officials Chief RYAN TO-
day went over the scenes Of many re
cent fires, taking Smith. with him. Ac
cors1ng to Ryan Smith pointed out one
place after another that he had burned