Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-18
Fdyette Arson Gang
Proves to Be Myth

Csstinued From PAGE One
there from September 2S to November
10. when he was tried and through
some slip-up in justice. was set free.
Between November 10. the date OF hls
relense from Grcensburg Jail. and his
second arrest early in this month, there
was another epidemic Of incendiarism.
Several schoolhousrs were hred. IA
largest was n four. roomed structure at
Marion. another at Star Junction and
two large harms which involved loss
Of nearly SIOO. 900, for crops and valu-
able horses were burned.
Police Patrol Roads
There had been no fires that were
regarded as incendiary while kuma
was in Jail at Gr"cnsburg. This fact
started the state police On his trail.
Corporal Rriscl and four men were as:
signed To- the investigation. The school
Authorities placed automobiles at their
disposal as they were thoroughly
alarmed Mt the frequency OF the de.
struction of school buildings. though
most of those were small and anti
uuated affairs.
Corporal Reiscl threw Gordon
around the district: night after night,
three machines patr"llHd the roads:
every automobile met was held M ana
the occupants examined.
Then he began process ot plimina
tion AZ 10 theories. No suggestion from
q citizen was neglected EvNry rumor
was run down. Every susni"t"us IN
div'dun, WAS rounded IN and Griled.,
The first theory WAS that som" ot ~"
foreigners. ~ whom thCr" r" thousands
In the region because ~ tho romnulS""'
school law which took their children
away from work wore responsible. lhl~
was abandoned when barns nnd dance
hall as well as school buildings. trI
A prev 10 the flames. Then the theory
that religious issues might hav" inspired
the deeds. was examined, but there was
no shadow Of evidence I" sustain surh
conclusion.
Many False Yarns
Finally. the general local impression
that n gang nf tirchugs operating hy
automobile was taken up. When the
large barn, owned by man named
LINN was DESTROYED II WAS positively
asserted Tint an automobile" with hve
men had hated on the main road ana
turned its srarchlights on II" building.
The most casual Investigation show"i
that the barn was so located mar Surh
, thing was impossible. Then there WA
tho story that a state road along which
a state police auto was rushing 10 n
Are. had been hArricadrd by IN" ban
dts. The barri"ndo, 50 called, vas n
sign post at sharp tnrn in III" road
"a Fayettr city that had been bio" II
down after the polio" auto had passed,
saw It yesterday still !! ing whore II
had fallen By III" roadside.
So il went on until every rumor. or
gossip mongrrs tale, had been sftrd,
Then came Frank KumG = arrest AMI
confession.
Corporal R"'s"l took up the trail per
sonally. lie got job in III" harborshop
over which the suspect had his rooms.
He watched his movements day aud
night. The Culprit rarel! veuturrd out
br day. bur the drtrctiyr discovered that
he frequently took long solitary walks
by night,
about ~ o'rlurk The fires almost in -
yariably occurred between and !
o'clock in tho morning. and ht dis
tnncc Of from four TO twelve miles from
Kuma's home.
Took Short Cuts
The Deduction vas that, by takinG
short cuts across country. Kuma 8
whereabouts wer" in I'll" vicinity II the
various fires. about that hour. This
after his arrest, proved 10 b" III" cor
rect theory,
In the meantime th"r" were one o'
two fires at points distant nifty mile,
from Webster. the pyrorRaninc HON"
II was manfestly impoSSihl" for him t.
have started them They w"r" in old
frame sChO0lhouses Murr" nntiQuatcd
tubular stoves w"r" used,
These stoves. banked at night bc"amc
oyerheatcd and set tire. IL was bc
Heyed, to the floors beneath, but other
and more sensational Tum0rs were sent
broadcast.
A girl teacher at Cnspar, in RullskIn
township. Fayrtt" county, over fifty
ruIles from Webster, was alleged to have
been held up Oh her way home one
evening and the key Of the schoolhouse