Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-30
MCENDIARIES DELIBERATELY
ATTEMPT TO BURN HOME OF
PAPALELO ON LANCASTER AVE.
Furniture, Walls and Carpet Covered With Combination
Of Cement and Gasoline When Firemen Arrived, in
Response TO an Alarm, at an Early Hour This Morning.

svhst IL termed by the firemen
une Of tho uost deliberate and
nssrant cases OF inccndiarism
ever brought TO their attention
was discovered early this morn
lns. when thu department was
called upon 20 combat a blaze In
nc HON. os Joseph rapalcio. az
1871 Lancaster avenue. The
furniture. walls, and carpets In
every room In tho house. both on
The frat and second floors, had
been smcarcd with thick combs-
nation of automobile tire cement
and gasoline aud then ignitcd.
Two nVc-sailon cans % gasoline
had bcen used and the empty cans
were found an tho kitchen. Two
one gallon cans OF tho cement vcrs
also found and the mixture had
been made In an empty e5-pouni
lard can. which was also found ON
tho premises. With some Of tho
inflaminahle m~-erial stin ciingiu~
io the bottom OF a..
Fire Marshal y. Morton Aiusoow
uade a thorough investigation OF
the house this morning and no
said later thpre ~ no doubt I'm his
mind that a deliberate attempt
was made 10 destroy the building
and contents. Tie later conferred
with the insurance company hold
ms tho policy on the house and
furniture and as a result no pay
nlcnt will be made on the policy
untn a further investigation has
heen made
Fire Marshal Ainscow also had a
oufcrcnco. with Detective Captain
scnson this morning and asked that
lo have his men aid him In making
ho Investigation. which the nro mar
hal thinks conditions revealed war
ant, Detective Riley was at the
'outo this morning IN company with
'afulc'o, the tenant. but no ar
tsts have been made 30 Tar
The house a. owned by Frank Pol
mo. who has a barber shop al sie
ihiplry sircet and who makes hts
cme al ZOE ratna,l street. papslcio,
'ho ga barber by trade. works for
lss landlord How much insurance
> on The house could not be learned.
lut rapaielo carried Ss.Soo on the
Yrnilurc be had tn the slX-room
Ansc. o.
q few mouths ago Po,clnos barber
hop. "a Shlploy street. was damaged
N lro ono evening after closing hours.
When the nromon broke into that
acc faty found a thick. sticky SUBJ
lance on tho roof, which some OF
10 ore officials stated this morning
oscnplcd tho fluld they found ehis
lornlus amcarcd all over papaiclo's
ou.e.
Tho rapaielo family have been IN
Philadelphia visiting Mrs. Papaleio's
mother since last Saturday but Papa
30 has be- b. in this city and slept In
~ home last Wednesday night, he
,li The detectives and Gre marshal.
Z. dld not go there last night hut
tent % Philadelphia about o'clock.
10 says. lic came 70 Wilmington this
aornlnF ana was much surprised 20
nd tpat hls homo had been ruined
uflna the night.
Discovered hy Nclehhor.
The firc waa discovered shortly be-
ore ! O'Clock by Mrs. Mary Cantcra
no lives in the adjoining house. az
sca Lancaster avenue. She was sleep
IS in the second story front room
rhrr sh. was aroused by smoke and
ittins up IN l,od saw tongues OF fire
nooilns psst tho window. She looked
uf 20 md thom coming II pm the
'apalolo house and then she aroused
he occupants Of her own home and
tr crlvs for h,ip aroused several po-
lie in the immediate vicinity.
bominick fontano. who lives al the
'antcrN house. ran 20 the house OF
'nxine Company No. 6 and gave the
larn and Companies Nos. 8 and S
~~pondcd. together with Truck Com
any Nc. .. riro Chief Lutz was
uickly on the scene and when he ar
wed he found the whole interior OF
he house "a sccthins furnace. Dcnse
lou1s uf smoke were pouring from
he windows and az first q was
hought tho. entire building would De
eet roycd
when Chief Lutz opened tho front
oor aud started into the house he
az nearly overcome by the smoke.
'urning along the hallway he and
is men stepped IN pools OF the thick.
umms tire cement and gasoline on
hc carpet and slSidded across the
Dor as n they were walking on ice.
ools Of the fluid were found in al
iost every room.
The combination had been made
,o thick, Tor the ere. once ignitod.
Continued on page 6.
a'a.....sas..asa.sss.