The New York herald., 1921-10-24
MYSTERIOUS FIRES
EPIDEMIC IN DARIEN
Summer Homes Of New
York Families Among
Places Burned.
LOSSES REACH 100000
Lull After Half Witted Eel
low Is Sent to Asylum
Seems Ended.
EANY ARRESTS: NO CLUES
New Flame Fighting Appara-
tus and Town Constable
Are Kept Busy.

Natives of Darien, Conn. and New
Workers who have built their homes
among the elms and NAPLES overlook
ing Long Island Sound are wondering
il the firebug is back.
Through the spring and early sum
nner he amused himself by touching
on houses. stables and garages. Then
one night Constable Charley Smith
caught q simple minded fellow wan
dering about with fiashlight. He
said that he was being pestered by
voices in the air and that he wished
70 be hanged. He was sent away to
an asylum.
There was no evidence that he was
the pyromaniac, but after his disap-
pearance from Darien the fires ceased
Presently residents who had been sit
ting up all night, watching. with pis-
tolls ready. were able to go to bed and
sleep. Recently, however, two beau
tiful homes have been destroyed. ,
No proof that an incendiary is busy
has been found. In fact, no proof
of anything has been found, but in
view of the towns experience Of a
few months ago much of the old
worry is felt again. Extra night
watchmen are being employed by
estates along the Sound. Constable
Charley Smith is flivvering around all
night. and as he works in the post
ONCE daytimes apparently he sleeps
not at all.
Holds His Theory Secret.
He has q theory which he is not
ready to divulge. The Local fire chiefs
suspect that the recent fircs sprang from
ordinary causes, but some of the resi-
dents are beginning to think that the
arsonist o" last spring nAver was caught,
but mcrl. loon- n summer vacation.
The blgya,l loss % all was caused by
the desti uc,ion early last Thursday
morning of the home of James A. Trow-
bridge retired New York banker, on
Collenders Point. 1t is believed that the
house could not be duplicated for $780,
000 Mrs. Trowb bridge lost all her jewels.
Nothing was saved. The family and
servants barely escaped with their lives.
In all there have been upward of
twenty-five fires In Daiien. a township
OF 1000 population, since April !.
Nearly all of them have started between
j and A. M. The series began, oddly
enough. just after the three volunteer
fire companies, stationed In Darien
proper, Noroton and Noroton Heights,
were supplied with bright new motor
nre apparatus. including a pumping en-
gine. One theory is that some haifwit
began setting fires for the sake of seeing
the new machinery In action. This has
been known to happen in other places.
and in Darien itself, when the first hand
chemical engine was introduced years
ago. there was an epidemic" OF fires
Immediately.
The town appropriated s12.50o for the
new apparatus, and the volunteer fire.
men themselves. by means of a carnival,
amateur shows and personal subscrip-
tion, raised the rest OF the money. The
new engine, hose and ladder trucks
reached Darien early in April
In the week beginning April II there
were four fires. The first of the series
destroyed the Darien Garage. owned
by Lamar Butler and cars stored there
belonging to DIR. II. b. Wilcox. w. ].
washburn. J. J. Mum. NJ J. Geer. c.
L. Hoffman. Carleton White. Elmore
Leffingwell s. Il. Delaney. Miss Theresa
Hoyt and r. r. Thomas. most of these
being New Yorkers who have summer
homes in Darien. The loss on the ga
rage was estimated at $4,000 and the
insurance was $1,000.
Next the barns of Charles Able.
motion picture producer. and of James
Rumble and the Taylor stable were fired.
Seven constables were taking turns in
watching for the firebug by this time.
but the township OF Darien covers much
territory. As one OF the flares appeared
against the sky a man was said to
have been seen running away, and on
another occasion a townsman thought
he saw a man and a woman running,
but Investigation of these stories pro-
duced no results.
Suspects Are All Released.
The usual number OF suspects" were
picked up and released upon proving
their innocence. On April 30 the Sc
lectmen of Darien--John II. Selleck.
Hiram y. Taylor and Edgar T. Bates
offered a reward OF $500 "for informa-
tion leading to the arrest and conviction
Of the person or persons responsible for
recent fires within this town" AS this
has never been withdrawn It probably
still stands and the nighthawking con-
stable, Charley Smith. hopes to get the
money sooner or later.
The summer residence at Tokeneke
OF Miss Isabel Hastings OF 535 Park ave-
nue.. New York. burned on May 3 with
It's contents including valuable Japa-
nese furnishings. IL had not been
opened for the summer. The vcracious
Darien ReufeiU, Editor Hatchs weekly
newspaper, said And coincident 10
help out the villain in his nefarious
work was the fact that tho lights were
all out during the first part of the night
and came on soon after the alarm had
been sounded. Whose turn next7 seems
to be the question. as every one is on
edge every night with fear"
On May Is the summer home of f.
Dutilh Smith Of $50 West Flfty-nInth
street. New York, was partly wrecked
by fire, with an estmstsd loss OF be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000, This house
was In Tokeneke Drive. almost opposite
Miss Hastlngs's, and not far from the
summer homes OF Herbert Witherspoon
ana Arthur Somers Roche.
The former home OF Charles Adams
on Noroton Heights burned on June g.
A can OF gasolonc. partly empty. was
found near the place by Tracy ". Col
Inns, chief Of the Noroton Heights fire
company, and there were also fresh ati-
tcmobile tracks. Tho next spectacular
bonfire was that which destroyed an
unoccupied house owned by John Alt
man. Jr.. in Kings Highway. Flames
were. shooting from every window when