The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-07-17
Mysterious Woman's Crusade
Against Catholic Churches With
Fire Told By Capt. Mitchell

Religious ToUauOs ouS s"'vs
Reporter ID Really Respon-
sibIs for Bringing About Her
Arrest for Starting Many
Biazes.
/ By CAPT. J. WALTER MITCHELL.
Determined efforts of ''mystsri-
Gus woman In black" to destroy by
fire several of the prominent Cath
Ollie churches In Washington. thre's
the community into frenzy of ex-
element about twenty-six years ago.
The attempts At incendiarism were
dAringiy made in the daylight hours
while the doors OF the churches wnrs
open 20 the faithful could enter and
say quiet prayers.
First the woman In black" using
kerosene, btarted q blaze In the
vestibule Of st. Patrick's church.
Tenth and G streets northwest. For
tunately for that business section,
the fire was quickly discovered and
sxtinguished In its incipiency. II
was not known at this time whether
the xu0Ou8 wa nhosa VI WOttA8Ais
The attempt was regarded as the
work of . religious fanatic.
FIREBUG APPEARS AGAIN.
While the uniformed policemen
and plain clothes men were fine.
combing the District 70 apprehsnd
the incendiary and within forty
eight hours OF the first attempt, q
fire alarm was flashed from No. (
police station upon the discovery Of
a threatening blaze In st. Dominic's
Church, Sixth and r streets south.
west. within half a block OF the DO
lice station. The incendiary had sat
uratsd with kerosene that portion
of the lower vestibule just beneath
the stairs leading to the main body
Of the edifice. Quick work by the
fire department alone saved the
building from destruction or serious
damage.
It was following this blaze the po.
lice got their first definite clue to
the perperator OF the outrages. A
mysterious woman In black" had
been seen to leave the church about
the time the fire was discovered.
The community was now thoroughly
alarmed over the two dastardly at.
tempts made 20 close together by
the determined firebugs. Every men,
Der OF the police department was
given an urgent lookout for 1.-The
woman In black Headquarters De-
tectives Carter and Gallaher were
especially assigned to solve the mys-
terry.
The other plain clothes men at
headquarters were directed to lend
every assistance in the hunt by the
two veteran sleuths and the uni
formed men. As usual in such
cases. there was soon in evidence at
police headquarters a long and
frightening list of suspects to be
looked over" Widows and other
women who wore clothing of sonber
hue were regarded with suspicion
and many were held up and queried
Calamity Man" on dob.
Suddenly. like a thunirboit out Of
clear sky, flash reports reached the
police OF two lesser attempts to burn
st. Alyosfus' Church and st. Mary's
German Catholic Church. Fifth near
n street northwest. Excitement ran
high and the District Commission
ers demanded that the most vigorous
efforts be made by the police to run
down the miscreant, who stu was
believed to be an insane or per-
nicious religious fanatic.
As calamity man" on the Wash
ington Times, meaning that i was In
charge Of the police and fire work. I
vas kept busy investigating the sus-
poets held by the police or under So
cret surveillance. The Times then
owned by Congressman c. @. Conn,
OF Indiana, published two editions.
morning and afternoon, In the tall
building on the southwest corner Of
Tenth street and Pennsylvania ave-
que northwest. Working with me on
calamity work as understudies we're
several cub reporters who have since
made good and gained distinction in
the newspaper profession. My prin-
cipal assistant at the time of the At
tempted church burnings was Joe
O'Brien. now prominent writer in
New York City. Others were Col. d.
l.. Rice. publisher OF the National
Tribune, and the late William Mat
tingly, who later became prominent
In law circles In this city. The police
work for the Washington Post was in
charge OF Albert johnson, now men,
Der of Congress from Washington
State-and thereby hangs q tale which
l will further on relate.
Finds First Clue.
While on my way to police head
quarters, March 81, 1895, I ran across
mysterious woman in black" In
spector Hollinberger, in charge OF
detective headquarters, then on Lou
isiana avenue, nearly opposite the
police court. blandly informed me that
thu police. without a tangible clue.
were working In the dark. I did not
mention the little information I had
procured concerning the firebug. but
determined to work IL up" myself
The old time reporter In Washington
often had to play the dual role of de-
tective and newsgathered.
Returning to The Times news
rooms 1 consulted with Emory Fos-
ter, managing editor and Whitman
Osgood. city editor. I informed them
1 had q small clue to the Identity
of the woman who had attempted to
burn the Catholic churches. and
believed I could land" the lady that
night. 1 placed Joe O'Brien in charge
of the downtown police work, and
hired "night-iine'' hack. It was
dark when I started on my quest
for the incendiary female. attired in
darkest black. My little tip led
me first away out in the northeast
section of the city, and then to the
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