New-York tribune., 1921-01-20
p Worcester
Fires Charged
To Arson Ring
Watchman Held on Suspi-
cion of Insanity After
Over Score oflBlazes Have
Caused $1,8OO,OOO Loss
Public Buildings Guarded
No Lives Lost, but Many
Firms Are Wiped Out;
City Militia Modified

WORCESTER, Mass, Jan. 19.-Wil-
liam N. Taylor, night watchman of the
Marrifeld Building, destroyed by fire
early this morning, was arrested to-
night and was sent to the Worcester
State Hospital for observation as to
his sanity.
The arrest followed an epidemic OF
incendiary fires in Worcester, which
began shortly before o'clock this
morning and continued throughout the
day and night, causing damage esti-
mated at $1,S0o,OOO.
Evidence of incendiarism was dis
covered in score of the buildings
destroyed or damaged. The latest fire,
in the Oscar Will & Co. women's cloth
ing store, in the lower floor of the State
Mutual Building on Main Street, was
set in three places, according to Chief
Avery of the Fire Department.
At midnight, when the police relief
went on duty, orders were read from
Chief Hill chat frebugs were at
work" and patrolmen were ordered to
arrest all suspicious characters.
Every semi-public and public build
ing in the downtown section is under
police guard.
The flames started in the Knowles
Building, at Main and Chatham streets,
and shortly afterward a building on
North Foster Street, more than three
quarters of mile distant, was dis
covered ablaze. Several other fires
blazed VI in nearby sections, but none
If these caused much damage. A suit
case and barrel of refuse were found
On fire in the rear OF a burning build
ing, but their presence was explained
.ater by the police, who said they had
been left there overnight by work
men.
Tonight three more fires gave addi-
tional work to the tired fremen. One
II them destroyed the R. P. Robb
Power Company's foundry, causing a
lcss of S50000. Another burned the
storehouse of metal company The
-nird was that in the State Mutual
Building.
The militia was modified at the ar
mories to be used in an emergency.
There were no fatalities or serious
injuries, but several fremen received
slight injuries from falling glass and
topping walls.
Assistance was sent from Boston
and nearby towns to check the flames.
but the extreme cold made the fire.
mems work difficult.
The heaviest losses were sustained
by business firms in the Knowles
Building and in the William H. Sawyer
Building, across Main Street from It.
Both Of these buildings were DESTROYED.
The M. K. Smith Corporation also
suffered heavy loss in the destruction
OF its woodworking plant.
Altogether six retail stores and six
manufacturing plants were destroyed,
with numerous smaller buildings.
The Bancroft and New Park hotels
were constantly peppered with burning
embers, and their guests were prepared
all through the morning to depart, but
neither hotel was seriously damaged.
The exposed wooden roofs of the ten
ement district near Franklin Street de-
velopcd blaze after blaze, while the
people they had sheltered fed to the
streets in their night clothing.
At one t me more than q score of
buildings were burning in the district
bounded by Millbury, Ward, Lau.artine
Assonet, Gold and Harding streets.
Fire apparatus from Boston and ad.
Joining towns began arriving lust AFTER
the situation appeared to be at it's