New Britain herald., 1922-03-16
!NCENDIARISM IS
 BLAMED FOR FIRE
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urated with gasoline. The odor of the stuff was stronger than anything else ana 1t seemed to be on everything.
 In the meantime the attic had be- come blazing furnace and simultan- eously with Inc directing of tho hose on the ground floor, the water was pouring in through the windows and on the roof. Here again the tircmcn found the same difficulty as their brother smoke-eaters were experience ing on the ground floor The water seemed to be inflamablc itself, and as it leaked down on to the next floor, each little pool that formed was ablaze with gasoline that formed on top of the water.
 A quantity of gasoline soaked rags were also found up here, and Chief Barnes collected them into two piles and brought them to the fire station. The fire was finally extinguished, but even this morning, the odor of gaso- line is much stronger than the smell of burned wood or clothing
 Police Are Notified
 Chief Barnes immediately notified
 
 case was one for them to handle. Ac- cording to him, there is no doubt but that the fire was set by someone The gasoline was unmstakably there and it was spread everywhere.
 The fire spread to all parts of the house a few seconds after it was dis covered and persons standing outside the building could even get the odor of gasoline.
 The fact that the fires were burn ing on the ground floor and in the attic without any connection between them is circumstance that has much suspicion attached to it.
 The house is owned by Mrs. Rose Grubaczyk who lives at 210 Curtis street, and the lower tenement is oc- cupied by Ignacy Nankues. The up per tenement is unoccupied
 Fire On Jan. 2S, Too
 There was another fire in the same place on January 2S and at that time, no one lived in either of the tene, ments. At that time, also, according to the chiefs, there was some suspi- cion of incendiarism. but no evidence such as was secured at the fire this morning.
 Nankues told the police that he works nights at North and Judd's fac tory and he left his home at 8 o'clock yesterday afternoon and did not re- turn until [ o'clock this morning. Yesterday. however, he sent his wife and child away on a vacation. The reason he did this is not known. He has s400 insurance on the furniture in his tenement
 Four Strange Men.
 Sergeant Ellinger and Policeman Lee in their investigations last even- ing, learned from some of the neigh bors that four men had been seen coming from the house just before the explosion happened, but none Of them was known.
 Policemen McCue, Feeney and O Mara, members of the Nice-s squad, in making investigations today, learned that five gallons of gasoline had been delivered to the place by a Berlin firm yesterday afternoon. This clue, they expect, will result in the arrest of the persons who ordered the gasoline if they can be discovered.
 Further investigation revealed that there is 5000 insurance on the place. Mrs. Grubacyzll claims to know noth- ing about the matter and when she was questioned, nearly went into hys- terics.
 Arrests Likely.
 The police expect to make an ar rest any moment. They have any number of clues and they are sure hat it is an arson case. This con- ,titutes a states prison offense, but conviction is difficult, because it is hard to pin the crime on any one per ,on. Every clue is being followed, however, and with the information, llready in their possession, they feel confident that they will land the gull y ones behind the bars.
 The roof of the house was almost | .otally destroyed and the lower floor | vas all charred. The furniture was 8 | .otal loss. The damage was estimated 1t about s2,000.