The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-07-03
DEFLATION OF PRICES,
SLACK MORAL FIBRE
BLAMED FOR FIRES
(By Associated Press.l

INDIANAPOLIS, July 3.-Unstable
business conditions and consequent
deflation of prices incident to the af.
ter-war reconstruction, attended by a
weakening of the moral fibre, is held
responsible for the increase in incen-
diary fires in Indiana during the Pc
Rod April Is, 1921 to May 81. 1922,
by G. L. Pugh. deputy and chief in
vestigator of the state fire marshaps
office, IN report submitted to State
Fire Marshal Newman T. Miller.
A statistical review of the activities
of the arson decision of the fireman
shal's office, as reported by Mr.. Pugh,
follows:
Number of cases investigated, re-
ported to be of incendiary origin, S04;
confessions secured in examinations,
20; convictions, 81; acquittals and dis
missals, 10; pending in court, await
ing trial, So; cases to be presented to
grand jury, Il; insufficient evidence,
30; under investigation, 20; acciden-
tai, 81; explosion kerosene lamp, l.;
overheated stove, 5; auto backfiring,
2; gas explosion, /; spontaneous COM
bustion, s; lightning, Z; defective
wiring, s.; origin undetermined, 81.
Moral Fibre Weakens
due to the instability of business
conditions and the deflation of prices
consequent" Mr.. Pugh's report says,
"all incident to the reconstruction per
ied through which the entire country
has been passing, there seems to have
been a weakening of moral fibre and
a letting down of power of resistance
to temptation that has resulted in an
increase of fires reported to be of a
suspicious nature until every resource
of the arson division Of the state fire
marshars department has been taxed
to the utmost"
Indiana ranks third in the number
of arrests and convictions obtained
over the period as compared with
other states, according to the report
However" the report continues, 'it
must be taken into consideration thai
each of these states employed larger
force and expended more money thar
did Indiana. For instance, one of the
states referred to employed a force o.
fifty, including office and field men
and expended in excess of $115, 1000
while Indiana had only 16 employees
including arson investigators, inspect
ors and office force, with an expendi
ture of less than $1,000"
Insurance Involved.
The total amount of insurance rep
resented in cases the arson depart
ment investigated, during the period
mentioned, is in excess of $2,000,000
according to Mr.. Pugh, who declared
a large amount of this sum was saveC
as result of convictions. The lega
department, in charge of Chester A
Davis. attorney, it was pointed out
brought about convictions in 81 pei
cent of the cases prosecuted.
While the results of the investiga
lions as evidenced by the report sub
mitted herewith have been gratifying,
Mr. Pugh said. the unprecedente
number of cases of suspicious fire
reported have made it impossible t
complete the investigation in many IL
stances, with the force at my con
mand, until lull or a possible in
provement in conditions comes to on
assistance allowing sufficient time fo
a more detailed gathering of evidenc
and more minute scanning and TO
lowing up of tangible clues