Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-04-25
MOULTRIE ARSON
RING UNCOVERED
Three Men Arrested And More
Wanted-Toy Balloons Used
To Start Fires

MOULTRIG, April 25.--The in
v,s,igatior Of number Of mysteri-
Gus fires which have oc ,Irrel N and
around Mo lltric in recent weeks, will
~ resumed the latter p%'t OF the
week, ac.0ruirg to word received by
officers ! -.
Information gathered b. State Fire
Marshal Albert Sharpe, a special rep
resentative of an underwriters asso-
citation and Sheriff Beard resulted
in the arrest of three men late last
week on a charge of arson. The Of
ficers claim that Wade Collier and
Alb Moree, two of the accused men,
confessed. AS result Of stories they
told ]. n. Garrett, a well to do GieeA
restaurant owner, was arrested also.
According to the Investigators Collier
admitted that he and Moree burned a
house owned by Garrett, receiving
$25 for the job. They said Garrett
wanted to collect the insurance he
carried on it.
With their work unfinished Sharpe
and the special Investigator were
called Saturday to another Georgia
city. Mr.. Sharpe told Moultrie
newspaper man that probably five
more arrests would be made here.
Moree told the officers, they say,
that Collier confessed to him that he
had helped to burn five residences
and one store. The latter, however,
disclaims any connection with fire
save the one which he insists that
Garrett employed him and Moree to
start. Moree prior to his latest ar
rest already was under indictment for
arsu.l, it being alleged that he burn
ed barn near Doerun, after break
ing into and stealing u wagon load
of corn. He was tried few days
ago for that offense and was SEN
fenced to one year in the penten-
tiary.
Local officers do not place very
much credence in that part of Mo
ree's story concerning the confession
that he claims Collier made to him
concerning the burning of a Moultrie
store,
Moree has been inclined to talk
rather freely since his alleged con-
fession to the officers. He is even
said TO have told them how the fires
were set. According to this alleged
confession, toy balloon was filled
with gasoline and suspended from the
ceiling. A lamp was set beneath and
after certain length of time it
would result in light explosion
which uold produce fire, the cell
ing having previously been saturated
with a mixture of gasoline and kero-
sene oil. Moree said also that the
time the fire would break out could
be pretty well regulated by the dis
lance the lamp was fixed beneath
the gasoline holding balloon. If a
quick job was wanted the lamp would
be set just a short distance and if
the plans called for the fire to get
under way after the lapse of several
hours, the lamp was of course placed
near the floor.
An explosion preceded one fire
which destroyed residence near the
business district here last fall. Al
most Immediately after the blast,
which could be heard several blocks,
the entire wooden structure seemed
to catch on fire.
Andrew Sturgeois, Greek, who
owned this residence, is also involv-
ed by Moree's confession. He de-
clares that Collier told him that he
was responsible for the blaze and
that the explosion was premature,
adding that Il came very near being
caught"
Moree also told him that Collier
said that the reason Sturgeois sold
his business here and moved back to
Greece was that he called on him so
frequently for money with threats
of exposure unless it was forthcom-
ing. There is corroborative evidence
to this part Of Moree's story. Sher-
lff Beard recalling that Collier,
when arrested few months ago for
giving worthless checks and being
told by the court that he could secure
his release by paying up the money
that he unlawfGlly collected, went by
Sturgeois' store ana got $50, the sum
needed. 1t was just few days later
that Sturgeois sold out and sailed for
Greece. Sheriff Beard also says that
on their way to the Greeks store that
Collier told him that IF he doesn't let
me have the money, he will have
to go to Jail with me and it won't be
for misdemeanor, either"