Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-12-19
barn BURNERS
ESCAPE BULLETS
Three Police Departments
in Hunt for White Men
and Negro
CHESTER
SCHOOL SUFFERS

PHILADELPHIA. Dec. 19.-Fire
bugs. detected as they fed after ig
hitting a barn on the grounds of the
Gulph Mills Golf Club, early Last
night, escaped in an automobile az.
ter two pistol encounters with pur-
suers.
The barn-burDers. two white mon
and a negro, are being sought by a
motorcycle sauad from the Lower
Merton station and by police of
Bridgeport and Norristown, toward
which places they were headed
when last seen.
Another iDcend1ary fire, making
thirty-three since the "barn-burn-
ers" began their career Of destruc-
ton in the adjacent counties, last
night destroyed a large barn on the
grounds Of the State Normal School,
at West Chester. In this case also
the firebugs. escaped after causing
damage estimated at $4,000.
The fire on the Gulph Mills Golf
Club grounds not only destroyed the
building, a two-story frame struc-
ture. but machinery valued at sew
eral thousand dollars and a quantity
OF grass seed for the golf greens.
stored in the upper floor, with hay
and feed.
A horse and COW were rescued by
George Peters, golf professional,
who discovered the fire and exchans-
ed shots with the incendlaries.
Peters. who lives near the barn,
returned home from Bridgeport
about eight o'clock. He saw three
men near the barn. but found no
trace OF them after searching the
building. Returning home, his wife
Informed him she had seen three
men pass the house in an automo-
bile displaying no lights. Taking
shotgun he purchased yesterday on
account of the numerous barn burn
ings in the vicinity, Peters started |
back TO the barn.
As he approached he saw two
white men and a Negro descending
an outside stairway from the second
floor of the building. He called upon
the men to halt. They ran across the
green. Peters emptying both barrels
OF his gun at them. The men replied
with seveal revolver shots as they
disappeared around the barn.
nv this time Peters smelled
smoke, and entering, found the barn
ablaze. He released the horse and
COW and started upstairs to try to
save some OF the grass seed which
was IN bags. II
Dense smoke from the upper part
OF the building drove him out. lie
then ran home. where he telephoned
TO the Lower Merton police station
and TO Bridgeport and Consho-
hocken.
Firemen were sent TO Gulph Mills
while a motorcycle detail and other
notice started in search OF the in
cendiaries.
John Taylor. caddie master, and
Albert Maths, a steward, drove to-
ward the barn from the clubhouse
which Is some distance away. On
their way they encountered two men
running along a road known as
Crooked Lane, which leads to
swedeland and Norristown.
Matthias, who had a revolver, fred
twice at the fugitives. but did not
halt them. A few minutes later Z
Joseph Desmond a farmer living on
Crooked Lane saw a car containing
.hree men speed past his farm. He
ried to hail the men, but they con-
inued towards Norrlstown. They are
believed to be the incendiaries.
According to Peters, the fire APP
,arently started in the interval be-
ween his two trips TO the barn.
Police and neighbors believe the
,arn burners are the same gang >,
which caused the destruction of
80 600 barn on the estate OF DR.. j. 2
Blair Spencer. Assistant Director OF :
Public welfare near Malvern. about .
wo weeks ago.