Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-14
17-YEAR- OLD GIRL
HELD AS 'F|RE:-BUG'

Miss Margaret. Householder, the
17-year- old daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
C. II. Householder, Of 500 South
Pryor street, was taken to police
headquarters Saturday night on the
statement of city detectives that she
is responsible for ten fires which
have occurred in Atlanta in the past
few days.
Following up reports Of Fire Chief
w. B. Cody that his department had
been called repeatedly to 500 South
Pryor street and to the law offices
of Evins & Moore in the Atlanta
Trust Company building, Detectives
Cason and Cochran declare they
found after investigation that Miss
Householder, apparently unbalanced
mentally on the subject of fire, had
started six blazes in four days at
her home and four in the law Of
fees, Where she had been employed
in a clerical capacity.
According to police officials, the
young girl will be given a thorough
examination by an alienist Sunday.
After that, they propose to turn
her over to her parents with the
understanding that they place her
in a sanitarium for treatment.
The girls mother, who accom-
panied her to the police station, de-
clared she would spend the night
with her there. She declined to dis
cuss the case, and requested the
matrOn of the Women'S ward to see
that her daughter was not inter-
viewed.
Mania Alleged
According to the detectives Miss
Householder for some time has been
possessed of an uncomfortable mania
for setting fire to things. They say
she burned many of her personal eff
fects and bed clothing in the fires
she is said to have started at her
home, and that more of her own
clothing was destroyed in the fires
she is charged with starting in the
Evins e Moore offices.
Detectives declare the girl was I'M
able to discuss the case with them.
They said she VWore a vacant stare
and was evidently unconcerned, in
dicating, they assert, that she is men
tally confused on the subject.
Fire officials were puzzled to
know why so many alarms came
from the girls residence, and from
the office where she was employed.
Chief Cody called on the detective
department to investigate. AS re-
suit Miss Householder was taken into
custody late Saturday.
When arrested Miss Householder
had no matches on her person, de-
tectiVes said.
The four fires reported from the
law offices of Evins & Moore &C.
CURED during the last two months,
and one of them happened during
the last week, it was learned from
Chief Cody.
1t developed also that the fires
were discovered in a file room and
that no serious damage was caused
by the conflagrations. A coat be-
longing to Miss Householder was Sc
verely damaged in one Of the fires,
it was stated.
Samuel N. Evins, Of the law firm
of Evins & Moore, said Saturday
night Miss Householder was one of
the brightest girls he had ever
known and that she had given COM
plete satisfaction during her serv-
ice with the firm. She was en-
ployed until last week, he stated.
Apartment Fires
The first of the six fires at the
apartment house at 500 South Pry-
or street, owned and operated by
Mrs. c.. Russell Jordan, of the same
address, was discovered Thursday
night in the apartment of her par
ents, on the second floor. One of
the beds was ablaze. A few mo-
ments after this was extinguished,
it is stated, the curtains on MS.
HOUSEHOLDER sleeping porch were
found buring. Both fires were put
out by the tenants before the arrival
of the fire department.
Before the arrival of the fire de-
partment to answer the second
alarm, it is said, third fire was
discovered on the sleeping porch,
badly damaging that portion of the
| building, according to Mrs. Jordan,
| the owner.
The fourth fire occurred Friday
evening at o'clock, according to
Mrs. Jordan, when a mattress in the
bedroom occupied by Mrs. Jordan's
son on the second floor, was found
| burning.
Shortly afterwards, Mrs. Jordan
says she discovered a fire among
some soiled clothing in a closet in
her bedroom, almost simultaneously
with the discovery of a burning
broom in the basement. Both blazes
were quickly eXtinguished.
The residence of Mrs. Z. c.. Clyatt,
16 Hendrix avenue, adjoining the
apartment house, was discovered on