The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-08-04
HOW PORTO RICO
BROKE Up ARSON
RING OPERATIONS
InsuIar Police Chief Tells of
Exciting Fight With
Leader.
By Times SpecioI


PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 4.-"Less
than a decade ago Porto Rico was
cursed with an arson ring. Houses
were being burned by the score by
professional f1rebugs for the insur.
ance involved. Hundreds OF thou
sands OF dollars were going up in
smoke, and try as they would. the
secret operatives Of the insular po-
lice, arson experts, many Of them.
were unable to uncover so much as
a working clew."
The speaker was Col. George w
Lewis, Porto Rico's chief of insular
police, at present on leave of alb.
sence and resting at Hotel Penn
sylvania. AS head of the police de-
partment Of a tropical island, peo-
pied for the most part by tempera-
mental Latin-Americans, and lying
in one Of the sea-paths Of rovers and
fugitives.
Every conceivable artifice was
tried out to no avail in our effort
TO uncover the arson ring" continued
Colonel Lewis. "At last l ventured
upon desperate measures. I sent out
a great number Of secret agents, the
mission of these being to engage pro-
fessional house-burners to destroy
buildings on which 1t was desired to
collect insurance.
1.-THE detectives only guide was
their knowledge of the underworld
and criminal elements generally and,
as 1t may be supposed. our plan did
not at first bear fruit. After some
weeks had passed. one Of these Sc.
cret agents, Bonilla, rushed in in
high excitement saying that he had
at last found a clew.
Leader Discovered
He had wormed his way into the
confidence of a notorious crook and
gunrnan known as Black Eagle and
had found that 1t was he who was
the directing head OF the fire-ring.
Bonilla had succeeded in engaging
Black Eagle to burn down a house.
supposedly Bonilla's, and had chosen
an uninhabited structure surround.
ed by shrubbery enough to conceal
half a score of detectives.
ION the appointed night the detec-
tives hurried to the scene. On the
instant they abandoned their car
and started creeping toward the
house they caught sight of several
skulking figures in long black capes.
Then at one side Of the house there
was flash of flame. 1t was close
shave but the fire was quickly ex-
tinguished and the Black Eagle and
his confederates were captured.
BLACK Eagle and his gang were
sentenced to long terms but he
vowed that when he got out he
would settle accounts with every de-
Black Eagle Calls
years passed and the Black Eagle
incident passed out of my mind un.
til one day a voice came to me over
the telephone sayig, I was released
from the penitentiary today
"'Who is speaking?' I asked.
They call me the Black Eagle,
grated the voice, and this is to prove
that the Black Eagle never forgets.
At some moment during the next
! forty eight hours will strike
"Thirty-six hours passed and then
came a telephone message to head
quarters from Rio Piedras: THE
Black Eagle has just been killed
here in knife fight with another
bad negro was the report.
"'Are you quite sure Of this?'
demanded.
Why yes. sir. positively said
the puzzled policeman. and doubtless
he speculated more than once as to
what curious whim could have
prompted his chief to ask such an
extraordinary question"