Evening star., 1926-02-01
YOUTH HELD IN FIRE
THAT |MPER|LED Is
Admits Starting One Blaze
and Sounding Scores of
AlarmS-Engine Kills Man.

Harold Stewart Marsh. IS Years
old, self-confessed firebug, who early
yesterday morning set fire to the Vic
tor1a apartments. Fourteenth and
Clifton streets. imperiling about 20
persons. including his father. mother,
three brothers and two sisters. who
We're asleep. was being held at the
eighth precinct station today while
Investigations We're being conducted
TO determine the loss caused by this
fire and IL number Of others he is
said to have started.
Police had placed no charge against
the youth late this afternoon, but he
will be charged with arson before he
Is brought to court tomorrow morn
ing. Capt. Robert e. Doyle of the
eighth precinct said. Police officials
said today that they would recon-
mend d mental examination for
Marsh.
While beginning to realize tire serie
BUSINESS of the trial facing him
Marsh talked freely to detectives and
newspa permen, admitting he had
started at least one fire deliberately.
but insisting that the Victoria blaze
was an accident.
The blaze at the Victoria was the
indirect cause of the death Of Samuel
w. Yearwood, Al. colored, a New
Yorker, who was killed instantly when
a taXicab in which he was riding
crashed with q fire engine bound for
the fire on an emergency alarm and
the cause of a dangerous injury to
Fireman James Reed, 609 Rock Creek
Church road, whose left leg was
crushed as he fell from Truck No. IA
as it arrived at the blazing apartment.
His condition was reported serious at
Emergency Hospital at noon today.
Quick Work Saves Residents.
Deputy Fire Chief Andrew Sullivan
who hastened to the scene on the sec
ond alarm, said II a small blaze, which
was discovered on the first floor of the
apartment house shortly after fire.
men arrived had gotten a headway,
many of the dwellers might have been
trapped on upper floors.
Quick work of the firemen first to
arrive on the scene saved residents of
the apartment and the flames were
confined largely to the top floor.
Fire Marshall Seib estimated TODAY
the damage would not run over $50.
900, including both damage to the
building, which Is owned by AIonzo
Bliss, and the contents.
Less than an hour after the Vic
toria blaze was discovered an alarm
came from the King Pin Bowling AL
leyS on the third floor of the Thomp-
kins Building, at Fourteenth and Mon
roe streets. The fire there was he
heved to have been started by a
lighted cigarette, carelessly thrown on
wooden floor, and caused a danape
estimated at $4,000. Ten of the al
leyS were destroyed. The aIleys are
owned by Myer Davis and are man
aged by j w. Wood.
Says Match Caused Blaze.
Marsh, who made a signed state
ment to Capt. Doyle Of the eighth pre-.
cinct, admitting responsibility for the
apartment fire. said he had gone to q
storeroom on the top floor Of the build.
ing and lighted safety matches to look
for something because he could not
find any electric light. A burning
match dropped into a crack in the
floor and he couldn't put 1t out. he told
police.
Marsh then went to his room on the
fifth floor, but was nervous and
couldn't sleep. he said. After a short
while he dressed and went out to a
nearby restaurant to see friend. Not
finding him, Marsh then returned to
his apartment, woke his brother, and
whispered: Don't you smell smoker"
He received no reply, but later aroused
his mother, Mrs. Isabelle r. Marsh.
and ran to pull the apartment fire
Continued on Page 2, Column g.