The Washington times., 1928-01-18
FIREBlN5 IS
DENIED
BAIL

John Joseph Fisher, who con-
fessed to setting two Of the
major fires Of Monday night .
series, was held for action Of
the Grand Jury, without bail,
when arraigned before Judge
Robert j. MattingIy, in the
Federal branch Of Police Court
today
\ Sent To Institution
Judge Mattingly, IL the request
of Assistant District Attorney
Ralph Given, recommended that
Fisher be committed to an insti-
tuition for mental observation,
after Attorney James a. O'Shea,
representing the prisoner, had re-
quested this action.
Held On Two Counts
Given told the court that he
thought the man should be held
without bail ''for the protection OF
society" He said that after talking
with Headquarters Detective Varney
and Attorney O'Shea, It was indi.
Gated that the defense would be .
mental lapse, and he. therefore, &C.
uuiesced In the suggestion that
Fisher be held for mental observar
ton.
Fisher was arraigned on two in.
formations, made out by Policeman
Horace Lineburg. Of the Thirteenth
precinct, who made the arrest. and
the fires and particularly incidents
on which Fishers arrest was based.
Two fires that Fisher Is charged
with having set are the Mcdowell
grain elevator, at lexington Place
and @ Street Northeast. and the
Lark Woodworking Company plant.
near Fourteenth and w Streets
Northwest.
To Question Brakeman
Detective Varney is continuing
to gather witnesses, and left court
to question a Baltimore and Ohio
brakeman, who is said to have seen
Fisher In the act of opening a wine
dow at the Mcdowell elevator. Line
burg was unable to appear in court
so Varney made out the tntorma"
lions before Given.
Judge Mattingly, requested by
O'Shea to commit Fisher to an i'm
stitution for mental observation, re-
piled he could only make the recs
ommendation to the jail authorities
to take such action.
Could Not Help It
In setting the fires, Fisher said
he followed an Irresistible inn.
pulse and does not remember
just what took place. He recalled
being around "a lumber min" near
Fourteenth Street and Florida Ave.
nue. Northwest.
'I don't remember how long I
was there" he told his inQuisitor9
in his confession, printed in full in
another column, but must have
thrown a match into the building"
"HaVe you ever had the feelings
such as you described, about want
ing to see a fire, before?" he was
asked during the examination.
Eyes, quite often, but don't re.
call ever having set other fires"
Fisher, arrested early yesterday
morning as he entered his nome
at 716 Roxboro Pl. N. W., finally
Cracked" last night after a grille
ing at the hands of Motorcycle
Policeman Horace Lineburg, Pre-.
cinct Detective r. l.. Jones, ana
Headquarters Detective Frank Var:
ney, after he had been taken from
his cell in the Thirteenth precinct
and led to the "sergeants' ROOM.
May Have Set Others
The fires Fisher admits lighting
were at the Mcdowell grain elevator
at lexington Place and Q Street
Northeast, and the Lank Wood"
working Company mill, near Four
teenth and w Streets Northwest
Fisher said he did not remember
setting any OF the others, but adj
mitted the possibility that he may
have done so.
Earlier in the day Fisher, who
last November was a Veterans
Bureau patient at Walter Reed
Hospital, under observation Tor
ETURN oVERl