Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-01
FIRES TERROR|zE
CAPITAL OF HAITI
Mysterious Organization Be-
I Iieved Source of Arson
Outbreak.
BY JUNIUS B. WOOD.

Daily News. Copyright, 1880
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, May L.
Using firing as its method of spreading
terror, a mysterious organization, which
so far has eluded all efforts to appre-
bend its members has thrown the capt.
tai of Haiti into near panic.
Fires, obviously of incendiary origin,
break out at any hour of the day or
night and with this city's finder frame
structures as well as its shortage of wa
ter, spread with alarming rapidity.
The authorities admit that they are
unable to fathom the motives behind
this terrorism, while the public is di-
vicad in the opinion as to whether it
% an effort to intimidate President
aiecJ Eugene Roy from taking office
May IS, or organized lawlessness to
postpone the withdrawal of American
Marines, as recommended by the Forbes
report approved by President Hoover.
Marines have been detailed as sem
tries at each of1icer's residence, while
every available man in the Haitian
gendarmerie is either guarding an in
dividual home or store, or is patrolling
the streets in the hope of catching the
firebugs.
Leaders Ask for Guards.
'Y do not believe that the opposition
parties are behind the terrorism, since
o dozen Of their leaders have been in
my ONCE today asking that guards be
DsAseA St their homes" said Maj. G. /.
Murray, chief of police.
1--WE are using every means TO at
tempt to solve the mystery, but have
reached no solution. One man, caught
red-handed sprinkling kerosene on q
door, refuses to implicate others, and
because Of the total destruction OF the
fred buildings, there Is no trace OF in
fernal machines"
The telephone bell rang and the chief
turned. He answered respectfully, ap-
parently talking to fellow of1cer.
"Sorry, but you will have to safeguard
The homes yourself. realize how
everybody In the neighborhood is scared,
but I haven't another man available
for detail"
A tropical downpour Tuesday night
rave property owners their flrst care
free sleep since the fires started to
break out q fortnight ago.
The blazes have included the deStruc-
ZION of block of buildings in the poorer
residential quarter, the more imposing
home Of Col. r. M. Cults, commander
Of the Marine brigade, and yesterday
the Parisiana Cinema, the city's only
theater. A total of nine buildings have
been destroyed, while almost an equal
number have been fired, but detected
and extinguished before the flames
gained Roadway.
Plans Laid Carefully.
The firebugs lay their plans carefully
and show skill in evading guards. When
an attempt was made to burn the home
of the gendarmerie, the ground was re-
connoitered and a ventilation hole in
the stone walls of the building was To-
Gated. After dark the firebug evaded
the guard and showed oil-soaked rags
In the opening, which fortunately fell
outside when they started to burn.
The Parisiana Theater was fired
while the owner and manager were TAX
ing their morning coffee in the base
ment. The same skill was shown in
setting this afire, the flames being
started at the end so that the wind
carried them through the barn-like
structure. Two days ago the owner
refused to insure the building.
As the first burst of flames Is fire.
quently accompanied by an explosion,
and O cloth fuse are used. Four at
tempts were made on Monday, while
on Tuesday, when the entire fire de-
partment was engaged In preventing
the theater flames from reaching Presi-
dent Borno's home adjoining, another
FIRE was started in q distant quarter OF
the city.