The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-29
Gerald Boucher Is
 Held As Firebug
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ling. At times during the search since early November, there have been close to 20 policemen and firemen engaged in the hunt fol the fire-setting criminal. The DO. licemen wer withdrawn last week by Superintendent Joseph H. Nc. Lean, presumably because police had decided to work on the case through another angle.
 On Thursday, the 20th, Boucher was arrested near the scene of g fire on North Elm street by Patrol man John Mcdonnell and taken tC headquarters for questioning When evidence against the mar was lacking, police found it nee essary to free the suspect. It wal just about this time, however, tha' the plainclothesmen were with drawn from duty, police apparent ly having decided to keep the sus pect under surveillance and checl his activities.
 All PatrO1men Warned
 Last night, patrolmen going or duty on the night shift were giver description of Boucher and or dered to take him into custody or sight. Patrolman John Winston who had been one of those trail ing various suspects, saw Boucher coming down North Main street stepped into a doorway and grab bed the man as he went past.
 Patrolman Winston, after tht prisoner had been booked, reported at headquarters that he suspected Boucher of being the man who had escaped two weeks ago aftel breaking into the Corner house al 50 Kingsbury street, stealing z purse and frightening several wo. men in the building. The burglar allegedly Boucher, escaped at that time by racing down Brown street on foot.
 News that Bouch had been ar. rested and released last week wal revealed only last night, police and fire officials having kept the in. formation secret previously Sc. crecy yelled the whole firebug hunt until this wek, when a complete story of the pyromaniac's activities since November was given in Int Democrat. Fire Marshal Dennis J Lahey the day previous had stated that a double fire on North Elm street Christmas night was un. doubtedly incendiary.
 Firebug Was Bad Menace
 The work of the firebug here has caused not only thousands of dol. lars of damage but was responsible for the death of Antonio Fernicola of North Main street, a former cobbler. Fernicola suffered shock after he had been forced to fec from his North Main street home after fire had broken out. He died the next morning as result of tho shock and Fire Marshal Lahey al that time said that the death could be attributed directly to the fire.
 The incendiary fires in the past seven weeks have in many case! been checked just before reaching the dangerous stage. Infiammablt matter has in many cases beer poured about before the fires have been started, allowing the blazes tt gain rapid headway. Knowing tha the firebug's work might at any time bring about a major confiag ration with great property damage and possible loss of life, firemer have made every effort to capture the arson fiend before such ar evetuality might arise.
 Most of the fires were evidentl, set by someone with highly de prayed criminal sense. The prin cipal object, apparently, has beer just to see buildings go up 1T flames, and the surrounding excite ment. For this reason a carefu study has been made of the spec tators who have gathered to watcl firemen battle fires in the Nortl Elm and North Main street section Boucher is alleged to have beer seen at many of the fires.