Salt Lake Tribune | 1917-12-30 | Page 2 | Arrest may Solve Mystery of Fires

ARREST MAY SOLVE MYSTERYOF FIRES NEW YORK, Dee. 29. With the arrest at Bristol, Pa., today of Joseph Tausan on a charge of arson, Fire MarshaJ Bro-phy Bro-phy of th i,s uity tonight announced that ! he believed a long step had been taken in clearing up several mysterious waterfront water-front fires which have occurred since tiie ; United States entered the war. , Tausan, who was brought to this city : I tonight, was arrested in connection with a fire on a Pennsylvania railroad lighter on the night of December 3. This was ; followed soon alter by a fire which caused extensive damage in the plant of the Morse Dry Dock &, Repair company, ! , not far from where the lighter was moored. j , Tausan was arrested at the plant of the Merchants Shipbuilding corporation at Hi istol, and, according to Fire Marshal Prophy, he admitted setting fire to the lighter, but denied connection with tiie i dry dock company fire. i "We consider this the most important arrest in connection with pier fires that I has yt been made." Fire Marshal Pro- ; 'phy said, "and I believe it will lead to1 : the solving of other mysterious fires." 1 Tausan, it is said, has been positively identified by a soldier guarding the light- er as the man wim was permitted tn go aboard after he showed a discharge from the T'nited States army. Me convinced the soldier, it is alleged, that he formerly had been employ ed on the lighter. Tiie fire broke oty. sooi after Tausan boarded board-ed the craft.