COSTLY AMBITION.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 295, 17 June 1909, Page 5

COSTLY AMBITION.

William Reddy, a youth of eighteen., employed in the canning department of the Standard Oil Company's works, New York, had an ambition to become one of the big officials of the "hundred million dollar trust." " He confessed recently (says the Daily Telegraph), that, in the hope of fulfilling that ambition, he started 29 fires in the Oil Trust's great factories within two years, hopingHhat his superiors would notice him when he always appeared at the head of fire extinguishers as soon as h© had applied the match. He- expected to be promoted as a hero, but was arrested. The young incendiarist's' exploits are believed to- have cost the Standard Oil Company more than £60,000 in burned buildings and oil, and a dozen firemen and employees have been seriously injured. Reddy played his scheme with success until the canning department was burned, with £200.0 loss. Until then no one .suspected him, but all his immediate employers wore loud in praises of his bravery. Even the superintendent of the- factor}- complimented him. and promised him that lie. would bo, rewarded as soon as there was a vacant place. In every one of the twentynine fires. Roddy was the first to give tho alarm, arid the first to render assistance in. tho fxtinction of the lire.

For Woodville Woell, Palmer, and Giles were most conspicuous, and Henry and Smith of the backs. For Dannevirke, Setford, Williams, Pickering and O'Connell were the best -of an even lot of forwards, and "Wilson, Price, and Hartgill of the backs played a sound game.