"ARSON TRUST."

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 58, 4 March 1913, Page 7

"ARSON TRUST."

Chicago, like New "York, has discovered that is has a "Fire-raising Trust," which is credited with openly boasting that any case if incendiarism could be suppressed bv bribing officials not to prosecute the persons indicated. At present 14 insurance "adjusters" are under suspicion (states the New York correspondent of the 'Daily Mail'). On© of the city fire officials, Mr A. A. Bock, says ; "It is possible for anyone to get a building burned in Chicago, and there are "fixed charges for the work. A man who desires to burn his property will find men bidding against each other for the job. "tor sniall fires there is a regulation charge of 20 per cent, of the insurance money collected. 'I lie charges vary according to the magnitude of the fires. I'or large fires there is a charge of 1 per cent., and even at that price incendiaries grow rich. There ivas not a single conviction for arson in Chicago t last year. "I am aware that 'adjusters' do not start the fires themselves. They employ men who actually solicit the business. The 'adjusters' make their money by adjusting the losses." "Izzy the Painter," otherwise Isidore Stein, who is serving ;i long .term in the Sing-Sing Prison for incendiarism, has been brought to New York for examination. Stein declared under oath (states Reuter) that he had set 200 houses on fire with his own hands in order that his "gang" might collect the insurance money. , '