SUSPICIOUS FIRES.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 215, 16 February 1875, Page 3

SUSPICIOUS FIRES.

(Pall Mall Ludijet.) It is only fair on tradesmen avlio are accused of dishonesty because they sell adulterated goods to admit that there are others of their class at least equally dishonest Avith themselves, and Avho commit deeds worthy of even more blame than adulteration, yet escape general reprehension because their malpractices are not generally known. Some interesting information with regard to the habits of “small shopkeepers on the verge of bankruptcy” Avill be found in the evidence, lately printed, given before the Special Committee of the Society of Arts on the means of protecting the metropolis from conflagration. Mr Charles White, one of the Avituesscs, avlio is an auctioneer and assessor of losses by fire to the County Fire Office, being asked “With Avliat class of persons arc tires most frequent?” replied, ‘ ‘ Small shopkeepers on the A'crge of bankruptcy ; detainers are frequently lodged at the office against payment—foreigners, principally of the HebreAv persuasion, Germans or Poles. Some feAv years since avc bad six fires, in one night of the latter class of persons ; in two instances the office refused to pay ; actions were brought, and the companies Avere successful ; this had the effect of decreasing the number of fires of this kind. The stock of these persons consists principally of dummies or imitation goods made of plaster of Paris. Cheesemongers and chandlershop keepers have tubs of butter, sides of bacon, bladders of hard, cheese ; grocers have boxes of sugar, chests of tea, and reams of paper; tobacconists haA'c cigars in bundles ; tailors and linendrapers rolls of cloth made of straAV, and parcels filled with sawdust; publicans, wine merchants, and perfumers, the bottles filled with colored water.” Fires, it seems, are not unfrcqueiitly caused by servants robbing tboir employers to prevent discovery, and by workmen from spite. The percentage of doubtful or suspicious fires being, according to Mr White’s computation, about fifty per cent of whoje.