Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 227, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 September 1911 — Notorious Firebug Gang is Revealed [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Notorious Firebug Gang is Revealed

Cm HICAGO.—Six men are in custody here and the arrest of another has been ordered by the police in connection with the operations of an alleged arson ring which caused a property loss of $1,000,000 during the last twelve months. Three other men, Including a former policeman, hre being sought by the police in connection with the alleged conspiracy. The arrests were made after David Rorshah, the alleged feeder -of the * rebug gang, had made a statement Implicating several business men in the alleged arson conspiracy. Korshak in a statement made to the police declared that 7V per cent of all Urea in Chicago in the last five years were of Incendiary origin, and were either the worit of the proprietors of the building or of professional firebugs. He tays there are more thsn s hundred men in Chicago who make a good living by setting fire to buildings, to enable the owners to collect large sums of insurance; that the firebug Is usually paid a lump sum In advance, but that sometimes he works on commission, receiving a percentage of the insurance money. • I yf r Asr *? •' . JS/v V’v© % •'/*> sty

Korshak said that in all his fires he used jugs filled with gasoline, to which he set fire, with the result that flames rapidly spread to all parts of the structure. He fled from Chicago after he was charged with having set fire to the store of Leopold Dreyfus A Co., wholesale clothiers, June $, this year. />; ; Both Leopold and Laatard Dreyfus, members of the firm, were arrested on suspicion immediately after the fire. Three dsye lpter Leopold Dreyfus mede e statement Implicating Korshak and then committed suicide. Lasard Dreyfus was charged with conspiracy, and the case again**, him la pending. Three barrels of gasoline are said to have been nae< in firing the plant of the Northwestern Can company* -,i