Danbury Aug. 17 - With a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property, credited to him in the last six months; in spite of the $2000 reward and the aroused state of the community, the fire-bug is still on deck. It will always be set down in Danbury's history , if Danbury don't go out of the history business in the next six months, as "The Terrible Reign of Jak, the Burner."
Not even a clue has been gathered, no trace whatever has this man left behind him, except rows on rows of burned buildings. The police seem powerless in the matter.
But one name above all others of our Danbury officials will go down to posterity weighted with the bravos of our 18000 inhabitants. It si that of Captain Michael J. Keating, our glorious chief of police. Nobly and faithfully has he stuck to his post of duty in the ill fated and doomed town. No man has worked harder, or eat more than this man.
Our noble chief has sworn to capture this devil. And he will keep his word, even if the man himself objects. If the fire bug calls on Michael J. Keating with a letter of introduction, an a confession, he had better look out, or "Mike" will speak to him about it.
If any city in the whole United States of Patagonia either wants tips on catching fire-bugs let them apply early before our chief puts them all on the bargain counter.
No still hunter is Michael J. His soul is too honest for5 that. He is out for that bug and his motto is "shoot'em in the snoot." His great heart is too open to resort to any low devices calculated to deceive that gentleman on a dark night. What cares he for the fact that the fire-bug was so deceitful as to burn down a $40,000 factory the other night when five men were watching that one factory to keep it from being burned down.
So Michael J> arrays himself as the Herald's artist has pictured him and starts out every night patrolling the streets. First he encases himself in a bright blue uniform. Then he places upon his manly breast a large size silver polished bright new No. 16 policeman's shield. Finally for apparel he tips off with a large clean white sombrero, plainly distinguishable on th a dark night at least a mile away. For arms he adjusts a couple of revolvers to his pockets bowie knives to his boots and with a double barrelled shot gun in one hand and a lighted lantern in the other he sallies out.
Up to a late hour last night the fire-bug still kept out of his way and it is said that Michael intends adding a double bass brass band and a large transparency to his equipments.