The Firebug of North Walla Walla

But for the premature action of the guard detailed to shadow him, the police believe that the 'firebug' responsible for a number of mysterious fires in the north part of the city within the past week would have been captured in the act last night. The man under suspicion has figured as a defendant in a sensational attempted murder charge, twice on a charge of threatening to kill, and was once committed to the hospital for the insane at Medical Lake, later being released. The guard last night stationed him near the suspect's residence and with all the patience of Job waited for what he and others in that part of the city believed would happen. Just as was surmised, the suspected man stealthily emerged from his home toward the midnight hour carrying a bundle of papers under his arm. Instantly the guard leaped forward and hailed his man, only to realize that his hasty action had defeated the plan of securing incriminating evidence. The suspected man gave no satisfactory account of the papers in his possession, and the guard was forced to accept his word. A series of fires in the northern part of the city, all of undoubted incendiary origin, has had the effect of keeping residents of that district in a constant state of terror, and deep-seated mutterings of a possible 'lynching' if the 'firebug' be caught have been heard. A warrant charging Christ Hillbrick, the man under suspicion, was issued late this afternoon and placed in the hands of Sheriff Painter. The specific charge against Hillbrick is the firing of a woodshed, the property of Enos Palmer on Jefferson street. The building was fired early Saturday morning.