NEWS: Police Blotter, Altoona Tribune, June 1, 1918, Blair County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Jessica Orr 

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FIVE MEN WHO CAUSED FALSE ALARM, FOUND

Sixth Ward Quintette Held Without Bail for Pulling Box 56, Tuesday.
First Case of Kind in Altoona.

  What is said to be the first arrest in Altoona's annals for causing a false 
alarm of fire, was made last night when Fred Sigrist, aged 21, of 1705 Fourth 
avenue, was apprehended for pulling Box 56, Sixth avenue and Sixteenth street, 
at 11:35 p.m. Tuesday.
  Anthony Beck, of Second avenue and Nineteenth street; John Klaiber, Andrew 
Bisele and Ernest Fronbacher, all of the Sixth ward, were also arrested as 
accomplices. The quintette is held at police station without bail.
  Sergeant Frank MacPherson worked up the case against the five young men, whose 
ages range from 20 to 22 years. The officer, with Patrolman George Sommers 
captured the defendants between 8:15 and 11:30 last night, with the exception of 
Fronbacher who came to city hall at 12:30 this morning, to see his companions, 
and was then detained.

Was to Be Fireman.

  Fronbacher had been examined by the city civil service board last night, 
preparatory to being recommended for a position in the fire department. He 
passed the preliminary tests and was to visit City Surgeon Metzgar today.
   While Sigrist remains silent about his part in the affair, police claim 
sufficient information has been gathered that will incriminate him as the chief 
actor, inasmuch as the actual pulling of the alarm box is concerned. Five 
important witnesses have been rounded up and the hearing will likely be this 
afternoon. Interesting developments are anticipated as this will be the initial 
case of its kind in police court.  A commonwealth charge, with a possibility of 
the state fire marshal's department having a part to play, is to follow the city 
complaint.

Bisele First Arrested.

  Sergeant MacPherson had been actively engaged on the still hunt for the 
miscreants, since Tuesday night, when several clues were obtained. Bisele was 
arrested at Eighth avenue and Seventeenth street, at 8:15 p.m.
  He told a long, rambling story of his whereabouts Tuesday evening. He claimed 
he was en route home when a group of young men, supposedly at a porch party, 
hurled a flower pot at him as he passed. After stopping and sizing them up, he 
continued toward Sixteenth street.
  Bisele declared four young men followed him. One, a red-headed chap, pulled 
Box 56. He said he didn't know any of them. Later Klaiber appeared at city hall, 
to see Bisele and was also locked up. Beck and Sigrist were brought in rapid 
succession.
  When questioned the second time, Bisele told a different story and admitted 
his connection with the group. It is stated that the five young men, two of whom 
are married, had been drinking, but were not drunk, and their actions on the 
street, made a prior offense of disorderly conduct.
  Small boys have often sent in false alarms, but always evaded detection and 
capture. This is the first instance where adults, in their right senses and 
cognizant of the gravity of the offense, were apprehended. Hundreds of dollars 
are needlessly expended by the city department of fire annually as result of 
fake calls and the present affair will not be taken lightly by city authorities.

Altoona Tribune, Saturday June 1, 1918, page 1