The Firebug is Caught and Confesses ID: 6184 | This file appears in: The Great Cleveland Stockyards Fire When the police caught the 12-year old boy who started the tragic 1944 fire at the Cleveland Union Stockyards, it made front page news. The boy said he had set a number of fires in addition to this one, including a fire at the Pilsner Brewing Company just across the railroad tracks from the Stockyards. He called himself "a dope," but said he "couldn't resist" setting fires. Cleveland State University. Michael Schwartz Library. Special Collections. Download Original File "The Firebug is Caught and Confesses" appears in: The Great Cleveland Stockyards Fire