Janitor on "Danger List" Following Fire Started by Match Among Papers

Contrary to the theory advanced yesterday morning that Arthur J. Perkins, assistant University Janitor, was burned Monday night in a fire started by his pipe while asleep, it was learned last night that papers ignited by a dropped match caused the damage in his room at 1130 Mass. Avenue.

The 63 year old University Janitor is in the Cambridge Municipal Hospital and his condition was declared "poor", yesterday, with Hospital authorities implying that because of his age he will not recover. Badly burned from the hips down and with minor burns about his chest and hands, Perkins, who has been working for the college since 1917, has been conscious all the time with considerable pain.

According to the patient's story yesterday noon, he returned from a movie shortly before 11 o'clock Monday night. Finding difficulty in locating the light string. Perkins lit a match, which dropped on a pile of papers on his desk.

Attracted by his calls, the landlady, Mrs. Mary Louise Donovan, rushed to his second floor room. While she attempted to remove his clothes, a friend called the Fire Department, which arrived soon after to find Perkins still in flames, but mumbling over and over, "Awfully sorry."