The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-27

Arson, and At4s4pe Il Murder.
oUAnML uuRwnM xWo onna1An ono0nns-AH
ALLEGED O0NY1seIoN-s1nAN0B DEvNofMu<fs.
Before Justice Stuart.
On Sunday evening, the 18th day Of October are
was dsoovsesd in the grocery store owned BY Frederick
Third The whole matter At the time invss-
tgstsd BY the Fire Marshal and such evidences ELECTED
BY him - led to the opinion that the Are had been
the work Of design, and one Of great suspicion.
Since them, It viii b seen, quarrel has arisen be-
tween Myers and Williams his late partner. Ono has
attempted as alleged to take the life Of the other in
fact by their own story, has attempted to kill By
poison, and the other by pistol It further appears
that the suspicion Of the s being the work Of design
has been justified by the alleged confession made by
Williams to Myers, the latter having revealed the
mystery In full statement before Justice Stuart and
Mr.. Baker, the Fire Marshal Tho following are the
the whole affair
yuyxRsos MARKET CouR7, Dec. A, 1854
DEAR SR-You'n remember that had fire some
time ago in my store the corner Of Third avenue and
body know how it occurred and It was believed that
some thief went In and stole $50 out Of money drawer
ocked in the store and then to cover suspicion ct
fereut ~ found out last Saturday evening" The man
that used to be in partnership with BY the name Of
Charles williams, has been the Of this which he
confessed to me 1t the above mentioned time. We
out riding at the time when the fire WAS as have told
you, and when We came bask from High Bridge on the
way home being somewhere by Sxtieth street. he said
let us drive up to Harlem again it Is rather early
He drove around went about fifteen blocks, and then
the wagon and told to drive slowly up and down.
did but he stayed away about two hours In this time
he had been home and put the store on fire. have no
time to give the further details you write come up
to my counsel Judge Beakley, Jefferson Market Court
and then I shah give you the further particulars:
Your obedient servant, FRED MYERS.
do hereby acknowledge the above statement TO be
Witness, a. E. BAKER, Fire Marshal.
Frederick Myers being further examined before Justice
Stuart and the Fire Marshal in reference to the
his store of Seventeenth street and Third avenue
on Sunday evening, 18th of October 1854 states as
Charles williams and myself had been in copartner-
ship in the grocery business A the above place from
when we dissolved partnership and the Sunday follow
ing dissolution Of partnership he proposed to to
g. ont riding with him. he hired t the horse s and wagon
between and O'Clock that afternoon went to Har
lem FIRST then to the High Bridge On return home,
being at about Sxteth Sixty first street. (Willams
drving he proposed to return back to Harlem,
IT rather early He turned round and drove towards
ped, said he had lost his portemonnae, Jumped OF the
wagon, and told to drive slowly up and down until
he returned he came towards the city and drove to-
turned round but could not see him the road was
then on the Third avenue. When Williams left me it
next saw him was At about sxtieth street on Third
avenue it Was then dark, should say about o'clock.
He got into the wagon and told me he did not find his
portemonnaie; asked him why he stayed so long; he
replied he looking all the time, but could not find it,
He then took the reins from and drove slowly to the
city, and went directly to the livery stable Prior to
coming into the city stopped at porter house in the
Third avenue, between Fifteth and Sxtieth streets
At the time We srivsd st the livery stable It
together directly my store We found that are
ed his astonishment at the FIRE having taken place.
From that time up to the I'd day Of December instant
Of he s
to bed a unusually early hour; twas abouthalfpas
O'Clock. We slept in the back basement, usual,
O'Clock. found him awake; he had light standing on
the bsdpost ! undressed myself and went into bed.
bed ' he SAID to % "' know how s %
occurred in our store the last time?'' said
no. Said he . ~ put i on are" ! laughed, As
words again, and told me that he had set fire
to it at the time when he was away from me that
you lost my portemonnae took car to the city went
into the basement from the street. got the keys OF the
store opened TIE money took the $50 and then
it" He said he locked the doors again and threw the
keys into the area = he came out The object, he
keep the $50, and, - insured, could make
money too by claiming the insurance He said it was
dark when he went into the store and after setting are
Of scolded him and said he ought not to
have done there we've people living the house up
stairs whose lives he might have destroyed by it. He
Piled That's nothiDg1 On the following morning (Sun
day. got up at about O'Clock and left Williams
to into the store met Charles Everhart my clerk
coming out Of the basement He said to me, :" could
mot nS called Charley WILLIAMS and asked him
be had been asleep We both then went into the store
and made FIRE in the stove. then sent my clerk after
should have for breakfast We concluded some beef
steak; sent him after it. In the meantime looked at
cali Charley williams for breakfast; found him awake
sitting up in the bed After called him, he asked to
sit down on the bed for moment 40 he had to tell me
something very particular did and asked him what
it was; he told me that he had given poison three
ttmes-arsenic, laudanum and opum-saying that he
give him scolded him very aAd told him last
He then with his left hand took hold Of my shoulder
saying, mo, you will not do So" repeated the
words again, and told him was going right away and
said he hauled out pistol from alongside Of him
then took hold Of his wrist to twist the pistol out Of
his hand when he took hold of the pistol with his left
and IN the struggle the went on Vas
into the left cheek Of Williams then had the pistol
and hove behind at the time he jumped out
hold Of his breast and tumbled him down. got the pistol
myself and threw it up the basement stairs In the
meantime Williams jumped up again and ran up
stairs. / went right after him, caught him
about half way up stairs, pushed him back,
and ran ahead Of him. got the pistol again. and out
into the yard he then came up right after me. I
being afraid he might have some other weapon with
him, told him not to or would shoot him
Intentionally this time. He said ssDon't shoot, for
Gods sake I'm shot enough" Ke then ran up stairs
to the second floor heard him say s'open the door"
then returned into the store to see if the clerk had
went with the intention Of going to the station house.
On the way altered my mind and went over to Brook
lyn to one of my acquantances; told him about the
York and give myself up. Ny object in going to Brook
lyn was to get bail as knew that had to be taken up
When came to New York up Water street and
stopped into c. Helms No 65S Water street. friend of
mine told him about the He advised me not to
lose any tme but to right up to the station house