Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-02-16
FIhh-strsot Arson ss-Testimony Before
the Pollce Court,


Fifth-street some time since, and large
number of witnesses were examined.
The following is q summary of the most
important testimony offered, which, 1t viii
be seen, was altogether circumstanHal;
EVIDENCE FOR THE PROSECUTION.
Enoch McGrew, Chief Engineer of the
Fire Department, stated, in his testimony,
that as soon as the alarm was sounded, and
the direction of the FIRE indicated he hast
ened to the store, found one of the front
doors open, by which he entered, and, as
soon asthe flames were suppressed, he passed
through every story in the building, in three
of which he found indications of FIRE hav-
ing been kindled.
Lewis Wisbey, Assistant to the Chief, tes-
tifed that he arrived on the spot few min
utes eiter the alarm was given, which was
little before eight o'clock; entered the store,
passing TO the third story, opening a back
window; in the FIRST and second stories he
saw lot of combus.ibe materials piled in
the middle Of the floor, and was convinced,
| from the manner it was done, that the store
| must have been set on FIRE; among the ma
| tsrials was q quantity of paper saturated
with varnish, evidently showing that in each
story fire had been kindled the fur
niture composing the piles appeared to be of
good quality, and was considerably burned
the fire burned pretty sharply in each story;
| the store had been set on fire in three dis
| tinct places; there was no opportunity for
the flames to communicate from one floor to
| the other.
The testimony of the Chief of Police was,
that he was at the fire at half-past seven
o'clock, from whence he proceeded to the res
idence of Mr.. Straus, on Walnut-street, and
arrested him. Straus told him (the Chief
that he was at his store about four o o'clock in
the afternoon, and gave his foreman money
| to pay his hands and then went home; when
he heard his store was on fire it made him so
sick he had to lie down. He said he could
| not suspect any one of the act, though there
were those who had been trying to get him
out of that building His foreman carried
one key and Herman Straus the other. Off
Ger Lincoln, who accompanied the Chief
corroborated his evidence.
Joseph Holway, salesman in Strauss store,
stated that on the night of the fire, he closed
the door himself at halfpsst five O'clock
kept the key to the west door and knew
Herman Straus kept the one to the east door
was not in the upper stories after twelve
o'clock on the day of the fire; Herman
Straus was not in the store during the after
noon; when he closed the store supposed
and believed there was no one in it; the
furniture on the Sunday morning after the
fire was not as he had left it on Saturday
evening, for when he left every thing was
in its proper place; there were some cans
filled with varnish on the first floor which
away; StTaus told him he was over the
canal when the alarm of fire was cried;
never had any fluid lamps in the store, can
dies being the only light used; if piles of
furniture had been placed promiscuously in
the middle of the second and third stories,
they could have been seen by any one pass
ing up OF down.
Henry Niehouse stated, in substance that
he saw Mr.. Straus on the night of the fire,
on the corner of Lodge and Sixth-streets,
coming out of Lodge, two or three minutes
before he heard the alarm of fire was posi-
tive of his identity. Met Simon Straus, a
cousin of Alexander, O few days ago who
proposed to him to go TO Indiana and pur-
chase horses for him, so he would not be at
the trial, telling him that to appear against
Alexander might do him harm, and him
(witness)no good. A man named 0bermeyer,
who keeps livery-stable on Linn. street, he
swore, had also approached him, and offered
him money to 60 to Memphis, both of which
he declined.
Witnesses were introduced to show that
Alexander Straus had made contradictory
statements as to his whereabouts at the time
, the fire broke out. Several insurance agents
testified to policies amounting to 500, 500, or
| the furniture.
The prosecution here closed, and as ther,
} was no testimony against Herman StrauI
. and Jacob Copper, they were, on motion o
counsel, discharged from custody.
TESTIMONY FOR DEFENSE.
Samuel Wolf, Jacob l.. Wayne, Josepl
s Constans and ]. NJ. Ruben were questioned
7 as to the good character of Alexande
q Straus, anG all stated that they had know
g him for lorg time, and had always know
as an honorable man.
: @. j. Smith made an appraisement of the
s stock in Mr.. Strauss store on the Wednes
day following the fire, for the Insuranc
Company, and at wholesale prices the who'll
stock amounted to something less thai
e $4,000. At sound value from the fire, tn
V damages were $4,723.
i Adam Gels is a mattress and bedding
4. manufacturer on Fifth-street; has know
n the defendant seven or eight years. Wit
J. ness said jokingly, on Sunday morning afte
o the fire, "You ought to know how TO max
l. a fire better" Straus stated to him that Of
the night ofthe FIRE he went to the Pheni
. Club, and then to GIossner's, over the Cana
= - The furniture in the fourth and fifth storie
= was not much damaged; that on the secon
Z and third stories was considerably injured
~ He thought Mr.. Straus always had full an
~ complete stock, and at the time of the fir
y had 100000 in value. Had had dealings wit
- Mr.. Straus, and always found him fair an
&c honest.
q David Byrne kept the books of Mr.. Strau
"a "a In the early part Of December Mr.. A. Strau
~ ~ and Herman Straus took account of stocl
re and found it consisted of $28, 900. Sine
O. then the sales amount to $4,000 and lit
. upward. He corroborated the testimony
an other witnesses in regard to the number
p keys belonging to the house was abol
e. three thousand dollars worth of stock
he store at the time of the fire.
n. Jacob Caper was attending at the upho
,e- stery room of Mr.. Straus on the I'd Febrl
n. ary; when he came down from the fifth stol
IT. on the day Of the fire, every story presentt
ct its general appearance believe there WEI
fsur thousand dollars or FIVE thousand do
lars worth of stock in his department wht
the FIRE occurred. Straus told him whC
fs the alarm of fire was given he was over Il
canal, and knew nothing about the fire uni
n some one told him Of it at his house.
Herman Straus stated, in connection wi
NO the testimony of David Byrne, that the k,
% of the store he took charge of he left on Il
an mantel at A. Strauss house on Saturdi
he night, and that he found it there on Sundi
he morning.
Ia. Henry Mack testified to the good chara
Ia ter of Mr. Straus, the defendant.
I'd The servant girl of Mr.. Straus testified tn
10 he came home at about halEpast five o'cloC
nj stsid to supper, and then went out.
a5 Chas. Mayer stated that he saw Mr.. Stra
nd at the Phenix Club, on Vine-street, betwe
md Fifth and Sixth streets, and between sew
and eight o'clock, on the evening Of the
of February.
lis. Robert Neary, on the I'd of February, So
ay, Mr.. Straus at the Sanger House. corner
Al Twelfth and Vine-streets, before the fire be