The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-03
THE NINTH AVENUE FIRE.

Acknowledgement by tho Inccndinry of the
Commission Of the Crime Of Arson.
Some further developments have recently come to
light showing the course and operations Of the In
cendiary in the case OF the Ninth avenue and Frtieh
street IRE, and the very arduous task the officers Of
the law undertook in capturing him, ana establishes
the fact that with the present system Of police duty
criminal has rare chances Of ecaping justice.
The fire broke out at about quarter past one
O'Clock on the morning OF the 2etn inst and was
first discovered by the Twenty-second precinct po-
lice issuing from he'weather boards Of the building
fronting on Fiftieth street. Diligent exertlons Of
hremen and police succeeded in putting out the fire.
which, however, had previously communicated to
the only stairway by which the occupants Of the
house could escape. The police rescued family
named Taylor from the burning building, in which
they would surely have persisted had not such assist
ance been rendered Mrs. Taylor stated before the
Fire Marshal that the first intimation she had
Of the fire was the breaking Of glass in
window through which the flames were bursting,
within two feet of the pillow on which herself
and children were sleeping. The body Of the fire
raging furlously In the apartment beneath Mrs.
Taylor's bedchamber, and to this room the fre was
mainly confined. After the flames had been extin-
guished Fire Marshal Bra ckett proceeded to take
OF the situationn The liquor store was occri-
pied by Frederick Baden and Frederick Eliing as
his barkeeper. On q counter shelf the marshal dis
covered quantity OF kndling wood saturated with
oil, which established at once the fact that
revealed the fact that Baden and his barkeeper
at bali In Fifty-third street, and officers
Mclaughlin and Cottrell, OF the Twenty-second pre-
cinct sent there to arrest them. An investlga
ton OF Marshal Bracket developed the TACT that
premises, and gallon demJohn containing
rev drops of oil was found near pile OF kindling
wood on counter shelf. Baden was subjected to a
careful examination, during which he stated that he
left the store before twelve O'CLOCK, In company with
two friends and had not LETT the ballroom until ar
rested. The following morning Baden and Filing
were taken before Justice Connolly. at the YOrkvle
Police Court and there remanded to the station
house, at the request OF Marshal Brackett who was
proceeding with an investigation. Baven's exami-
nation revealed the fact that one OF his friends
named Joseph Roll, VINO was at the ball with, him.
was 5mfiicated IN the burning Of the building
careful search was made for Roll but he had
left the city. Marshal Bracket applied himself to
the capture OF him with considerable energy. He
traced from New York to MerO5e, from there TO
Morrisania, then back to New York, thence to Gns-
lin and Cottrell traced him to spangenbergs saloon
in Third street, between avenues and Q, but he
escaped through o back door and leaving his coat
behind. AT tins saloon Oil trace OF Roll was lost.
tendance, and while securing the east side Of New
York city he learned that Roll had secresed himself
IN ne n ss q This nG
was then too late TO communicate with the authori
ties q and a1 R,n. Msa SseSs@
for New brunswick and there obtain conveyance to
Keyport and make inquiries concerning the where
gone the Marshal learned from Cottrell and Nc
Laughlin that they had received Information cores
pondng with MS Considering Oil the disadvan-
Police Inspector Leonard and related to him the
story Of the affair and asked that the harbor police
titled Captain Hartt to convey Marshal Brackett to
Koyport and he, In company with officers McIaugh-
lin and Cottrcl, arrived there " halfpast twelve
rhe Marshal learned that Roll would probably be
found at Che saloon Of Mrs. Bornhauser which he
ascertained from Waterman on board the steamer
Matteawan. The house was situated about four
miles back OF Keypors on the Middletown road.
veyance and PROCEEDED q ride OF nearly an hour.
Just back Of the main road the border OF piece
OF dense woods, the house was found. They drove
some distance beyond the house. aghted and made
survey OF the premises. 0mcers were stationed
around ND, the house to prevent -.t The escape
for admlttance. Mrs. Bornhauser opened
the door, and in reply to the MarsnaI's inquiries
shas '.man" found in bed and at once arrested
Mrs. Bornhauser seemed to know nothing OF the
affair and stated that Roll had been invited TO the
house by companion, who Is one OF her guests TO
remain until morning. Roll was taken TO the police
boat at Keyport and the party arrived this city on
Tuesday morning. After his Roll preserved
dogged silence aud was Indifferent to the operations
OF ms captors lie signIncd his willingness to re-
turn 10 New York and on arriving here was locked
up in tho Tweniy-sec0nd precinct station house.
The Fire Marshal here played little strategy. He
placed olcer Renisch IN cell located between the
two in which the prisoners Roll and Barten were
confined. The two latter kept up lively conversa-
tion not awsre OF the fact that an officer lstea
ing For nearly two hours ReinisCh listened 10 their
ordinations and recriminatons and at the xpira-
ton OF that time the prisoners were taken TO the
captains room. where they were confronted by
Renisch, VINO told them what he had heard. Deni al
was useless and Roll made fun confession volun-
tariy, In which he stated that he had been induced
10 set fre to the place Of Baden in consideration Of
5000 which sum he was 10 receive soon az Baden
obtained his Insurance Hc further acknowl-
edged having purchased tlrec quarts Of
Kerosene oil, and detailed where and when
the purchase was made how the wood had
been saturated with the OIL AMI placed behind the
bar. FROM one 10 two quarts had ncen thrown on
Tie bed clothes in the bedroom, and then the fires
were lighted. He then left aud joined Baden rs the
ballroom. where the latter was arrested In con.
ending his confession Roll stated, aud was cor.
oborsted by Baden, that the barseener had nothing
70 10 with and was wholly free fronNauy pertcipa
lion therein This iact, from the testimony OF The
Wlincsays. was apparent to Inc Fire Marshal, aud