New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-08-07
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Of having set fire to his grocery at the cor.
ner of Felicity and Rampant streets, last
Saturday night, between eleven and twelve
o'clock. Lieutenant Madden happened to
be near the place when the alarm was given,
and he and his officers were on the premises
before the firemen began work. Accused and
his wife were absent, the place locked, and
of course men broke the doors and windows
to effect an entrance. The flame had gained
but little Roadway, and was soon extin-
guished without much damage. Alexander,
who is Polish Jew, when arrested, which
was on his return home soon after the fire
was put out, stated that he had hid in a
mattress and in an srmoir several thousand
dollars in gold and city bills, but it is Ger.
tain that he found none. He was insured
for $4,000. st s..
Lieutenant Madden-On Saturday night
about eleven o'clock l was within a short
distance of the place where the alarm of
fire wac made-at Camp street and Felicity
road. Arriving there / found q fire about
the middle OF the floor. The doors were
open at the time and several parties were
engaged to take things out Of the store,
The fire department had not got to work.
After had been a few minutes down stairs
/ sent an officer above, who reported that
the fire was there, but that the smoke was
so close that he could not see without
light. He got light, returned, and almost
Immediately reported to me that the place
had been set on FIRE under the bed. / went
up stairs and found some pine splinters
under the bed still with live coal. The mat.
tress was also smouldering. This was in the
back room of the upper portion of the
house. Officer Malone and Mr.. John Gauche
went up stairs with me.
gave orders to arrest the owner when
he came. When he was arrested / cues.
TONED him as to the hour when he left the
premises. He said 1t was between halfpast
eight and nine o'clock. Also if he had left
anybody in the premises in charge. He said
no; thar nobody was there but himself, and
his wife had gone out that evening between
three and four O'Clock, and that he had
gone after her when he closed the store. |
asked him If he had any valuables in the
answered that he had, and that he wished
TO see his wife.
allowed him to go in, but not to see his
wife. After he was in custody he told me
he had some gold and city money there, but
did not know the amount of either. As to
the gold, he did not know whether it was
$500 or $500, and that it was between the
next to the street. The city money he de.
scribed to have been in a large package, but
he did not know the amount, which was in
a drawer of small bureau in the bed.
room.
That statement being contradictory to that
of his wife, l thought 1t advisable to search
for the money on the premises. took him,
and the Sergeant of the Station in company
with me went back to the house, and allow
ed him to search for the money. The house
was then in the hands of the underwriters
and one police officer.
The gentleman looked at both sides of the
bed, first at the side which he had mention
ed first, and then at the other, remarking it
must have been this side. Helooked for the
city money in the bureau-the drawer was
open, not locked, and only few rags were
in 1t.
After he had given up the search had the
bedding taken off, searched for the gold,
and found nothing. Then we brought the
gentleman back. The splinters and some
matches found in two boxes were produced
in court.
Officer Malone-On Saturday night last |
was at q short distance from the place with
the Lieutenant of the Fourth District.
When the bell struck we proceeded to the
fire. There had been water thrown on the
FIRE, yet the Lieutenant and myself entered
the store down stairs. OnenteriDg was or.
dered up stairs to see if any fire was there.
went up, but could see nothing but smoke.
went In the room with two or three young
men. The smoke drove us back. got a
lamp and ran ahead of the men up stairs.
found the pine wood at the foot of the bed
all in blaze. Went down stairs, and told
the Lieutenant to come up stairs and in
vestigate the matter. When l returned
with the Lieutenant the fire at the foot of
the bed had been put out by the firemen,
"a Onalo Of aha nina al
lit. The Lieutenant ordered me to pick up
the pieces, and handed me cigar box Ut
was In court) to put them in. did 80, and
took them In charge, and turned them over
to one of my brother officers, When went
up stairs there was no door open but the
door at the head of the stairs. We searched
the room, and found no more fire. On en-
tering the store down stairs, where the fire
was In the middle of the floor, found it
wet but don't know with what.
Officer Bolin--Last Saturday night when
the alarm was rung | came to the corner of
ST. Andrew and Magazine streets to learn
were the fire was. After got to the fire,
corner of Rampant and Felicity Road, met
Officers Malone and Keefe, and also the
when saw the accused coming up excited.
I thought something was wrong with him
and went up stairs after him.
{ The place was very dark when | found
Mr.. Alexander standing in the bedroom and
arrested him. Mr.. Alexander told them he
had some valuables up stairs, and would
like to get them. Wewent up stairs. We
HI q candle. accused opened q small
bureau; there was nothing found in the
drawer but some old rags. On the way to
the station accused drew from under his vest
d revolver, which he handed to Officer
Malone. Accused told me he had some
money In the room, and said 1t was gold.
I asked him how much. He answered,
'sOnly a few pieces" / asked him what
amount of stock he had in the store. He
he had pretty good stock. /
asked him If IL was one thousand dollars
worth. He eaid, "a good deal more.'e
Officer Armstrong Broke the windoF
open and sent In color6d boy to open the
door. On opening the window !
fire In the centre of the store,
and on the top Of the safe was small mar
ket basket. went out 20 the back portion
Of the house and found bundle Of clothes
Ia the hallway. When came out the fire
In the store was extinguished. stayed
about the place TO watch the articles (Which
had been conveyed out Of the store1, until !
saw Alexander go up stairs. l and several
others went up with him. observed the
bed disarrapged. Accused went to search
the drawers Of the bureau, then went down
stairs again and met the Lieutenant In the
hallway. tried the doors when ! went
into the house, and found all closed with
the exception Of the hall door. When l
came first TO the house afser hearing the
cry Of fire found all the doors closed; ran
to the alarm box, and returning, assisted in
breaking open the doors.
Jaroh Cunn keeDer fDr the underWritefs