The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-01-06
lNCENDIARlSM.

The West Thirty.ninth Street Cnse-Prelini.
nary Examination of the Prisoner WHITE
ford-He is Held TO Answer the Charge Of
Arson.
Fire Marshal Bracket having concluded his pre-
lminary examination regarding the alleged attempt
Of Samuel Whiteford to burn the tenement house
No. ass west Thirty ninth street Sunday last and
finding evidence sufficient, In connection with the
prisoners admissions, to warrant his arraignment
before police magistrate, he caused the accused to
be taken before Justice Dodge, at the Jefferson Mar
ket Police Court, yesterday morning. when the fol-
lowing afiidavits were submitted
STATEMENT OF JOHN DOUGHERTY.
John Dougherty being duly sworn, says:-I reside
at 435 West Thirty ninth street; the building is ve
stories In height with four families on each floor;
know Samuel whiteford; he occupies rooms on the
same floor as myself-the fourth; saw him about ten
O'Clock on Sunday morning, having called Of his
rooms while he was at breakfast; renamed there
some angry words; both appeared in bad numor
was obliged to separate them at one time, when
they were clinched; after ! separated them Mrs.
WhitefOrd took her children and left the apartment,
and went to my own room; from there visited q
Mrs. Lawer, also living IN the house; while stood
talking to her smelied smoke; few minutes after
heard my wife cry Sire" when, suspecting White
ford had fired his rooms, ran INTO the hail ana burst
open the door leading to them; on entering !
found flames and SMOKE the IRE blazing nearly 70
the ceiling, nc least eight or nine feet high; there
was q quantity OF barrel slaves piled up. under
which there was lot Of rags, both OF which and the
flooring were on fire; there was no carpet on tho
floor; some one handed me q washtub OF water, ana
extinguished the flames; ut that time found the
accused lying down under the window, but he got
up without assistance; asked him II he Intended
"Durning us all up;n he said. mo, only some old
papers;'' believe the nre was kindled by Whtcford
with wilful and malicious intent
STATEMENT OF THE ACCUSED.
The accused after his arrest, had his examination
In the Twentieth precinct station house. and being
notified he could answer or not such questions as
were put 10 him, as they would DO used IA evidence
against him, said:--About ten o'clock on Sunday
morning last my wife and had an alteration, when
Immediately after she took the children and
LEFT the apartment then laid down on
the bed, but how long ! remained there
cannot say, as had been drinking; remember get
ting up and going 10 trunk In an adjoining room 10
get some clothes; finding barrel containing dirty
linen on top OF the trunk threw II on the floor and
broke II up, and then drew the trunk into my room;
opened II and took out some papers and lpid them
beside II and the remains Of the broken barrt; then
set the papers on ire; have no recollection after
setting them on fire until was lifted from the moor
by person unknown to me; my motive In kindllng
the fire was to destroy the papers taken from the
trunk, and belonging 70 my vile Margaret as did
not want Rosa, the woman with whom 1 am now
living, to see them
Ofiicer Daniel smith, ofthe Twentieth precinct, who
arrested Whiteford, also testified TO what ne knew
Of the case but his statements are merely c0rroDo-
rative OF that testified TO by MIR. Dougherty.
Upon these statements Justice Dodge committed
the accused 10 the charge OF arson, without
ball. Whiteford Is fortyour years OF aye, native
OF Scotland, and by occupation machnist.