The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-02-04
NEW YORK INCENDIARISM.
NARTELOJS CONFESSION TO FIRE
MIRSH.iL BR1CkETT

Iusurirg n stoch for $1,000, Worth Only
e35O-How tho Insurance Companies re
Dcfrnud ed-The Narrow Escape Of Thir-
teen Persons in the House thut was
Rurncd.
About o'clock on the morning Of jan 81, q
police oficer discovered nrc in the basement OF
the dwelling house. Ole Grand street Tho house
contains three stories. The basement was rented
by Allan @. Taylor. lie used IL MS a dining and
liquor saloon Henry Goldstcin, the owner Of tho
building, lived on tile ond floor. Ills family con.
sisted OF his wife, seven children and a scrva Girl
The third floor was occupied by Mr.. Miller. wife,
and clid. Thirteen persons In all were asleep In
the uilding.
Onctr llulsc, OF the Thirteenth Precinct, passed
the building about 3 A. N. lie noticed bright
light In the basement through the crevices Of the
door and the shutters. His suspicious
aroused, as no had never before light In the
basement after midnight. He gave tie alarm Of
nrc. Mr.. Riley, who lived next door. No. 5i4, ran
out on the sidewalk and told tie oncsr TINT he was
certain the place was Ere, as he heard a concus
sion and a cracking Just about the time tie alarm
was given. Within q few minutes after tho alarm
the frcmcn appeared They brvke open the door
with an axe. and the FIRE was discovered burning
behind tho counter, fronting the street the left OF
the room. Tle flames were confined TO that space
the building was saved, though the hire lad got
under good cndwaS the ceiling OF the room had
dropped, ana tile flames had eaten up tie laths.
The damage TO the building WINS about $500. The
lolcemah's alarm had VI armed Mrs. Goldstcin, who
al ouscd h"r husband. The hre vas then burning In
the basement beneath the stars. and in ten minutes
inmates would probably have been roasted to
death.
Fire Marshal Bracket began an Investigation i'm.
mtdiately. IL lasted TWO days. There was no cut.
ward evidence OF incendiari-m. The Marshal qucs-
toned Mr.. Taylor as TO his whereabouts on tire
night of tho fire. Mr. Taylor replied that he not
Within eight blocks 81 hls saloon IRON o'clock
the previous even NJ up TO the next morning. Tie
Marshal learned at the stock had been injured for
1880. Upon examination OF the contents Of the
saloon the Marshal found that $3.50 would fully cover
the value OF the stock and fixtures In the place In
Marshal Bracket learned tina, At IN carly hour on
the morning before the hre, Taylor had been
removing two bogshcad- Of ale from his saloon.
The NJ rshni also learned from Oiicer Brown OF the
ThrteD nth Precinct, that he had seen man leave
the saloon ten mnutc. before the FIRE was discov r.
ed. Toe man, VINO resembicd Taylor. crossed tie
street. but retained within a minute. glance into
the basement, and then walked toward Columbia
street. oncer Brown aud John Grshsm, lrivate
watcl man IN Gtand street, also informed the Mar.
shal that they had talk with Taylor at the cornor
Of Norfolk street. lnyior wanted the Waterman to
take drink with him. They were unable to ind
any sa,oon open. Taylor then babe the ~atchmln
good night sid he was going to ball, ard walked
IN the direction OF his own saloon,
These statements convinced the Marshal that Tay-
or knew more about the Gre tLan he was Wiling to
l..
Thirteen.h Precinct to hrrest Taylor on the
saw Ta,Ir street. near tie DowerJ. lie ar.
.hal. II. prisoner was taken bcore Alderman
Wash, WHO was Acung for Justice Scott at Essex
MAreet Alderman Wash, at the I, guest Of Marshal
Brackett rccommiited Taylor to the sutton he use,
In order TO afford tie Fire Marshal an Iportunity VI
per .cctirg ms investigation.
Al About 10 T. NJ. the Marshal visited the prisoner
lie told Iay lor that he sat fed OF the fsiI Of
his statement concerning his Whereabouts on the
- Ia
lug before toe trv up to the moment OF his arrest.
Taylor turned pale anu wGs much Az lated. Aiter
Allan q. Taylor. having oecn uutined " tie Fire
Manual that he could answer Of not such gncsuon, ne
against hmi, states - ioiows; am a yeais "a
s Don the past thice inonts al sie t.faaa street
pyIeaS cd nc p,aeg ~ 9s,9oer TO- ITSm srSS
him ehatIel mort,ags sor balance my ,t3ek Al time
on which have poncy OF iSsnrasee in Tie interas.
tonal in,l5aIs GO, Sopany 70. !, - on as Mn, q
oeloeS, leaving my Dooskeepcr. Miii.a.n Moran. ~
rs Sigtt stsee,. shyre fry,an9d nnui l, oeloek Z.
w1e e,, TO 90 10 rserre oar9en; 70 ,l,s bowery,
cert ,aopn IN Cna!hsln square; lsequcutyto psans
ere passed ~ TIE BOwery cJrncr OF Grana street
Thomas u, a nae been ~ my eJm1nany gP to period
xo,iOcA A. NJ, AId couu7ucd doan Grand street,
Sto Van Sailes oys.er aoess ia IrSnd street WHERE
! ate ste~ ~ss 1ot ,ata.d o3n N9n Nane') over
70 oelOeA A. NJ. =. time unoescd door
ihs lastafGet Svcr he bar. ai.cf Sn,ch l GTaaS
hlA,, 90 En .'n ,SoS mtIeh i'Sm p"rSe.
| hgNted tHd match "a "a sItlc4 % u tui oI p.lpr
lylhE On the upie s - OF 81 - utuud the par.atd
closet was unuvt te cvutt, rshct alter NhCA tssgi
out "a NJ utllu tLC ana blew oul taC Fa-, Il
tu "a on, Out Cl tta escaping. a--,d ont
Of The ssOon aDd luc.cI the door lille ID tut &C %
einE sad door OhscN - o. uoslAA through hole
l te thut,ef about 10 inches 'quArc tae ia cuu
o. !he Iry, si.d nnmsdl-.el, att, passed v',e..
up Grand Get 10 BoNsTy, Where turncd as went
itJ saloon ~ BONety TOuIalLtd thee about uuuhulI
hour aud iroln saI sAOoa ~ bush Ote Ia MOO cut
reached sad hJtei between ana O'Ilock A NJ. went
~. bed wleTs ma Ded during the UntlTe d1y there
was no pyIsun NuhIa NV saloon otAo. L.Eu IA.
tae time applied the match
(Signcd) ALLAN q. TAYLOR
stat, uIept made before me- this 1T day s0Tuary,
lsO -
(slgnsd) CHAs Y. BRACK FTr,
METROPOLITAN Fire Marshal.
(signed) THERON u. BENNETT,l
(Aptain ISb Precinct. w,,n.....
(Signell WILLIAM FISHER, "H''se'
OnlceT 18Th frvci-ct.