The New York herald., 1872-07-06
Sunstr0kes I'm Trenton.
FIRE IN FORTY-SIXTH STREET.
Supposed Arson-Investigation by tho
Fire Marshal.

Ftro Marshal.
At two O'Clock yesterday morning fire broke out
In the tailor shop of Louis Mendelson, 115 West
Forty-Sixth street. The loss on the stuf is est
mated at $1,000; insured for ST. 500 in the Green.
wich Company. The building was the property Of
Mrs. Schwab, and was damaged to the extent Of
$780, Mendelson was arrested by order Of the Fire
Marshal ON supposttion OF having set fire to his
place, and the following Is the testimony taken in
the case yesterday
Police Sergeant Coombs, OF the Twenty-second
precinct was first called and testified to the con-
dition Of the place when he got there, and OF ar
resting Mr.. MendelsOn on suspicion OF having set
fire to the place.
Peter O'Rourke, q private watchman, was next
called, and made the following ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
at 59S Ninth avenue, and am employed at Nos. ia,
118 and lis West Forty-sixth street. am on duty
there every night. little after one O'Clock this
morning saw policeman pass on the opposite
side Of the street, trying the doors, and about
fifteen minutes after saw MendelsOn come
out Of his hall door and walk in the
same direction the officer had gone for about
seventy-fve feet He then stopped and looked
around, and then turned back looking into each
hallway as he passed, and going into his house. l
was standing against the stable door, nearly Opp0-
site, at the time, and did not make any noise. In
less than ten minutes after he went In the hall I
saw light in his shop. Went across the street and
got on the store door and looked through the fan
light, which was open. l saw Mendelson in the
store with lighted lamp In his hand. / saw some-
thing on the foor burning and something up higher
on fire. did not notice what was on fire. Mende-
son was looking at the fire and walking backward
with lamp In one hand and matches in the other,
and making no effort to put out the fire. then
commenced to rap on the door, and Mendelson
threw the lamp out OF his hand and threw himself
down; do not know whether he threw the lamp
into the bedroom or not. This was the same man
that saw come out OF the hall door previously, and
who Is now here prisoner. The witness here
went on to state what kind Of clothing Mendelson
had on, and very positively identified the prisoner
as the man whom he saw In the store looking at the
fre.) AS looked through the fanlight also saw q
woman standing by the bedroom door leading from
the store but could not tell fit was MendelsOn's
wife. After commenced rapping did not see
what became OF the woman. l raped with my
club and gave an alarm. did not again see the
prisoner until this morning, when saw him at the
station house. l was standing ut the stable door
for an hour before the fire and did not see any fire.
works set or About an hour previous some boys
sitting in the doorway singing but did not set
of any freworks have never had any angry word
or any diniculty with the prisoner.
The prisoner refused to make any statement; but
In conversation with the Fire Marshal sara 'tnat
the fire was caused by hoys throwing lighted fire.
cracFers in through the fanlight. The prisoner was
remanded back to the station house, and the case
tc sf N