New-York tribune., 1873-01-16
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
RECORDS OF INCENDIARlSM
REMARKABLE CASES IN THE FIRE MARsHALs
OFFICE.

RECORDS OF INCENDlAhion'
REMARKABLE CASES IN THE FIRE hAH'hAh
OFFICE.
The records of the Fire Marshal show that,
since June 1870 there have been 7s arrests on cE''
arson and only two convictlons-Minnie DAVIS anu
Anthony O. Jones The Marshal complains that from
the nature OF the erme the evidence must be almost
tirey crcu,nstantal and on this 1t Is exceedingly Jim
cult TO secure q conviction. He complains also tn''
lukewarmness is manifested by certain masisua'o'
whenever he brings before them and IN other ways
the efficiency of his Department Is impaired. Inc ge'
stumbling block however, appears TO be the unwi"s
ness of a Jury TO convict except on the most drect
and positive evidence.
One NJ the most remarkable cases OF ncendarsm on
the Fire Marshas records that OF Minnie DAVIS aas
Annie Morgan, alias f. NJ Mofat. On Dec. D' 1870
fire was discovered in her room In the Doardihghouse
No 81 West. Twenty ninth-st., but was extlhBushoo
before much damage done. The proofs OF incen
darism were so PLAN that she was arrested during
the examination by the Fire Marshal 1t was aseeraneu
that she had procured policy of insurance for 5000 on
her wearing apparel, which worth, perhaps, S5OO
and the greater par. OF this she had removed to an au
Joining previous to setting the place on nre' III
was also ascertaned that two fires had occurred under
suspicious circumstances in room occupied by her at
No. Bleecker-st The evidence against her was SO u
rect that she convicted OF arson in the Court or Cen
era Sessions and sentenced to Sing Sing for ten years
tor of Eauor store on the first floor Of No 6is Ninth
ave. the upper floors being occupied by several families
Business was poor, and Baden made number OF lnei
fectual efforts TO sell out He finally procured pohcy
OF 900 in the Germania Company with the intention OF
firing his store thus defrauding tho insurance com
pany. To avert suspicion from himself he employed an
acquaintance Joseph Roll to do the job On the night
Of Nov. o. Baden Roll and some friends attended
a ball in the neighborhood About midnight Roll LETT
the ball. having been given the key OF the store by ia
dem Proceeding the store he poured Kerosene on the
shelves tho floor, and quantity OF kindling wood
and firing the store in three or four places hurried BACK
TO the ball The fire discovered Dy the ponce anu
extinguished before much damage had DGen zone In9
evidences of ncendiarsm were so plain tlat Bauen anu
subsequently Roll were arrested During Ine iyestH
ton by Fire Marshal McSpedon NUMBER OF susPIc!Os
circumstances brought 10 light Oicer helnisen
Of the Fire Marshas Bureau overheard
between the prisoners in which they in effect admitted
their guilt. Roll finally confessed the whole thng anu
each
remarkable career OF crime was that OF Anthony o.
Jones and William Ciosh. They were proveu 70 Lave Lave
entered into conspiracy TO defraud insurance cOpa
MES. Ciesd was dealer m boots ana snoes nis pm PIN
was procure policies of insurance for sums ranging
from 5000 to $4,000 on his stock and household Iurnue
Soon afterward he visited relatives al HtVeIsIaS OI
elsewhere, ana during MS aO5ento nia @ ~
the place In six cases their plans were sue
cessful aud the insurance companies were defraudcd
out OF thousands OF dollars In order to AVOID suspicion,
Ciesk in nearly every instance removed 70 aVtngl V
he moved to Brooklyn thence to Elizabeth ana thence 70
New York; second pOcy taken out III Ihe
same company ~ taking me- S1{ heinz
enabled 10 proceed Tor kcOhldeTlOe tIno
detected The fire which led TO their ultimate detection
at No III East at Thrtaye Cieski
had boot and shoe store in the front OIL tne hrt noo
ana lived with his family in the The building was
FIVE stories hight and there werc TWO families on ech
OF the upper floors On February s. 1872 short time
after he had taken possession OF the premises Cesk ana
family went HayerstIaw He lelt about noon Oh that
day and said he would be absen, ior day or twO AT
IL o. IN on the following day the neghbors whose aten-
ton had been attracted by the strong smell Ot
benzne, summoned RoundsInan webb OF the Nine
teenth Precinct, and he, breaking into the place.
discovered ample evidences OF intent TO IRE the
building The sock, furniture, and carpet were satur-
ated with benzne aud the middle OF the hoor OF the
sleeping apartment Pile OF kndlng-wOOd, p1per,
aud other cOmbustibe material. among which were haf
burned pariOr maJChc3 but tue iuha!umabe mass had
not gnited. On the floor lay broken kerosene lamp,
but oil in IL, there any traces %
oil on the floor beside it, Cies arrested and after
q time made full confession. Jones arrested, and
t was ascerained that occasions be bad set
buildings fire the purpose OF obtaining the lnsur-
ance Ciesd ased witness, and Jones was con
yicted and sent to sing Sing.