, 1874-07-26
THE CASE OF ISAAr5nN


The arrest of the man lBaacso1, under certain
alleged facts, gave rse to the opinion that IN
actual case of incendiarIsm had boon discovered j;
that the origin OF the fire OF July II had been
ascertained; and that the laT would make such
an example of tho guilty Us would be warning
to au others. The man Isaacson ls Polish
lsraeite, as we're most of his ucighbo1s and
the Witnesses. he had been dealer in rags and
| iron, but Las more recently followed fre1it-ped-
ding. He Is rather unprepossessing in ap-
pcarance, and seems to have been unpopular
| among Ills ncighbors. He has q wife aud one
child.
The testimony taken before tho examining
magistrate for the prosecution was TINT Isaac
son had expressed E strong desire to get rid Of
Lis houses; that he had said they we're unprofit-
able; that be had said he WAS insured for s., ,40o
that he had refused to whitewash tie premises;
that be had offered q witness 300 to set fire to
the houses; and that I fire had actually taken
place there two weeks previously, for which Isaac
son had been arrested but DISCHARGED Rose
Goldsmith, d child, declared that she had
heard 1lrs. lsaacson say to number
OF persons that, "unlcss her head was not
on her shoulders, all Fourth avenue would burn,
or go down." Subsequently the Child took this
story back, saying that certain men had told her
What to say. md promised to pay Ler for saying
It. The officer who arrested Mrs Isaacson asked
her, on the way to the prison, Why abe set fire
to tho premises, and She said :. because slo
wanted to. and that she had set fire to it with a
candle" This was considered n confession
AL the Witnesses for the prosecution located the
origin Of tho fize in Isaacson's baru,-onc of
them declaring that ho saw blue fire. like TINT
produced by kerosene, coming therefrom and
this before any other building was on ire. Ono
witness declared that lie was about to ta1e roona
IN 1saacsons house, when the latter advised him |
not to do 30, as it would be burned down,
Foe the defense, it was proved by an OYER
Tholming array Of evidence that Isaacsou wns |
absent from the neishbochood all day, and that.
ut the time OF the fire breaking out, he was
peddlng fruit on Sherman street ; 30 the prosc-
cut1on was forced to claim that the actual firing
was done by Mra. 1saacson. boy who had been
sent to get a horse from the barn adioipi,g
4saacson's declared that he wa6 there when tho
lire broke out, and did no. see Mrs. Isaacson
como near tho barn, which WIS locked IL
boarder III the house testified that 2Irs. lsaacson
nad been hard at work washing until o. m,
ard that from that hour until the fire broke out
aad been sitting i'll tho hall Of the house, md
had never left it. L iI1. Blumenthal declared
hat he was in the alley when the fire Vas burn
ing the barn in rear Of No. 272, and Isaacsou'E,
which was in rear OF No. ZIG, was no. then on
lire. OtLer witnesses testified that tho fire did
Ros originate in Isaacsoas b1rn at all. Mrs.
Esaacson declared that size did not understand
"ord tho officer said when be arrested her. and
nadc no confession to him. sLo WAS rct able to
sase anything from tho house. The prisoner
|saacsoE stated that Lo owned two large
[raHo dwellings and ouo E.ca11 bu;,1;nc.
iney were worth together $4,000. and were
Insured 1or Sl,1co. From these buildings he
:eeeved monthly rent ct 21o5 uo-hal ro-
'ent'y renewed his lease Tor three years, md Ut
. cost Of $3.50, put tie houses in rc7a;r. Fla
SOS abEent from home all day, and ho denied
he various stories rs TO lis being tired of hi.
property and wanting it burned up Ills annual
:ents exceeded the whole amount OF insurance.
Ihis is the whole case. 1t is evidently veal,
mo against lsaacaon. The witnesses generally
peak and understand English impe1fcctly; some |,
'oe Il AL The education OF the parties has ,
'een very poor, and the sanctity of m ,
ath seemingly is not understood hv
hem. The accused ws7 disliEed and svo1u ,