Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1874-01-15

works Of Henry Zieber & Co., at Erfurt in
Prussia, and the establishment was conl-
pletey destroyed The disaster caused the
death of Nine. Anna Zieber, the wife Of the
principal owner Of the concern, aud her two
sons, aged six and four years, who persisted
miserably in the flames. The confagration
had swept Mr.. Zeiber's entire fortune away.
The Fire Marshal Of Erfurt left nothing UNI
done to ascertain the cause Of the disaster !;
the more so as, under the laws of Germany,
| even careless acts that lead to confederation
and loss Of life are punished.
There were two watchmen in the building
during the night when the fire broke out
They said that nothing unusual had occurred
until twelve o'clock, when they had noticed
q strong smell Of burning, which, upon ex-
| animation, had been found to emanate from
the oil-room. They fastened to the foreman,
who told them that Mr.. Zeiber himself had
the key to the ol-room. They had next run
to Mr.. Zieber's apartment. His wife had
answered them from within that her hus-
band was not in and, upon being told that
the house was on fire, had screamed out
aloud: Il cannot open the door =
The rapid Roadway the flames had been
making had compelled them to run back to
Zieber himself, who had exclaimed, oh,
God, l must save my wife and children, and
had run toward his rooms, but had shortly
afterward returned, acting as mailman land
shouting in heart rendering tone: Great
God They arelost = Next came the testi-
mony Of old Zieber himself He seemed
utterly crushed by the blow that had befall
en- him, and said he had taken the key to the
oil-room on the preceding day from the fores
man. because he had discovered that some
employees, who slept near that room, were
burning lights, contrary to the rules. He
had caught one of the weavers, Lawrence
Karsten, in the room of his betrothed, Min,
ma Brown; burning kerosene lamp, very
near the oil room, and that he had ordered
Karsten to put out that lamp, and ordered
that girl to 90 back to her own room. Both
Karsten and the girl. Brown had to admit
that this was true. Upon being asked how
she had extinguished the lamp. Minna
Brown said he had blown it out, while Kar-
stem said he had poured water upon the
burning wick. In consequence, he and the
woman Brown we're taken into custody in or
der to be tried upon the charge Of careless
arson. The two prisoners were convicted,
and Karsten was sentenced to the State
Prison for six years, while Minna Brown got
off with two years, A precise statement Of
the IRE could not be obtained, because the
books had been destroyed at the fire.
While the storm, as far as Zeber was con
cerned, had thus seemed to have blown over,
there was a silent, but efficient agency at
work, through whose instrumentality ulti-
mately the horrible fact was established that
Zieber himself had been the incendiary that
he had deliberately planned and executed the
heinous crime in order to rid himself of h is
wife and children, and TO deiraud his credi-
tors, As in many such cases, a heartless
siren was at the bottom Of the whole affair.
Among the creditors who lost by the failure
of Zieber i Co. was the banking firm of Sig
lily 4 Sons, of Mayence. Young SICILY. the
manager, was moste nergetic and sagaoi-
Gus man, and finding that his house would
be brought to the verge Of ruin by the loss
sustained at the fire in Erfurt, he deternin
ed to sift the matter to the bottom. He
suspected old Zieber from the first. lie OBJ
tanned the services of clever detective TO
watch old Zeber S movements. One day
the detective noted well-dressed GIRL bear.
ing letter in her hand, approaching the
front door Of the house where Zieber lived
He entered into conversation with her, and
found that the letter was destined for Lleber,
the letter was from her mistress, Nile Sega
russo, ballot girl The maid told him also
Zieber came to see Mile. Segarusse every
day, about ~ @ clock in the evening, and
that he had plenty of money, and had made
her mistress costly presents.
Il The detective proceeded at once 10 the res
i idsnce of Mile. Segarusse. lie found her
installed in splendid quarters near kroli S
Opera, House. She was stylish French
woman Of thirty; The detective proceeded
to business. Madame, said the detective,
; imperatively, Il want you to show me i'm
mediatey all the presents you have received
from Zieber, and his letters, or | will have
you taken between two policemen the
Molken Market Prison, She staggered and
! faltered out what have done ? She al
most tainted but then opened her bureau,
, handing him few letters 1 have destroy
ed the Others she said. Very well and
now the presents. She showed the detec
tive number OF magnificent diamond and
! emerald sets. That is enough, madame,
, he said coldly. Now be pleased to put on
! your shawl and bonnet, and follow HE to the
Molken Market. Ten minutes afterwards
she was locked in -olitary cell, and in an
other half hour Zieber WAS also prisoner in
the same building His room was carefully
, searched, and underneath q plank in the
floor were found diamonds and bank notes to
, the amount Of Ss0,0Uo.
The woman hoped to extrcate herself
from the very unpleasant position in which
! she was placed by telling all she knew about
her paramount i never cared anything for
f him she exclaimed. lie made me such
splendid presents. He importuned me for a
year past to marry him, and said he would
manage TO get rid of his wife, and take me
to America. The official who examined her
! asked her if she believed Zieber had intep.
led to kill his wife Yes, sir she said.-
, When he saw Inc first after the fire he ex-
1 claimed, Now | have done it The two
We're sent to Eriurt, where additional eyi.
E dence Of his guilt was obtained, former
I servant girl Of the deceased Nine. Zieber,
testiiying that the latter husband had often
. told her he would get rid Of the old woman
and then marry her or some other girl. lie.
b. Der denied all the testimony, but was new.
| ertheless, convicted of arson in the first de.
a gree, and, with unaccountable clemency
sentenced only to the State Prison Tor life
karsten and Alinna Brown were pardoned
.. by the King
, large mt citing VI working nleu Was held
IN Chicago on Sunday evening, al which steps
We're taken 10 organize a working mems poll
i teal party. Resolutions were adopted iemal,-
ding the cessation oflegislaton for monopolies
and the repeal Of existing laws in their favor
= that railroads, canals and teegraphs te mana
= ged aud operated by the State or community
. that savings banks and hrehnsurancs eompanie,
! be established aud controlled by The State that
. the contract system, as applied to public works
I ha Hail ii