The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-23
INCENDIARISM IN PASSAIC,
WHY M,LFAN HOSE COMPANY WAS
PROMPT TO arr TO FIRES.
Tho Confession Of n Membrr-Punissment
that Suprrsiificus Persons Think was
brought About by n Priests Prayer.

The Confession Of mber-PunisSment
that Suprrsiiiicus Persons THINK was
Brought About by n Priests Prayer.
John Chase, now in the Paterson jail on
a charge OF arson, confesses his guilt. He is not
a bad, nor vet q good looking fellow. One might
have a botter opinion OF his physlognomy II no
would look up like a man; but his little eyes
habltuay seek the floor. He seems as " trying
all the while to skulk, and, although frightened
by his position into turning States evidence
against his comrades, the supposed gang Of in
cendiaries who have long been the terror Of
Passnc, he even yet Is unable to overcome bis
natural aversion for plain truth. Each confess
sion that he makes differs from the others In
minor dctnils, and occasionally in main facts,
Just enough to awaL n annoying doubts of all
His statement, unwillngY made last eveningto
arcporier Of THE SUN, was IN substance rs Iol-
lows:
when nrst rot In with the boys in Mclean Hose
CompainM n.y. Nj l. about year sgo ant GOT their CO. n
MY ,oi1 @ W, W, ao9nt Wns' ucy hau none W sel,ihR
s ba aief Mf tss % wiz ,Ss Sa n' Ds1s- S
S6o wacd The es"emeni of run now sad tRen, and
to have McIe li?.e come in nr. every time sumo
o DC tenay 70 %, terow rw 0pnn we doors ana I'm We
ih.t way we used To be ALWAYS ahead There Gus
White Frank Talbert. Tom Gunhorp, Kremberg, Tom
unc or two would SIT the dre and the others .uli
ready in the hose house white used to buy The Sero
" sfnc ne & 10 'ST s. ne re knew Of ns nny9s 6oc Of
neyer buried auy ec9d buildings or houses where
We Just burned old deserted senties nn1 unoccuped
ha, and that sort of places that ibses better 70 get
1i,S fanto, !e boys boys TScrc @ va; R them iast ndc 4
% nyS ySs GI m HS wo So' es sSsn oa
up on cundce drive AMI the other IN old irune OF
be ween February ana April last think. and tne
other was bcie-c ,eS had nothing TO 90 rh ne
enins ehafS d. ''' mouse :" '''' ''''''' '''
He Ia credited with having confessed to par
ticipation In both the acts OF incendi arism men.
toned. Last night, however he was reticent
and uneasy. "A young woman TO whom ne Is
ing room TO see him. and he was unwilling TO
speak for fear she might overnear.
In consequence Of Chase's confession. Gus
White and Tom Gunthorp have been arrested.
The first sirenuOusly afrms his innocence and
falls back upon hi. general good reputation,
but u ia remem oered that when he was station
keeper at the Hsrri,on street depot Just alter he
got m insurance Tor 500 on bis furniture the
article which the poor fellow managed
to save was sewing machine, winch
by a strange coincidence, was the only unin-
sured Grticle In his posse ssiOn. White had
good reput ton, but he has not been able to
Ind oai. rs yet. Tom Gunthorp partially con-
fesscs. lie Is the only one OF the inculpeted
gang who did not belong to Mclean Hose Com
many Nu.1. his alilAtinn being With Dundee
Engine Company No .. Up 10 the time 81 his ex-
pulsion a lew months ago. lie says that he
never participated IN starting any nrcS, but that,
m Nav Ist Ch1ss ami Ialnot took him out for
a walk one night. when all three We're drunk,
and asked him to wait for them few minutes
at a cert ain corner. lie did wait - requested.
in a few miuui es IRE broke out In barn on
GREGORY avenue. lie ran to II. and found Chase
and Talbot there. Almost instantly the Nc
Lean Hose cnrri gc was on the ground, nall "A
mile from tneir house. as II those running her
knew where the fire. was to be. lie suspected
that his companions started the IRE, but could
not swear to II.
Frank ralbert and Kremberg have let. Passac,
| and are supposed to he in Philadelpnia Vhcre
| efforts will he made to effect their arrest. Tom
| Barnaciow, the last-named OF the ing, lies Ia
| bed, with both LEGS broken and IN so low "A con-
diuon that he Is not told OF the damaging allega-
tions against him. lie was hurt In Decen-
| Der last, bv the falling Of chimney
| upon him. ~ the burning OF dwelling
house hred. u Is believed, by tie ssnx OF
| ncendiaries OF wnicn he Is alleged 70 nave been
| n mem ber. The terrible accident which has be-
! fallen MIN is looked upon by many supersiitiohs
/ people In Passaic aud Paterson a. Greet
| Judgment OF Providence, In response u n PRAYER
| said to have been offered ~ by a priest iI,t
| after the burning of tue catholic church, mat
| cod would send some awful punishment on the
wretch who had fred that edince