The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-29
FIFTY LIVES IMPERILLED.
TRYING At DFfD or NIGHT TO BURN A
RIDGE STREET TENEMENT
TIVE Candles No Placed that In rive Minutes
Escnpe nv the stairway would have been
Cut Om-Tracinx the Trail of Kerosene.

IAtrlck Woods, an ash man. heard such
piercing screams ns he stopped mt Ridge and
Stanton streets very early yesterday morning
that ne put down the box that ho was about to
empty into his cart and listened Woods. in his
lonely night work. ia accustomed 10 hear all
sorts of sounds. and he has learned to tell 10y
the tone whether the shouts and shricks that he
often hcars in the dead Of night in unpleasant
thoroughfaros are hilarious. drunken or urgent
calls for help. He knew that the screams that
he heard were from woman in great peril.
and leaving his horse and ash box he ran
rs rapidly IA he could down Ridge street in tho
direction whence the call seemed TO come. As
he passed liVington street he saw 10y the flick
cring gaslight some persons head protruding
from the third-slory window Of one Of the tene-
ments in Ridge street occupied mostly 10y
Polish Jews " Fire Help For Gods sake.
help 90 Woods heard distinctly. He saw no
light nor smoke. but he hastcncd to the house.
Just as he reached it, he almost stumbled
against medium-szcd man. slouchy in man
ncr. Woods would have paid no attention to
him. but the man half stopped him as he was
entering the narrow hallway
" Don't you 10 in there. There amt no fire."
the fellow muttercl.
Somewhat confused Woods looked up ut the
woman. This man says there's NJ fire. and
Tor the moment Woods was prepared 60 believe
him. for there were still no signs Of flames.
" There is Help u.s."
Woods then brushed the man aside. and iclt
his way along the narrow entry. Cropping up
the stairs. he saw ut the head a frenzicd woman.
with II child in each arm and all Of them in
their night dresses. She appealed for help.
and Woods said to her that man outside had
| told him that there was no fire.
No fref' the woman almost shrcked.
Look there" pointing to the door that opened
into the extension. " don't you see the light and
can't you smell the smoke 2" Woods had
smellrd smoke while tho woman was speaking.
aud he saw the light hckcring through the
crack between the door and the floor. Then. rs
lac turned 10 go to the room. ho ran against a
man who had hurried down from some Of the
| upper stories. md who was one oi the few who
! had presence Of mind enough to try t. PUT the
| Nrr out
Tho two mon could not 500 oarh others 'neos
| hut realizing that Zach was ON IA" same crran !.
| they Kicked with thoir heavy boots against tie
| door, II would noi yield. Then they uut their
| broad shoulders and weight combined with the
| impetus Of a push Against IL. and IL yielded. IL
| Opened into n kitchen. but the room h"yori
WAS whore the IRE was burning. Wo1d-'- lr-t
| ilonght was that H." tenants wsre sur1rating
ie that at stood S 6a-lde "r' woo Ts7 mt hi his
hands reck lessly on the bed no one was in il.
An hour lutnr Woods found that he had erOt
| hiS',r- on his hands. Opening the window lie
| ktNN li4t iAllIlL NIutilt UP ana ~~tl IT INTO
the street Then he saw that fierce hro was
| burning under the bod ~ one corner. and that
there MS little JET OF ilame at the other end.
| Going down ON his hands and knees. hg reached
| under the bod and seized lighted candle
about an inch long. 1t was in the cover
| Of pas;eboari box. AMI there. was
| a pungent odor of kerosene about H. In the
| mean while the fremcn had arrived. and 70 pa;
by the light 81 their lanterns Woods ana tho
| ilremcn saw On the Il or 81 the bedroom soma
| evenly -lail newspapers and cloths that lel
| from lpuufsl the boil through tho door
| INTO the hHrroom, In tho front room Ol the fret
| story. THIS tfaI I'D 10 "A sofa and an Ire h1x
| AMI tho smell u Kerosene and yarnlsh was DOW
Al about this time which was soon after
| clock Deputy Fire Marshal orr arrived. Tho
! ilr"Wen pointed 10 the trail, nnd showed him
| h. candle that was found under th" bed. The
| was wet and limp. aud the oil drvuad from It.
| The next piece and the rags w"r" also satu-
| rated On some Of the 'ioths yarnish had been
| trail Jed was wet and greasy. The Marshal Hid
not need put hs uose very near, Il. nor TO the
iauGed and sirqEleI eyeryw,iicfe.' '''N
Tho fright nod tenants WHO stood about In
| their night clothes were told 10 10 o. bed the
| fire being out and the danger over. hut when
they learned mat the ife was III" Work u q,
W, aid have gone b ~ with H. iu',nlarycoull
! some ui "a" mon Whose wives .hd children had
b"cu iUl"r.l,ei haye caught llm ,Arn. Tn,fe
| them nGrr stairway was the only means ~
escape. i was the powerful penetrating kero-
flames had got fairly az work. In fifteen min
| urs all retreat would have been cat III hy way
- tine stars. and u would have been lett Tor the
! urepon 10 have res Jed those women AMI
or course the first question HE Fire Marshal
asked Wa- who tho tenant Wa wAo o.cup.,!
| the bedroom ant the BARR, ~ o. which the trail
led, ami they va him that the tenant WA.
| BudIi-kilsky had been in his harroom and that
his VIE and children WIRE at bonn. IN the early
| everybody else. flct clear
| out. The man and his family werc IN all tho
| evening. Later all these clear proofs Of arson
Were empty. Orders were given NJ once % find
| BulIis kiisky and Officer Saul 81 tie Un.on
| Market police undertook e. do 80.
| While the officer WIS out the Fire Marshal
made a detailed nlninaii9n Of very article IN
| the two rooms. He found that Dy the merest
| chance the nm lie Wnloh h3i been 80 placed H.
| 10 ST fire when Il burned down 10 the PASTE
board box cover from which would have run
with great rapidly u the barrooni, the sofa. ice
| chest. bar, and liquors, did not burn OUT 50
quickly as The candle which set IRE 70 The bed
| had done. Although the bed burned the i!ames
| did not reach the more dangerous fuel. some
- the tenants said that Mrs Hudlsk Ky never
was known 10 go out OF her home in the even
| ing because she had four childrento look after.
and the Fire Marshal learned that less than
| month ngo Budlisk lfsky had insured his stock
Company Tor $1,000 None OF the tenants
| thought the entire property was worth 5000.
Officer Saul hunted vainly Tor BudIskiisky
And he Wa returnpG to the house U.s.; when he saw
| lHt man ne MhS ibhhlIk ltlI CA lIt hlhtWHlh III
| front 81 the tenement His wife was with him
| with two II her children in her arms.
want you, BudIskfsky the officer said.
as he Put his hand on the suspected mans
| shoulder.
What for, the hre r. the wife said excitGdly,
| BudJiskifsky said nothing at first. When
walking to the Union Market police station,
| Oflicer Saul said that il was a serious charge,
| brit without specifying IT,
| II didn't do IT, the man said, without asking
what the charge was
When Woods entered the police station he
| looked steadily at Budllskifsky q few minutes
| because. he said he wished TO be sure before
identifying him as the man who tod him that
is the man Woods At length said hut some
| what hesitauugly. " He looks Just like him.
but ! couldnt see the face"
| BudJiskisky protested that he was innocent
and explained his absence with his family by
| saying that he had gone 10 an intimate friends
| house 10 celebrate the birthday Of that friend
| nfter the fashion 81 the Polish Jews. and he
asked for an immediate chance 10 prove II.
" How do you account then for this kerosene
| in your room Z" the Marshal asked.
Bahiskifsky WAS silent y minute or two and
then lie said something to his wife In German.
She replied, and he Frightening ~, said; II
must be- the fclOl who threatened my life. |
got postal card two weeks ago, telling me to