The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-23
ON TRIAL FOR ARSON.


The General Sessions court room was
throngod yesterday when the trial OF Isaac
Pcrlstcin. accused Of setting fire to the crowded
tenement at IL Ludlow street. on the evening OF
tho 10th OF November last was resumed
Gustavus Smith. member OF tho insurance
patrol. testified that he was en- guard at the
outer door Of Joseph Levy's rooms, on the third
floor Of the tenement where the fire had It's
origin, after the fire. was cxtlngulshcd until
Fire Marshal sheldon began his investigation.
No one entered the rooms meanwhile.
Daniel Dempsey Of Engine No. Q testified that
he WIS detailed. in November last to watch
Pcrstcin. He saw him in tho barroom
Mt 62 East Broadway on the evening
Of tho 18th OF November. Pcrlstcin
sat ut table with Charles Bernstein
and Abraham Freeman. He had frequently
seen Pcrlstein. bernstein. Freeman. and Joseph
Lcyy together in the room. Perstcin was in
earnest. hut low-voiccd conversation with Bern
stein, Freeman and Levy Pcrstcin rose from
his chair at % quarter after . O'Clock and took
~ "a covered basket TINT WAS on the table Then
hr qu,ued inr lla,C, Bernstein and Freeman
following closely The three went to the house
~ % EsscN street. which adloins Bernstcin's
iathcr's butcher shop He followed walking
the hallway of the house Pcrlstpin gave the
hnskct tn Bernstein. and crossed the street.
lie looked cautiously about him. and
then, crossing tho street again. he followed
! bernstein into the hallway. Bernstein stood ON
the sidewalk. with the basket on his arm. Free
man and Prrstein soon came out OF the house.
ir'rnlan crrrird n d"muonn. As they Joined
bernstein, Freeman handed the dcmilohn 70
lrrs'rtn, ,IhGh me tnre1, went To the tene-
mont at u Ludlow street. They entered. soon
afterWari pcrlstein leaned out Of the windows
| gt L'Vy's rooms and drew in tho shutters.
! Freeman came out OF the house aud paced up
| and down before the door. Fifteen minutes
| later PeriStein and Freeman joined him. and
| tho three walked To Canal and Ludlow streets
/ HHrU-tutu fNpn returned md leaked nj
| Irvys rooms in the tenement hut Perlstein
| and Freeman went To the barroom at 60 East
| broadway. Tho witness ran to the house OF
! Engine .. at 50 East Broadway. and told tho
| foreman that he might expect fire
! fl Ludlow street. The horses were hitch
| ed 10 the engine. the ilr"men stood ready
/ and the door was unlocked. Ten minutes
| sounded. The engine dashed out OF the house.
| aud he ran with il 10 the tenement NJ IL Ludlow
H. and the other fremen but 9u, the lire. Then
| he hurried To- the barroom at 62 East broadway.
| He soon saw Levy and stranger Join Bern
beer. Levy and the stranger soon quilted the
rooW. and walked brskly to the house at 3
| Market street whore Pcrlstcn lived. They
rang the door bell. and knocked. but they were
! not admitted They returned To- the harroom
! aul Levy spoke in n how voice 10 Bernstein AMI
| Freeman. Then tho four went 90 the house NJ
| p Market street. and after some knocking.
were admitted. Five minuies later they came
| out. walked u few blocks up Market street. and
then separated.
Lawyer Brooke. perlstein's counsel. endeav-
| orcd To damage Dempsey's testimony by shak-
ing the certainty Of his Identification 81 Perl
| stein.
| How could you recognize man that you
| had seen only a few times before" he aske
sharply. when you saw him lean for an in.
slant out Of a thlrd-story window ut about y
O'Clock ON fail evening"" Very easily
Dempsey replied. There was a clear moon.
light aud was keeping u bright lookout on Ia,
Charles II. Percy. Of Fire Marshal sheldon.
| Office. testified that he was also detailed C.
watch perlstein. lie followed Perlstein from
| his home on the evening Of the 10th Of Novem-
| brr 10 the barroom nj 60 East Broadway. III
| followed Perlstein. Bernstein. and Freeman &
| the tenement. at IL Ludlow street. When they
| entered lrvy's rooms there hc went up TO the
| floor above ard stood in the dark on the land
| ing. He heard Pcrlstein. Bernstein. and Free
| man quit Joseph levy's rooms. Then he ran
| down the stairs. and broke open the outer door
| The lounge IN the sitting room was ailre
| Heaps OF burning clothing were in various
| parts OF the sitting room and in the adjoining
| bedroom. Every piece OF furniture and
| clothing was besprInklcd with kerosene oil
| Tue floor and the walls We're despatched with
| II. He ran TO the nearest nre-alarm box. and
| sent out an alarm. After the flremen had eN-
| tinguishcd the fires in the rooms IL was found
| that a train Of saturated clothing had been laid
| To- the bedroom. There II was connected with q
| had been poured. The trial was not ended.