The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-25
ARSON In LUDLOW STREET.
D1BI1GING ITEMS IN PERLSTEIN'S
MEHORANDUM NOOK.

MHEORdNDUM BOOH
But They Were Excluded r.om the Evidence
In Judge Cowinn's First Interesting Trini-
Made Angry by Marshai sheIdon's Smile.
The boyish foreman Of the jury In the
General Sessions. before which Isaac Pcrlstein.
who Ia charged with setting fire to thetenement
Mt II Ludlow street. on tho 10th Of November
last. is on trial. wore yesterday n eatin- faced
coat and n garnet satin neck scarf. ornamcntod
with a gold pin Of strange device. He whs
strong contrast to the pale. carcworn prisoner.
whose jetty hair and board wore unkempt. and
whose clothing wns dsordcred. Spectators
filled every inch Of standing room.
Fireman Perlcy. bcing recalled. testified that
when Perlstoin. Bernstein. and Freeman quit
ted the bnrroom nt G2 East Broadway. and sot
out for the tenement at II Ludlow street. on tho
evening OF the 10th OF November. Perlstcin car
rcd basket Ic did not see the stone dcmi-
john that he hnd seen In Froomans hand when
the three entered shortly before them.
How large was the basket2" Mr.. Rollins
asked.
"A good-sigod market basket. with fat COW
or" Percy replied.
WAS 1t large enough to hold Democrat
uaughterl-1 mean a dumiJohn |"
The spectators laughed. and Mr.. Rollins. who
is one OF the swallow-tailed mem bers OF the
Union League Club. bushcd.
1t might have held a Thmmany Hall Demo-
crat Just after the last election" Mr. Brooke was
understood TO say ana tho laughter was re.
nrwed
Isaac Perlstein. the prisoner. then took the
stand in his own behalf His oath was taken
elouch hat ON before he swore. Perlstoin tost-
fed that he Is uedller, aud that hi home is in
the tenement ut % Market street, He WAS IN his
home on Sunday, the 10th Of November until
4 o'clock IN the AFTERNOON. Then he went out
e, buy fish; Hc bought il in Bayard street.
Then he called upon n friend. n Mr.. Aronson. In
Allen street. returned to his home at o'clock.
and did not 90 out again. He went TO bed at II
O'Clock. After he was arrested. no WIS taken
before Fire Marshal sheldon. who asked him
nsh well but he answered The Fire Marshal
wrote something, and then read II 10 him. llo
did not understand II. but he signed his name.
Fire Marshal sheldon was taking notes near
smile was on his lips. Pcrlstein saw It, and 1t
seemed to iniuriate him, His face became paler
lean lean iore2nser' straight at Mr. SHeiion. ThSSt
old man" he exclaimed. " told me lies, lies.
lies He told me. You viii go up Tor lifo II you
don't understand q he asked me-"
Under cross-eNuml mluntion lPerlstcin testified
United States about six years ago He has boon
in PENNSYLVANIA most Of the time since then.
II, came 10 this city about nine months ago.
Frorman was put at tho bar. and Mr.. Rollins
Pcrstein said that he did not. Hc might have
seen freeman In the harroom at 90 East Broad
way. bu, he was not acquainted with him.
| Freeman was taken back TO the prisoners pom
stein Mt short range.
Did you not 20 to Max Lcvy's rooms in the
| tenement nj 40 Ludlow street on the I'd OF
| November with bernstein and Freeman. and
| set fire 10 the furniturof he asked, 49, .
mo. sir. | never made fire in my life."
| Perlsieln answered. Indignantly; Nor my
How came you to have in your pockets.
! when you were arrested. the cards Of ten or
eleven petty LAWYERS. and the card OF William
| Etingcr. ndJusler OF fire losses. n you never
bad anything to do with hro In your lifof'
MIR. Brooke objected. and Judge Cowing sus-
| tnluod the objection.
SIr. Rollins handed a memorandum book to
| Ierl-,ein. Read he said. nointng TO the
| Mr.. Brooke objected and Judge Cowing asked
| Mr.. Rollins upon whHt ground he based the
| offer o' the contents OF tho memorandum book.
! his voice reached tho Mrthest corner Of the
| court room. have obtained a translation ~
! the memoranda. written in Polish bcrmnn. in
| the book that sal -ncs me That they refer to
| other fires In which the prisoner gave a heping
! hand. There are particulars ot six different
! fires The names Of the occupants OF the prem
scs whore the fires occurred are giyrn In at
| least three OF these cases Perlstein, Bernstein,
| minutes before tho fire was discovered. The
fires ranEe, in point OF date from Aprl! to tho
Judge Cowing nskcd whether Mr. Rollins
| could submit n precedent for the admission OF
~" 10, y"nr Honor" XII. Rollins said. Il do not
| think that can give YOU preccdout Just now.
/ believe tnat this case Is entirely unprcce-
dcnted"
Judge Cowing sustained Mr. Brooke's obcc-
tion.
He. Pcrlsten resumed. cut ont shirts for his
| wife until O'Clock on sunday. the 10Th of No
| vomber. He has peddled the shirts that she
| made. After tea at o'clock. he plnyed domi-
| noes with his daughter. Anna. Miss Esther
! kabiuowi2. n neighnor, and Isaac BENJAMIN. a
huurd.r. until II O'Clock. His wife and his sis
t.r Mrs. Cohen. of 80 Chry.tio street sat near
the table sewing. After the last game he went
To bod.
Mrs. Perleten. Mrs. Cohen. Miss Perls'ein
Mss nnh.nowiz and Isaac benjamin then tcsti-
He'd IN confederation of Pcrlste II.
| WulOrt Harris OF II Ludlow street was
cailod to rrbut Fireman prrlcys aycrmrnt that
he broke open the door of I"yy's rooms. and
threw water upon tho fire before the iircmer
came. Harris wur" serdy clothing that np
pearol to be kept together only 10y the aitrar
ton oi long association. The ends Of his truu
sers were stuck III unhlani ned boots. HE
and n llvId srar. starting from the bridge of his
nose. extended TO the roots Of his hHir Pm,
spectators laughed when he stumbled towaro
the witness stand. Harris testified that he wa'
slnuting ut The street door oi the ten mon
! when some bows on tho opposite sidewalk
shouted. Fret He burst open L.yy's door
| and throw Waior upon NE iirc. lie did not see
| Fireman prtlsy. Then Harris heglu 10 give al
account of the encounter IN Whl"h he received
his bruises. but Mr.. Rollins cut him short
| Mr.. Brooke said that the dcieu' Wi,S closed,
Mr. Rollins and Mr.. Brooke -um M to
! day, aud Judge tuWlng Will charge .44e Jury.