New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-26
FIRING HIS EMPLOYERS STORE.

FRANCIS ELDER ARRESTED FOR INCENDIARSM-NO
CAUSE ASSIGNED FOR THE nj.
After long examination into the circumstances
of the incendiarv fire on Monday night IN the Tower
Manufacturing Company'~ building. No. BOG Broad
way Fire Marshal Sheldon ordered. last evening
the arrest OF Francis EGer of the clerks IN the
employ OF the firm. WHO dealers in stationery
Elder who Is twenty years old, was locked up IN
c. II IN the Elizabeth Street Police station, and Will
be arraigned IN the Tombs Police Court this morn
Ing The testmonv shows that he Wa drunk ana
probably did not know what he was doing
Four clerks Francis A. CoviIly. Franklin >
Cooley George Jones and Francis Elder were III
the building when the hre discovered, and they
gave the alarm Captain Petty dIssuad"d from
his purpose to put all four under arrest by Chef
Rates of the Fire Department. who advised HIM to
wait the Marshals coming. The testimony OF three
of n EN- was sufficient fix the guilt on Elder be-
fore his turn came to be examined. Their state
ments were in effect that the four men were at work
packing goods IL the basement. Elder got
through with his packing and went down
stairs to the back part Of the sub-celar. carrying
burning roll of paper 10 light the gas at the foot OF
the stairs as he sid HE suD,celiaI /. GVlueu in'g
three paris the middle being full OF pa er, ana
the other two beng narrow pa,s3 -e-W3ys on each
side Elder went through one 81 the slde passages
10 he font OF he sl lar beng gone about ten
minutes lie lighted the on MS ret am. Cooey
had NOT then finished his work, but Jones had.
Elder tired to get them TO leave the place;
he seemed anxious and nervous Cooley sds-
| pcctrd from Elders manner that something was
| wrong and then he smcl e0 something burning. lie
| went down into he sub-cellaT aud discovered TWO
fires One burning ID a caseol bOlting-papeI ana tue
OIIcr among some loose paper. Both hre' iad CON
/ siderable Roadway Cooley aud Jones tried 10 put
them ont when Elder objected TO II, on the ground
| thai they would burn themselves our ana thdl ne
/ two men would only spread the flames. Elder.
| however ynlun.eered 10 60 upstairs Tor water
| from the hydrant. lie gone some
| time and on returning, again trled
TO uduce cooley and Jones u leave the hrcS alone.
| 1 ne flames were cXtnguIshed. however. ana Cooley
started 10 20 I'D TO the basement, when re dlscOV-
| er-d two other fires, whlct had evidently Deeh
KIN led after he first went down 10 the sut-cellar.
| In was supposed tnaI they had been set by Elder
when he went TO the hydrant Elder stoutly denied
| the charge against ma. lie was 50 cool aOOut the
| matter wuen the Ere Marshal began his IuVesil-
cation on Monday night that he was allowed TO 90
TO hls home IN Brooklyn AT q. III. yeatcrday Inc
examine. ion was Resumed later III me day Win
the above result Inc engineer Oh Company NO. 81
stated tlat Elder tOu hun. when tie company al,
rived at the OF the lire, that thle Wa 40 ued
OF tnc remen. the flames could ne put out r2sIly
without then AID. No motive Tor Elders "lsnlJg
10 ire the buIlOIug could he learned. iii lower Is
sand 10 have lost $4,000 b tie Dos, on IRE.
The theory OF the police l. that Elder was 40
drunk that he did not huOW what ne was GOING ana
DIS nor r,uefnJc II now. Iis accounts nave been
ex3ullncd and found 10 all appearance correct.
Elder Is OF respectable family. Al Is considered
almost miraculous 10y tne police tLat TIE OuIuAng
was uOl burned 10 tue ground.