New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-24
UNDER ARREST FOR ARSON.
LIVES LOST AT A TENEMENT HOUSE FIRE.
A WIDOW AND HER TWO CHILDREN BURNED TO
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A WIDOW AND HER TWO CUliDkfN bCi'.'hb ~
DEATH-EVIDENCE AGAINST THE PRISONER.
The fire which drove forty families from thelr
rooms in the houses Sos. 4O4 and 4oo East
sixty-foutt-st early yesterday not extnguisheu
until o'clock Nearly 200 men, women an" chliu'e"
were homeless for the time, ana haf OF 'hein "oio
almost destitute Of clothing. They had Deeh louu D'
the remen shyering the sidewalks or clngiDg u inc
balconies OF the front and rear hre-escapes haNug o
protection against the storm except their hight elos
An were so much panic stricken that they paid little
heed to the cold wind and rain untii Tue hreueh ao
rescued the OF the women and children from the
freescapes Of them spoke English ana the chorus
of shouts lamentations in the Bohemian tongue gave
mo- information to the police and tremen regarding a
woman and her children who had been left III one Oh
the houses. The was Mrs Mary
Tialka widow She had been seen for d
moment by some OF the other occupants uy
ing to get out of rear window ON the iourA
floor O, 4O4. Her daughters, Mary and Anne' aye
seven and Ave- were with her. They were screaming
loudly for help evidently were too 'ch iriShenoo
TO know how to themselves. just as inc nrelhen
arrived the flames burst out OF window on inc 'itu
floor and the women and children were "ii'e" ~ ~
the burning house. ,
When the flremen able at length TO so up through
the ruined building and examine the rooms they ounu
the bodies of Mrs Taka aud her little daughters on lo
third floor The girls had chung to their mother until
NIL three were sunoeated. Later tine fire had roasted
their bodies and had burned away the floor under tem
letting the charred remains fall to the second hoor
Policemen took the disigTed corpses from the houSo
and sent them to the MOrgue. 1t was said that MIS-
Talka had relatives in the city, but her nelShoor' w
not know whore they lived. The widow had supported
her children since her husbands DEATH few years
ago and bad cOntrived TO keep deposit
of $500 in savings bank Inc
houses were owned by Henry Bendhem, who hired the
inmates TO make cigars in their rooms. Most OF them
had been 800 mprovidont to lay up money IN Savings
hanks or TO get insurance their furniture and cloth
Ing MI Benihen carried food to the sufferers ana
peiehbors furnished clothing and temper Try shelter
One OF the most destitute families was that Oh hirS
Madaucheck a widow with five small children
Soon after daybrcak when the inmates began to com
nara notes about the fire, story OF incendiarsm was
passed from mouth to mouth 1t was said that Henry
Kohut, who lived on the second floor OF NO.
4O4 had set fire to the house. He was one OF inc
few occupants who had any insurance. and the idea that
he had kndled the fatal flames in orderto collect money
from an insurance company received with readiness
~ 'he moor Rohemians who knew him Sell. KObu had
not been seen the houses since tho panic winch
followed the discovery OF the ire HIS We anu oIoteI
were absent also. Some the women said that Mrs
Kohu had left the house sunday Afternoon sue rs
only twenty one years Oh aSe ana hoT Sear and
twenty-five. They have been married aDout year anu
have child That the young wife should ieave bed
time was regarded proof that her husband had IL
tended burn the house down Inc tes.lmony OF 'Ho
inmates was conclusive that the fire had started IN
,o9 SIT who lived on the second floor OF No 40G,
SAID that he cry of fire and went out on the rear
are-escape lie saw flames burning the door near
st5ve In Kohut's rooms Going Into the rooms, he
Sonnd them empty and the leading the hall closed
He put flames on the floor ana opened lhe d0or
TO the hall Then lie saw that the stars were on nre k
turning to means OF the hreesc pc he
go his family out of me house ana hept1 20 tSgGe
went Kohuts rooms again with the hremel ana Ha"
several cans which had contained Kerosene OF ahu peH
zine in the rooms There was strong se4i Vi De'-Anc
in the rooms. -, -. - ,.ou .,o, ~, tbe first
floor 4O4 and lived in the rear OF the shop sAu
ont of his rooms when ne heard cry OF ne
When he got into the nall he saw k0hut coming GOWN
stairs with pail in his HAND ana pouring O."
the stairs ont OF the pail Flames ran down INC stdIs
behind KOhu and seemed to feed upon the hqulu "glc
nc or Eaner who was in his shopin Frst-ave.
inst arouDd the corner sad that he No 4ol ana saw
Kohdt pouring something from pan upon Tue burning
tr tS time that Mr. Bendhem hal heard the ugly
stories the feeling against kOhlt hal run so hsh t1t
Bendholm KOnut in the street aud asked Nun "nat
ihave some Insurance said Kohut How can
get the money MI bgn4 ohH, Ta' e aH s 9
The street. he loOk him INTO the ONCE on me Dtst
az irnn home on sunday night. bus did explain
her absence lie dhls brother he d'Wetes tpn- 70
strKe light The lamp fell OF the mahtel ana set nIe
to the place He and his brother went out oil me rouse
by the fire escape Detective Cunpne "F'steu h2uuI
suspicion The prisoner repeated the story "hich nc
Where was your wite at the time OF the fire !" the
Oh She Mas at lone She did until o'clock
this morning, after the fire." was kohut repy. 49,
Insurance policies issued by the HainjurgBremen FIRE
Insurance Company. one WAS for 5000 IN kohuts own
name household ui nitnre lhe 0ther was IN '4 ne
name of his brother Vincent Kohu and was for $500 In
pocket several loose matches an III ohu
coat-ta pocket was large piece Of apple pie. 1t was
said that property owned by the kohuPs was worth
less than 800 before the fire. The prisoner was taken
before Justice Duffy in the YorkviAe Police Court and
relnanded until to-day. When h" Is taken 10 court
again charges homicide and arson Will be preferred
against him. Detective Campbell found Vincent KoIut
hut did not arrest him. The brother Is young man
and like the prisoner is short and stout with DARK com
piexion black hair and features Mrs kohut IT
was said the no 0f relative In East SlXtst
VIII n Vincent Kohut was permitted To leave the FIFTY
Police Station he said that he would take
Mrs bnt to the police court in the morning His
sor origin of the fire was Identical with mat OF
The prisoner. also said that they got out OF their
rooms fre-escape and went down throngh the al
foiniuU Detective Campbell said that when he
Arrested Kohut the crowd outside OF MI. Bendhem's
office was so threatening he obliged to take the
prisoner through "A rear door.