Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-12
URGED TO TRY ARSON.
HOW TAILOR sAMUELs SAYS He WAS
ASKED TO PAY DEBTS.
A Big Dealer in trimmings Charged With
Conspiring to Defrsud Insurance.
Companies.
New York World

would have backed his credit for thou
sands. He was arrested yesterday morn
ing by Sergeant Frank Mangin and
locked up in cell stpolice headquarters,
charged by Jacob Samuels with con
spring to burn store and a stock OF dry
goods ia the tinder-box lodging-house
quarter along the Bowery. Strauss is An
ex.convict, but for years he has kept the
secret, and the merchants in whose books
he had page never knew they were
giving credit to former jail-bird.
Samuels, whose faint-heartedness I'M
yelled the whole matter, with his brother
kept the London Clothing Store" at
No. DAT Bowery. He has known Strauss
since 1882, and owes him 1890. In
1886, Samuels says, Strauss limited that
the easiest way to square matters was to
burn the store and from the insurance
pay his debts.
Inspector Byrnes was informed that
the men had secured a large amount OF
additional insurance on their property
and prepared bogus set OF books with
which TO deceive the insurance compa-
MES after the fire. He laid the facts be
fore Justice White, and Samuels, scared
by the predicament he found himself in,
made a clean breast Of the whole con-
spiracv, and Strauss was arrested yester-
day at the store where the merchant was
awaiting the arrival of Detectiye-Ser-
geant Heidelberg. whose aid he had So
licited to secure the arrest Of Samuels on
a charge of forgery.
Later in the day the prisoner was ar
raigned before Justice White at Jeffer-
son Market He was accompanied by
his son Julius and Lawyer Hummel.
Assistant District Attorney Jerome repre-
sented the people, and submitted to JUS
tice White an affidavit made by Samuels.
Lawyer Hummels motion for Strauss s
discharge was denied. and the prisoner
was paroled in the custody OF his coun-
sci until Saturday morning Samuels
says that in his affidavit he hasn't told
half the story. December 10, 1887, he
swears Strauss said 10 IN Il don't
believe you'll ever be able TO pay that
81, 900 unless you let me show you how
to do it. "
"What do You mean?' asked the
tailor.
"Why, let the place go off, was the
answer. When Strauss heard that the
insurance on Samuels stock amounted to
%, 500, in the Williamsburg City and
Lancashire Insurance Company, he said
it ought to be increased to $4,000. II
Samuels could not get it he himself
would see that it was obtained. There
after number of insurance surveyors,
sent by Strauss, called, but they all re-
fused TO write any further policies be-
cause the building was a frame one.
Strauss told Samuels to see IN insurance
broker named Wendell Steinthal, OF No.
81 east Fourth street. Steinthal sent his
son, Louis S., to the Bowery store, and
finally it was agreed that Steinthal
should set the insurance from an out-of-
town company if necessary.
Strauss's next solicitude was about
Samuels's rent, which was unpaid. One
day he told Samuels ne had seen Mr..
Arnheim, the landlord, and paid him.
He then ordered Samuels to get ready to
move out his brothers family, who lived
over the store He had fixed it with a
man named Arnheim, be said, SO that
he, in case anything happened, would
say that Samuels s reason for moving was
on account OF repairs to the building
81 don't know" added Strauss, what
hour the fire may take place, and | don't
want anything to happen to your
brothers. children"
Samuels had no money with which to
move or rent another house. Strauss
gave him a check for &lO0, payable at
the Home Bank. This check is now in
Inspector Byrnes's possession, and IS
considered as strong evidence against
Strauss. Samuels deposited 1t and drew
against it and hired apartments at NO.
225 east FOrty.ninth street. February
1st Strauss, according to Samuels, said
he wanted the fire 10 take place
at once, as SteintlIal had sue
ceeded in having the store in
sured. A note to run sixty days for
$500 was made by Samuels, payable mt
the Germania Bank, 10 Steinthal, and at
Strausss direction Samuels indorsed
STRAUSS name thereon. Everything was
now ready; but Samuels began to lose
nerve and told all he knew. Strauss,
mean time, knew nothing of the comics
sion, aud, the detectives say, was urging
Samuels on to the last important step.
He threatened to charge him with
forgery, it is said, for endorsing the note
for $500.
Seeing that Samuels would never do
as he desired, Strauss went before Judge
Van Hoesen, in the Court Of Common
Pleas, and obtained a writ of attachment,
which was foreclosed Tuesday, and the
sheritTs officers are now in possession Of
the London Clothing Store. 81 Before
he could get Samuels into custody on
the forgery charge he himself was be-
hind the bars. The detectives said
Strauss was an ex-convict, but this the
merchant denied.
Inspector Byrnes said: 81 know a
man who positively identifies Strauss as
having served five years in State prison
for receiving stolen goods. And that is
not all. In my Office and before wit
nesses, Strauss admitted 10 me that he
had served seven years. The crime was
in New Jersey, and he Was caught in
room with a notorious thief. and they
had the stolen goods right there
with them. Whether that is his only
sentence or not | don't know. The
insurance agents were all ready to-day
to testify that the application for the in
surance on Samuelss property came
from Strauss. The porter at Samuels's
store will swear that Strauss made him a
proposition to apply the torch to the
stock and Samuels himself has copies in
Strauss handwriting showing how he
was to fix up the false books so as TO
vouch for a stock valued at 81, 600 which
he didn't have. cannot understand
why Strauss gave Samuels the check for
500 which l have and which Samuels
has drawn against, when Samuels
already owed him 81 800 which ne could
not collect and had to get an attach
ment 10 satisfy"