The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-09-15
FIRE FOLLOWS THE MAN
He Had a Spite and Was
Not to Be Dis
couraged.
AN UNUSUALLY BOLD INoENDIARY
frequently Applying the Torch in
a Thickly Tenanted Lodging
House Under the Eyes of
Watchers.
AN UNUSUALLY BOLD INCENDIARY

John kells, tall, angular, straight
red haired carpenter, with a shaggy
growth of side whiskers and mustache.
was committed for trial on two separate
charges of arson by Justice Stilsing this
morning. The complainant was Francis
Brock, proprietor of large lodging
house, Nos. % and 25 Montgomery street.
Mr.. Brock claimed that the prisoner
set fire to the hallway leading through
his house TO two residences in the rear on
Friday night last. and failing in this at
tempt, again visited the hallway and
started another fire about four o'clock
Saturday afternoon.
He produced five separate witnesses
whose testimony makes strong case
against the prisoner.
THE MOTIVE
He attributes the prisoners motives to
revenge. Two years ago Kells was
lodger in the house. Though compare
lively easy to get along with when sober
he acted like crazy man when drunk.
One night he got on spree and with two
loaded revolverS assembled TO his room and
had picnic all by his lone self shooting
at imaginary antagonists. Mr.. Brock
was obliged to put him out of the house.
Kells told several parties he would get
square with Brock. Among these were
Veterinary Surgeon j. j. McHugh, q
fellow lodger, who has had apartments in
Mr.. Brooks lodging house for the past
six years. About a year ago DIR. McHugh
was approached in hotekin New York,
on Sunday morning, by Kells. who said,
''Tm going to have your life. / win have
my revenge. You were instrumental in
having me put out of Brooks house"
The doctor says Keils was accompanied
by another man, who set him on. The
doctor made his escape.
THE EVIDENCE
Mr.. Brock said he saw the prisoner
come out of his hall Saturday afternoon.
He went into the hallway and found
shavingS, sprinkled with what he sup
posed was benzine, atire, and the flames
were licking the frame wall, adjoining
Lewis T. Woods auctioneer rooms. The
man carried hatchet, and he was afraid
to tackle him unarmed. A coat, supposed
to belong to the prisoner-Mr. Brock rec
ognized it as one he wore when new two
years ago--and bottle which had con-
tafned benzine, were found a short dis
tance away from the fire.
Mr.. Brock, who had been notified of
the fire the day before, gave orders to a
boy in his employ to follow the coatless
man and not lst him out of sight. while
he put out the fire, which had not yet
gained much headway. The coat and the
bottle were submitted as evidence.
line FOlLON6 1dE MAN.
Jacob Muller, barber at No. 81 Mont
gomery street, On th5 stand, testified that
he had closed up his store Friday night
and was standing in front when the pris-
oner, whom he identified, passed him and
glanced into the store. The houses in the
rear were occupied by the families of four
storekeepers and he knew everyone who
had business through thathallway. 1.-THE
man." said Mr. Miller, who was in his
shirt sleeves, rolled up. exposing red fian-
mel underwear. sat down on the door step
for a few minutes and then got up and
entered the hallway
II thought possibly there was room in
the rear of the cigar store which this man
was occupying. The man came out few
moments afterward and saw him smash
a small bottle in the street. He walked
of across the street and was soon lost in
the darkness. Shortly afterward fire was
discovered in the hallway. helped to
put it out. 1 was standing under an
electric light. The next afternoon was
upstairs in my own house. saw Brock
talking excitedly with the same man out
on the pavement. came down and
found there had been another fire. told
Brock the man was the same that visited
the place last night"
Theodore Groffman, who lives in the
rear of the cigar store, No. 25 Montgomery
street. saw a man with shirt sleeves rolled
up, exposing the sleeves of red under
shirt, l0lberlng ABOUT the hallway Friday
night, but could not identity the prisoner.
He was surprised to find a fire IN the rear
of the hallway shortly afterward. He
helped to put it out by stamp
ing upon it. He found sawdust and
shavings and smelled something like
'old-style camphine.' He was not home
on Saturday.
MaryP Peterson, who lives.in the rear testi-
fed that she helped to put out the fire on
both occasions. She could not'idenuify the
prisoner. She was sure she saw shay
ings and saw dust in the hallway, and de-
clared emphatically that she smelled
| benzine
WHEN HE BOUGHT THE STUFF.
Druggist Campbell, who was not pres
ent, is said to have admitted he sold ben
zine to the prisoner Saturday.
There are no less than twelve dodgers
| in Brooks house. The first floor is occu-
pied by stores and the rear dwellings are
full of people.
Counsellor Herbert Potts represented
the prisoner.