The sun., 1890-09-01
SETTING FIRES FOR FUN.
,,1KN IN 4 MONT KERP BROOKLYN
FIRkMEN BUSY.

--.,s.,ts OF n Small District in that City
usnt Awake by the Rattle Of Engines
Is,,i Long Arer 4 O'eiooE-Two Arrests.
sov.p fires. which seemed to have similar
.,IS,r and which occurred within few blocks
teach other, took place in Brooklyn between
S'oo o,oIook on Saturday night and 80 o'clock
..,,srday morning. Assistant Chief Engineer
nj. Who is In charge Of the Brooklyn Fire
n.nartment during the vacation OF Chief
Ssvlns 10 convinced that the fires wore not
~ nf ipcendiary origin In every instance,
~, vere started by members OF q gang OF fro
s.s. which has been operating In the city for
ss-.ral dave The police arrested two men
~ ara believed 10 have some knowledge Of
an. origin OF the fires. Tho prisoners are now
a. RAYMOND street Jail, and they will probably
,,.v there until the authorities complete their
Investigation.
Tbs first fire broke out at TX on Saturday
.,aninR among some rubbish In tho cellar un-
asr Martin Holz's saloon, 80 Smith street An
,I.rm was sent out. but the flames were ex-
,nouished by the inmates before the arrival
=, the epgines. Burned fragments OF news
n,n4rs and a number OF matches were found
among tho debris.
nS,40 o'clock another fire was discovered
AT the same place and under exactly the same
ambitions, but this time the inmates OF the
building were powerless, and the flremen
hrenohed out the flames. The hre was un-
doubtedly the work of incendiaries, and the
police made searching investigation. which
bore fruit, 1t is believed. later in the night
Exactly an hour after the second FIRE In the
aaloon the flremep were turned out by another
alarm. This time they were called to tho cell
lar under shoe store kept by Frederick Un-
versaght, at 37S Atlantic avenue. The flames
oriRinated as in the other case, in pile Of
rubbish. and when they wore extinguished the
aremen found burned matches and paper
streWn around the cellar.
Alto o'clock the engines were summoned to
tho four-story brick tenement 104 and los
Smith street, which Is the property Of George
Schnorr OF Atlantic avenue and Smith street
The ground floor is occupied by August Key
senbach who Keeps hardware store and all
the floors above are rented. AB in the othor
cases, the flames were In the oeller. and had
been started among lot OF packing boxes and
rubbish. The flremen had no difficulty in con-
fning the fire within safe limits, and the dam
ace will not exceed 5000. Policeman Storey.
who had been Investigating the cause OF the
Keysenbach's store. Perkins was half drunk,
and he was locked up on charge OF intoxica-
ton. but the police admit that the prisoner Is
suspected OF being q member OF the gang
which is held responsible for all OF Saturday
nights fires. The prisoner said he was 20
years old. and that he lived at 1856 DeGraw
At Il:1O P. NJ. the nremen were called out
again, this time to the four-story double brick
tenement at 400 Warren street. owned by
flames spread from the cellar. whore they orig
mated as In the other cases. to the first floor
occupied By the families OF Emily SAKE and
Sl25 Again the firemen found fragments OF
burned paper and matches on the cellar floor:
. AT l2h A. Nj. bale Of hay on the Ground
floor OF Richardson's stables at 2U5 and 207
State street was set on tire and again the tired
firemen were called out. For time 1t seemed
as though this would be big blaze. but the
age was done.
The engine horses had not been stabbed
when another alarm was tapped out on the
moned the fremen to the double tenement:
az Atlantic avenue. owned by John Bissell Of
dremen busy until after 3 o'clock. The 1re be-
gan In the cellar under the stores Of W. Conis-
The work OF the flrebues was more effective In
this instance, for the flames spread with sur
prisng rapidity Tho rooms above the stores
awakened to find both OF the front stairways
filed wi1h dense smoke. which e1ectually cut
OF all means Of escape that way. In tne panic
house was on ire the frightened tenants seemed
TO forget that the rear OF the building was
amply provided with fre escares. When the
were filled with men, women. and children.
panic stricken. and shrteking for assistance.
Fireman Meyers Of Engine 26. who was active
smoke, and was taken from the house by his
Comrades In an unconscious condition; de
H to S9sPS n an
was severely burned on the hands and legs
before shS was takS1 from the building: and
Ann An 9'Reilly. the child OF one OF the tenants on
and arms. In The excitement the 10 months
old baby Of George Schmidt. who, occupied
rooms on the second floor. was thrown, or
allowed 10 fall down stairs. and had his head
Ambulance Surgeon Kimball attended to the
aEd osp Rs WSro
N several places, and who said be had received
his injuries while descending one Of the fire
been looking for Connolly, and finding him In
the surgeons care Immediately arrested him.
The charge vas intoxicR alton. but the police In
Of arson. and hint that he is connected with
the gang Of arobuRs. Connolly SAID at the
station that his home was at lO2 Prince street.
$4,000; Frank Kieier. who occupies rooms on
the first floor. loses $500 on furniture: George
tSehmidt tSi and George Burnshere. who live On
o,ksilly. on the third floor. 5000
Perkins and Connolly we're arraigned yes.
terday before Justice TiEhe on the charge OF
tn.S9IiCSEtion. .S SG.E. and both we're remanded They
magistrate, nor did tho police learn anything
from them. Acting Chief Engineer Dale in
tmated yesterday that at least one Of the
prisoners was a member of the gang which is
eusDecied OF ncendiarism. He says this per-
eon has been under police surveillance for
several days. and that the evidence against
him amply iustihes his detention.
Z. we have every reason 10 believe" he added
that every one OF the fires was tho work of q
gang OF miscreants, who have been operating
ID the city for week or more. On Saturday, q
week ago there were three ilreR OF exactly the
same character, originating in cellars that
were easy OF access One OF these was at the
corner OF Smith and Pacific streets. another at
facino and Hoyt streets and the third in Co
iuinnia street near Amity street 30 far as we
have been able to learn. there has boen no or
binary motive behind any OF tho free. They
seem 70 DO started through pure wantonnes-
end II there is motive II would seem to be the
IDLE one OF calling out the Fire Department. Al
DO time In tho history II the department have
We had 50 many alarme IN such short time
~ We had on Saturday night"
ATTEMPT TO BURN 4 BIG TENEMENT
"a -