Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-29
A GALVESTON SENSATION.
The Heidenheimers of the Texas Standard Cot
ton Seed OIL MIL Charged with Firing
the Mill.

Special to the Gazette.
GALVESTON, TEX. June 2s.-Sampson
Heidenheimer and Isaac Heidenheimer'
two wealthy and prominent business
men, were arrested to-day charged with
arson, and were released on q bond of
$4,000 each for their appearance on
Tuesday uext. The arrest grew out of
the burning and total consumption of
the Texas standard cotton seed oil mills
on the night OF April s. Both the
Heidenheimers were largely interested in
these mills which were insured Tor $780,
900 in New York and Boston companies.
The companies carrying the risks we're:
Mutual insurance company, New York,
$50 900; Fire association of New York,
$40 900; Armstrong fire insurance COM
pany, New York, $50 900; Common
wealth fire insurance company, New
York, 500, 900; Alliance fire insur-
ance company, New York, $500;
United States insurance company,
ance company, New York, $500;
Liberty insurance company, New York,
$500; Farragut Insurance company,
New York $500; New York insurance
company, New York, $500; North River
insurance company, New York,
$500; Prudential insurance COM
pany, Boston, Sl2 500. These
companies sent adiusters here who
adjusted the losses at $l37 900, of which
SCI 200 has been paid. The Mutual in
surance company of which FL. b. Arm
strong is president and of which the Fire
association and Armstrong fire insur-
ance companies are coordinate
branches, were suspicious that the fire
was the work of an incendIary, and in
stead of paying the losses assessed
against them began an investigation.
This was and is being conducted by
Joseph Marx, q Hebrew lawyer from
Texarkana, Tex, and OF the most I'M
savory reputation. Marx, year ago,
was arrested for forging the name of
Isaac Heidenheimer for $4,000, and
for which prosecution is now
pending. Marx conducted the investi-
cation very secretly among the workmen
employed in the mill. One of these,
Dennis Cologne, at the nstigation of
Marx, went before a notary public and
swore he saw Sampson Heidenheimer fire
the oil mill between the hours of 6 or
$3.50 p. m. on the evening of the Sth
OF April. Yesterday he was brought
before Judge Spann, and after reiterat-
ing what he had sworn to before
notary, made affidavit as follows: 81,
Dennis Cologne, do now solemnly swear
that on or about the Sth day OF April,
1890, saw Sampson Heidenhemer set fire
to the Texas Standard cotton seed oil
mills, and that Sampson Heidenheimer
did on or about the 9Th day of last April,
1890, set fire to the Texas Standard cot
ton seed oil mills. L, Denis Cologne, do
further solemnly swear that Isaac
Heidenheimer was outside on the plat
form apparently waiting for Sampson
Heidenhiemer.
Cologne's testimony as to Sampson
Heidenimer firing the mills is corrobor-
ated by Louis Este and Peter Anderson.
Upon their testimony warrants were Is
sued and the Heideuimers were arrested
to-day. The Heidenimers claim they
can prove at the hour named when the fire
was alleged to have been set to the oil
mills when they were in the city, and
this is corroborated by witnesses who
saw them. They also can prove that
Marx, IN the presence of Alb TT Weiss, a
prominent merchant, proposed to
Isaac Heidenheimer, that if he (Heiden-
heimer) would withdraw the pros
ecution against him, he CMarx)
would stop the investigation being made
into the fire and make it all right with
the insurance companies, that Isaac
Heidenheimer Indignantly spurned the
offer, told Marx to go ahead if he
thought he had a case but that
he (Heidsnh eimer) would land
Marx in the penitentiary it there was
any law in the country by which it could |
be done. The matter has produced q |
sensation IN commercial circles here, in |
which the accused are prominent. Rich |
and sensational developments are ex-
ssted at the hearing next Tuesday.