New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-09
CATCHING AN INCENDIARY.
HE 'IMPERILLED MANY LIVES.


sURANCE MONEY THE OBJECT.
If mass of testimony adduced in the Essex
Market Police Court yesterday is to be believed
Harris Pitt, a dealer in tailors' trimmings, was
prevented only by an accident from burning the
big ive-story double tenement-house No. "A
Allen-st., in the heart of the swarming Polish
district That he did not succeed in his hendish
attempt to sacrifice the lives Of his sleeping fel
low-creatures and thus secure the insurance money
for which his soul yearned is due mainly 10 the
circumstance Of time and to the quick-wlttcdness
of a lad
1t was Just three-ouarters of an hour after
midnight on Sunday morning when Joseph
Kroinski, a seventeen-year-od boy who peddies
fruit for living saw q puff Of smoke burst from
the cellar of Nc, IA, which is just opposite 10
where he stood Some of kroinslSis Sunday STOCK
of apples, pears and oranges was stored III
the rear half OF the cellar. The front OF the
cellar, divided from the rear by board PARTITION
and approached by flight Of steps leading from
the sidewalk, was used as lumber-room oy
Pitt, whose store is on the grouno hoor
Kroinski was anxious about his fruit, ana run
ming to the back of the house, entered his part OF
the cellar by way of another flight OF steps III
the rear The cellar was filed with smoke which
choked and blinded and dazed him, but the IRE
had not yet touched his stock.
Through the chinks Of the partition he saw the
gleam of fame. Then he heard sound as oil
something stealthily moving about the ccnar' OH
the other side of the wooden wall feeplhs
through the chinks of the boarding, he saw Pitt
apparently trying to put out the flames with
can of liquid which he carried in his hand.
Pitt was industriously watering a great heap OF
rags and broken timber piled up IL corner
Yet, to KroinslSi's bewilderment the blaze, in
stead of going out, gathered renewed strength
with every fresh diution. Kronski luckily dld
not stop to ponder on the phenomenon, but dashed
upstairs and into the street screaming flre
with all his force. Frank Eandelman, sales
man in Ridleys big drygoods store IN Grand-st.'
who was passing the house OH his way home, saw
the smoke and promptly rushed to the freboX at
Grand and Allen sts and gave the alarm In
the meantime. Kroinski's yclls, the rattle of the
freengincs and the thick, black smoke which
rolled through the building had aroused those
who were 5lecping upstairs
There were l05 human creatures in that build
ing reused from their sleep in the dead OF night,
to find themselves face to face with death. In
moment the Railways and stairways
were filed with n struggling surging,
screaming mass Of men. women and children.
all madly and blndly fighting their way out OF
the building. OF course they did their best TO
c.mplete the success Of Mr. Pitts enterprise.
They first seized on their insurance policies when
they had any, then they piled their bedding and
other household goods out on the fire escapes,
thus effectualy shutting off all means of egreSs.
Then they climbed 10 the roof or tumOled pcll-
nell out into the street. Two douches Of water
from the firemen's hose were sufficient to put out
the flame, and then Roundsman McAdam was
able to persuade the trembling shivering mob that
there was no danger, and that they could go back
to their rooms
As Handelman gave the alarm, Pitt dartel UP
the front cellar steps and across the road TO his
home, which is at No. 81 Alen7st.: directly facing
the store Kronski told his story to several people.
Roundsman McAdam and Chief McGul,
among Others. The roundsman promptly sent
kroinsh around to the Eldrdgc-st. police sta
ton in charge Of patrolman. and then went
across to Pitts lodgings: 1t was at first denied
the roundsmans persuasion and came out into
the street where he was arrested. IL was noticed
that his hands smelled strongly Of bcnzlnc
Chief McGll and his men had Just discovered
that nearly everything in the front part Of the
cellar had been saturated with the same liquid,
and next to the heap Of burning rags under the
rear stairway is a row Of wooden cupboards. The
Sccond-ave elevated railroad runs along Allen
ST. and is separated from the houses BY the width
of narrow pavement Thus the materials;
for a destructive and fatal fire were already to
hand. Had the flames been started an hour later
most Of those in the building would have per-
ished
At the police station Pitt was at once identi-
fed by Kroinski as the man who had set fire TO
the house. In his defence the prisoner said that
he asleep in the room at the rear OF his store
and was awakened by the smoke. Pitts stock
is worth not more than 5000 yet in the breast
pocket Of his coat found two policies-one
for 81 900 the Fairmount Insurance Company.
Of Philadelphia. and the other for 81 500 in the
Withevie Insurance Company. Justice Duffy
Yesterday. after hearing the testimony held him
for further examination in bail of $1,000.
Just month ago n fire broke out in q paint
store on the ground floor Of No. AZ Allenst. At
that time Pitt remarked to Frederick Paddock.
the lessee of the two houses: There will be
another fire in these buildings before long.
Another suspicious circumstance is that two
weeks ago he moved his family out Of the rooms
which they had occupied in the OF the store.
The two houses. together with Nos. OIL, 93 and
05, are owned by Admiral Braine.