Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-08-12
ON TRIAL FOR ARSON.

court ON a serious CnAf&e-MAny |
Witnesses Exam1ned-Chief Ken
nedy Testifies That the Place Was
Unquestionably Set on Fire-The
Stock at the Time of the Fire Worth
Less than $500.
The first inning in the trial of Isadore
charged with arson and setting
Ere wilfully to his tailoring establishment
1T 457 State street with the intent to de- |
fraud two insurance companies, occurred
in the city court yesterday, the session
continuing from 10 q. m. to 4:30 p. NJ,
with recess of one hour for dinner.
The indictment to which Weinberg
pleaded not guilty charges him with in
tending to defraud the Phoenix Insurance
company of Brooklyo, N. Y. out of $500,
London. England, out of $500, Weinberg
carrying policy of insurance in each of
these companies for that amount.
The trial commenced promptly at 10
O'Clock, the first witness for the prosecution
being Morris Heller, the owner of the
building in which Weinberg's store is
located. Mr.. Heller's testimony was on
the whole immaterial, and consisted simply
of locating the store and the gas jets inside
the store.
Charles Wilson, of tho firm of G. Will
son & Co., testified that his firm had
placed the rick and that Weinberg was in
sured to the amount of $500 in each COM
pany, the policy in the Phoenix being
taken out June IA, 1892, and the other in
the London being issued February 10,
1892. These facts were only ELECTED after
repeated objections had been made by
Attorney j. P. Goodhsrt, who appeared
for the accused. Each objection was over
ruled by the court and Mr.. Goodhart noted
Officer Williams was next called and
testified to kicking in the door and pour
| ing water on the flames.
Fire Marshal Hubbard testified that on
the night in question the alarm of fire was
sent in at 6:56 p. m. When he entered the
store he tried all the gas burners, Vein
berg coming in as he tried them. Vein.
berg, reaching his hand to gas burner in
the rear of the store, said: "Here's g
burner that is turned on" The witness
said that the gas was turned on. He had
not before detected any odor of gas. There
was no gas burning in the store at the time
he entered it and he stated emphatically
II
sequence of the denseness of the smoke
which put out the lanterns of the firemer
| an soon as they entered the building.
When Lawyer Goodhart took the wit
| ness in hand he revealed the line of the de
tense, which is evidently to prove that tn
odor of alcohol and kerosene in the roll
of cloth was the result of the use of
preparation. He asked the witness if =,
combination of benzine, amonia and alec
hol would not result in an odor similar t,
naphtha or kerosene. On this point Cap
tain Hubbard could not testify.
Fire Marshal Hubbard also testified tina
Weinberg had acknowledged to him at tn
time of the fire that he had left the stor
at Z O'Clock, and when his attention wa
called to the fact that the alarm had BEEF
sent in six minutes before O'Clock the &C
cused excused his statement by saying tina
he had not looked at his watch. A clerl
| in Weinberg's also told the fire marsha
that Weinberg was the last man in tn
store on the night in question.
At the conclusion Of the fire marshal
cross-examination Chief Kennedy was pu
upon the stand by the prosecution as a
expert. He testified that he detected tn
smell of alcohol and kerosene and that i
, his opinion the fire was of incsndiary or
gin owing to the manner and rapidity wit
which the fire burned considering that til
place was all closed up and there was n
draft to fan the flames. In my opinio
, that fire was started with kerosene or SON
other combustible, because if it had ne
been of incendiary origin the buildin
would have been filed with smoke an
the flames would not have been seen
soon.
/ Attorney Goodhart here noted an excel
ton to the ruling of the judge admittin
1 fhia ofotoroont ovidorno
Il The chief was then rigidly examined
Attorney Goodhart, but practically no ne
facts were elected.
Captain Rufus Fancher of Hook an
) Ladder No. corroborated the eviden'
given by his superior officers and all
testified that he smelled kerosene {
pieces of cloth, the number of which
thought was about eight or ten. Superb
tendent of Fire Alarm Smith and Sergeal
, Cowles testified to substantially the san
facts, the latter testifying in addition tn
| | Weinberg had stated to him that he lie
the store at O'Clock or a few minutes b
| fore and had gone directly home.
Anthony Rockwell, the next witnes
testified that he and Mr.. Machol hi
? made an appraisal of the stock in Il
store and after giving good, genera
value to each article the aggregate amou
= of the inventory only amounted to $79
! Mr.. Rockwell was put on as an expert
= tailors' goods and trimmings and mo
f especially in woolens. Mr.. Machol lat
Y corroborated the testimony Of this W
u ness.
). Leopold Putzel, who keeps shoe sto
a at 463 State street, close to Weinberg
|. swore that on the night in question
q was talking to Weinberg in front of
j store about $3.50 o'clock and that the sto
It | had been closed twenty minutes before
heard the alarm of fire.
At this point, the clock marking t
time at 4:30 o'clock, court adjourned I'M
10 o'clock this morning, when the ca
o | will be resumed.