New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-16
A MAN BEHIND THE ORGAN
THE TABERNACLE FIRE THOUGHT TO
HAVE BEEN OF INCENDIARY ORIGIN.
TIE STORY or Yor:;G MAN OF ORANGE. y j.
BEING INVESTIGATED 40 SERVICES WHILE


BEING INvEsTIGATED-No SERVICES WHILE
Or. TALMAGE Il AWAY.
The cause OF the fire in the Brooklyn Tabernacle
ana the question whether the fremen responded
promptly when the alarm was sent in were the
subjects especial yesterday in relation
the destruction OF property worth 100000 The
fire marshal has not yet completed the inquiry into
the cause OF the fire. and there is A difference OF
opinion. 4 story came to the knowledge OF ;he
police yesterday that Merw!n Cogan. pupil in the
high school in Orange y. j.. VINO was with his
father in the second gallery Of the church on Sun
day while the orsanist playing the prelude.
a descend ladder behind the organ. The
was tai and stout. with black hair. and wore
a back suit The boy called the attention Of his
father to the man. bu; he had disappeared when the
father looked. Police SuDerinta ndent Campbell sent
a detective to Orange to .ook up the matter. lie
said that there were other c;ews being worked up.
and whether the fire due to defective insula-
ton or to the hand of incendiary would be
cleared up. Professor Browne. the organst. SAID
tha; he did not think that the electric wires could
have caused the fire. and he believed 1t vas the
work Of an Incendiary. He heard Il peculiar noise
in the organ.
George Foster Peabody Of the Edison Electric
Company. which put the electric plant In tae Tab
ernacie. said that was absolutely impossible Tor
the fire to have been started by the wires. \ state
ment was made by William \. Hawkins to Fire
Commissioner Nurster 70 the erect thdt 'ast Ia,
Mr.. Browne took him down under the organ ana
h. found sparks lying on tho floor generated ny
friction IN a wheel upon which the beit was loose
They eXnguished themselves, but he thought II was
exceedingly dangerous.
In his investigation yesterday Commits pner " ur-
ster secured testimony from William Hughes, the
policeman stationed in front Of the church to the
effect that he passed the building at l2o y. III. on
Sunday and had gone 4 block away when he heard
the cry Of Fire" He back and saw smoke IN
the church. and then ran to Greene and tieTinon'
ayes. where he sent In The alarm II was three or
four minutes before the engines appeared. Sewe.l
MathersOn cOrro5oratcd this testimony. and said
that he ran and got hre-aarm Key but couli
not open the box and policeman appeared ana
sent the alarm. He positive that Il was only
five minutes and ha,f from the time smoke was
smelled until the lremen came at i2.tIia D. m.
the Fire Department thanking II for efficiency In
saving the Summeriied Methodist Episcopal Church
when II endangered.
with DR. Talmagc starting SIX months trip
around the word, the Tabernacle trustees decided
yesterday 10 hold services In his absence. Presi-
dent Moody said that there suitable place
for holding them and the trustees did not have the
time to hunt up The trustees visited the ruins
and found the safe open. was left by the book
keeper. Mr. Drummond. Sunday, and Ali the
records OF the church destroyed. They decided
give "A contrac; for the removal OF the walls 81
the burned church.
The work Of pulling down tho shattered walls Of
the Hotel Regent in progress Yesterday. The
safe was found intact in the office. David l.. Har-
ris treasurer opened II and took out the payroll OF
the hotel servants, who Will be paid of to-day No
decision has been reached In regard To the rebuild
ing OF the hotel William II. Erhart and his vile
lost only a portion OF their costly wedding presents
IN the fire