The evening world., 1894-01-19
Three Attempts to Burn the
Building SO Monroe Street.
Kerosene-Soaked Rags Set Ablaze
Each Time.
The Structure Occupied Principally
by Sweaters"

story brlck bulldlng ~ Monroe street,
between the hours of 10 o'clock last night
and s o'clock this morning. when the
last blaze was discovered.
The accidental discovery Of the fire in
each instance prevented a ~confagration.
Had the flames obtained the least head
way a fearful loss Of life might have fol-
lowed, as the building is surrounded by
tenements, the inmates OF which were
nearly all wrapped in slumber.
Following so soon the work of the
fre-bugs In Avenue c, Avenue ID and
other places. this latest attempt to de-
stroy property regardless of loss Of life
has served to stir the fire officials into
increased activity.
Fire Marshal Mitchell and Assistant
Marshal Freel are already at work on
the case They hope to run down some
clues before the day is over.
The ground floor OF the Monroe street
building is occupied by l.. Arininstz,
manufactured Of Iron ware, and with thai
exception all the other floors are used as
sweat shops" FRANKIE is the name of
the man who uses the first floor. Penn
and Cohen occupy the second, Goldman
and KLEIN the third; Cohn and Michaels
the fourth. and Brodsky and Zaiinsky
the fifth. A man named Zelllch with
his son used the upper floor. They are
all in the coat. pants, padding and
pressing business.
The entire building is a regular finder.
little, If any. ventilation. An elevator
smart runs from top to bottom OF the
building, while on each landing at the
head OF the stairs is a closet.
Some time ago complaint was made
about the closet on the first floor be-
cause 1t was always open. Janitor
Abramowitz complained to FRANKIE about
I and told him It should be kept locked.
FRANKIE retorted that 1t might remain
open; that he was not going to take the
trouble of closing it. The %janitor, how;
hold him responsible for anything which
might happen.
The, first fire was discovered about II
without stopping to investigate, rushed
out and gave the alarm. Janitor Abram.
Switz hurried around to the Quarters OF
went around to investigate. They found
g pile Of blazing rags In the rear of the
first landing. The fire was speedily ex.
the. rags had been thoroughly soaked
with kerosene. and the fremen, on going
away, remarked that the building had
Janitor Abramowitz was ]denouncing
the perpetrators of the outro sc nearly
two hours later to his family at his
| UoIls tHItt uoo1s AWAY. Nllt lie WAS
informed that the building was again
on fire, and he started on a, mad run
for the engine-house. The firemen turned
f@prepared for a stubborn blaze. Nearly
all In the adjoining were then
asleep. 90
way dense with smoke. but for a tim
could not locate the fire. Finally there
wat a roaring noise from the air shaft
and a jet of flame shot out into the first
LANDING The dnnr IN tho plpvnfnr wa
forced open and mainly with tarpaulins
a bundle of tailoIs' trimmings, pieces
OF cloth. inlng padding and the like had
been. piled nearly two feet high in the
wooden elevator. The rags had been
s shlsSr9u g yne s9 sh ssa Of %l'H wood oil S Snd a the
been saturated with kerosene.
The firemen whistled. but said moth
ing. They seemed to regard 1t as
not go up. Then they nailed up the
door and went away.
The janitor had swept down all the
while he was standing on the sidewalk
near the door Of the building. he thought
ne smelled smoke, Rushing inside he
spraf ne up a1os sse stairs stairs and MSIc5 ran f,s straight Sad
been SO much trouble. On the hoor he
found a pile of paper and pieces OF cloth
thoroughly soaked with Kerosene, blaz-
himself.
On the arrival of some of the tenants
th,s morning, they were made acquainted
inclination was the result. The EN-
Whether the sweaters are insured OF
not, they would not say.
II know that / am not" said Mr.. Arin.
wttz to an Evening World" reporter
this morning, and l have nearly So, 0Ot
worth of stock there. Had that building
gone up l would have lost everything
This Is terrible"
There is nothing on the blotter of the
Madison street police station to indicate
that any attempt at incendiarism haC
been made. nor is there any intimatior
that there had been three fires. The
Fire in the six-story brick house s.
Monroe street. No. damage. No alarm
When the Sergeant at the desk was in
formed of the facts by an Evening
World, reporter this morning he seemed
We'll, we have a man on the case. any,
way" he said, and | suppose We vii
s Siab from from h nson,s You 0n,s eann NOT DO Lam a1yt thams
In the act"
In the Essex Market Police Court to.
morrow morning Henry Gottlieb. who Is
IN the house. 1S9 Avenue G, on Tuesday
Mitchell and Freel are hard at work or
sensational. testimony. Among the wit
nesses to- be examined is Mrs. Dunn
VINO lived on the same floor with tht
alleged frebug and his family.
She said to an Evening World re
porter to-day that Gottlieb had movet
kome Of his best bedding out OF thu
pouse three weeks ago., and tool
Were instead a couple of old mattresses
Mrs; Dunn's two-year-old child, Edna
2 seriously Ill, as the result of the eX
Rlosion. The attending physician say
the shock completely upset the babe'i
system. Since the day of the explosion
the child has eaten nothing.
Maggie Dent, who lived over the Colt
Ieos, has made the most important
statement to the Fire Marshal. Gottliei
pas ,contended that he was not In thu
building for several hours before tn,
explosion. Miss Dent says that he am
MS wife were In their rooms at 4 o'clocl
as she saw them there. The explosion
LOOK place at 4R o'clock.
Fire Marshal Mitchell thinks Their,
We're two bombs used, one In the north
west corner of the kitchen and another
IN the southeast corner of the from
room, and that they were connected b.
the same fuse. He also thinks the fus'
vas attached to a candle, which burned
or half an hour before reaching thu
destructive bombs.
RECEIVER APPOINTED.