New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-06
BLAZES AND MYSTERY.
REMARKABLE SERIES OF FIRES IN
GREENPOINT HOUSEHOLD

FLAMES BROKE OFT IN MOST CURIOUS PLACES
AND IN THE MOST ''sPooKIsH' MANNER
KEPT THE FIEEME% on THE DANCE
AND THEY TELL THE STORY.
one of the most mysterious SUGGESTIONS OF fires
tha, have ever bothered the Brooklyn Fire Depart
according TO the stories told about IT, occurred
In Greenpont Oh Friday night and yesterday morn
ing. and the Fire Marshas and the police are at a
loss to account for their origin. The building is a
two-story and attic frame structure at No 81
Guernseyst The ground floor is occupied by Will
lam Murphy a grocery store. while the rest Of
the building Is rented 10y Adam Caldwell, who lives
there with his wife and two children. Rhoda. fifteen
years Old. and William twcnty-one years Old. the
family having occupied the premises for two years
The fires were ~ arst believed 10 be OF In
condaIy origin. and Fire Marshal Byrnes yesterday
ordered the arrest of Mr. Caldwell on suspicion Of
having started the bazes His wife and daughter
who in the house when the first frc was dis
covered were taken to the station. bu1 re-
leased. as ii learned that there no in
surance and that the family had been left penniess
by the fires which the department had to make four
trips to the building to extnguish.
Mr.. Caldwell is a member Of one Of the Episcopal
churches in that part OF the city and devoted
church worker. He Is sixty years old carpenter
by trade but owing to his advanced years. has not
worked for two years. The little Household was sup
ported by the earnings OF the son. which amounted
to Sc week.
The apartments consis, Of five rooms a kitchen
three bedrooms and a paror The attic Of the
house Is used for storage purposes.
ON Friday afternoon Mr. caldwell left his wife
and daughter about ! o'clock to take short walk
Mrs Caldwell an1 hcr daughter were in the bed
room adjoining The parlor a. the time attending 10
their household duties. Mir Caldwell had been away
ONLY few minutes when Mrs. Caldwell and her
daughter startled by crash So frightened
did both become that instead Of opening the parlor
door to learn the cause. they TO the kitchen
4 few minutes later Mr.. Caldwell returned TO the
house. and. finding his wife and daughter pale ana
trembling. asked them the cause OF their fright.
Mrs Caldwell told the story Of the crash. ana the
old man FASTENED to ascertain the cause As ne
opened the parlor door he found the four pictures
which had adorned the walls smashed upon the
floor and the parlor stove overturned. There was
no fire In the stove.
Closing the door. Mr.. Caldwell returned 10 the
kitchen ana Informed his wife and daughter OF
what had happened While they were talking Mr..
Caldwell said he smeei smoke. and. going back
TO the paror found the lambrequn on the maniel In
a blaze while a sofa which stood In another corner
n. fhe room was also on nrc. While Mrs. Caldwell
ran to the stree; shouting Fire" Mr. Caldwell eS-
tingulshed the blaze before the Fire Department ar
rived. After the hremen had satisfied themselves
that the flames had been exnguisnel. they returned
to their quarters
Haif an hour later the son returned from hs
work AMI gave his mother hls weeks earnings.
which she put into the rock", ~ old dress
hanging In her bedroom. owing 20 The mystery II
the FIRE Roundsman Daily. of the seventh Precinct.
had been sent the house 10 prevent any one from
entering the room whore the Ere had been discoy-
cred until the Fire Marshal had made an inyesilga-
ton While Daily vas IN the bedroom the son
asked to look into the room This permitted.
the officer standing hy his side. While gazing about
the room. the wallpaper on the val behind the
boy and officer was 20 blaze up. and again Al
alarm OF IRE was sent out. ana the flames were
quickly extingushei
The door OF the parlor thrn locked and
guard stll kept It had sooner been closed
than the household again thrown into a state
Of excitement by another crash. This time the
chandelier. which hung from a hook In tn centre
Of the parlor. had fallen to the noor and smashed
An examination showed that the hook st
mained secure IN the ceiling and that the eye IN
The chandelier. from which II hung was also TN
broken. How q became detached from the hook
rs this time The neghborhood had been aroused
and hundreds or people gathered IN 'front.' OF me
About o'clock Detective Dunn went to the
house. and whil" discussing q" mystery oi ihr
hres with Roundsman Daily; the two took lo9h
place was in darkness. but a Few seconds lat'r
blaze III up tns room IL was aus, ns nm tns a
IN the centre OF the room. The ofictrs now be
leave the room they saw another blaze IN the bed
OF tn bedroom they had only few seconds be
fore left go into the parlor. Running to the
street another alarm was sent In and again IN"
Fire Department came to the scene. and again the
frcms were mysfincd. All Friday night the
family Of the Caldwes remained awake. and 80
did many OF the residents In the ncighborhool. ex-
peciine at every moment To see a blazr start up
from almost any part Of the noOr Tn" police
also remained On guard.
II was not unfn noon yesterday that the neighb
hood was again aroused By the rattling Of the en-
gnes and The shouts of the hrcmeD hurrynS to
answer another alarm which had been sent out for
a fire I'm the attic of the house. This time the IRE
was confined 10 Did cot which stood In the attic.
After the blaze had been extngulshed the burned
cot was carried 10 the sidewalk and delugei with
water. only hour before Fire Marshal BNrncs
had left the hou-. t0~ examining y thoroughly.
While Detective Dunn in. crowd OF people were
gazing upon the burned cot they were horfned To
see the charre1 wood again b.lZe up
why" said Detective Dunn to a reporter while
I stood IN the house. would not have been sur.
Drised have my trousers or shoes lake fre
The Caldwell family lost all their little household
effects Fire Marshal Brymer said the fires were
the most mysterious that had come to his
notice II am entirely At to account for them.
said h.
Police Captain Rhodes Of the seventh Precinct.
declared last night that the fires were great mys-
terry.