New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-22
PART II.
PAGES II TO IA.
A WOMAN HELD FOR ARSON.
INCENDlARY FIRE IN THE PLAYHOUSE
NO. SSi CENTRAL PARK WEST.

THE SECOND WITHIN A wEEK-KERosENE USED
IN LARGE oUANTITY-ARREsT OF A DRESS
MAKER WHO LIVED IN THE HOUSE
For the second time within week an ncendiary
hre started the ive-story double hathouse
known The Wnona. Nc. 324 Central Park West
early yesterday morning. Fulton c. Parker. the
caterer for a downtown cub. who lives on the
nOr;h side OF the first floor. returned home at $50
2 Fifteen minutes later he heard the dumb
waiter down quickly and strike the bottom Of
tho shaft in the ca'a- with considerable force. Mr.
Parker as wei, the other tenants " The Aouso
had been watchful since the attempt was made to
burn the house last Friday
Fastening through his private hail Mr. Parker
discovered flames issuing from the dumbwaiier
shaft. While the air strongly impreglased With
,he fumes Of burning kerosene. With the assist
arco of the other tenants. who summoned
ey hts oucries. Nj Parker succeeded In eXtinguisn-
IT'S thc ire before Any serious damage had resulted
NJ Parker with William II. Duckwitz and ether
.snants found top % the elevator. AT ;he bot
,on ~ the shaft an apron a black $40 king. and
some remnants OF CLOTH all saturated with Aero-
r.-e
Acring Police Captain Westervet with officers
who had been summoned from the West One-hun-
dr..ta-st station discovered While making an in.
1r~tcation that the work Of The ncendiaTy had
been done on the third floor. around the wood
work OF the door opening on the dumbwater
shaft. on The north side they found kerosene OIL
side was dripping with oil. which was spashed
about the brick lining OF the shaft
The fat Oh the south side of the fourth floor
vacant but that on the north side was occupied by
Ms Helen Louise Johnson. a dressmakos. who
lives there alone Mrs Johnson UP and dressed
when the officers knocked on her door. and she
offered no objection when they examined her nat.
IN the search the officers found in stone washub
in the kitchen a lot OF rags. couple of stockings
and some remnants OF clotn that were 50 saturated
with kerosene that they dripped when they were
lifted from the tub. The brickwork Of the dumb
waiter shaft the door leading from Mrs John-
sons fiat sCorchad and smoked, while me
found that the pulley rope had Deen almost burned
IN two Mrs Johnson. on being told that she must
lion and maintained a bold and defiant manner De
cariug that she innocent, and denounc!nS her
arrest an outrage 49,, NJ,
Johnson wrote d letter J. J. Clancy, of No. J., s3
Broadway. who is the agent OF the premises. She
sealed IL in an envelope. out Detective ters0h WHO
saw write il. that In II she stated thst she
had been arrested for arson and she asked MI
CLANCY 10 come her aid
When she arrived at the station Mrs. Johnson
again declared her innocence and said tnat she had
~ motive for setting ire 10 the house; that the
hand. and that 4 IL was burned she would get no
benefit -.
her husband. r. l.. Johnson for three years, ana
mat he Interested in a mining company at No.
- Broadway. She was an expert dressmaker, She
said. and had worked for +. A. Morrlsoh, OF NO.
so Broadway. for seven years prior 10 ls92, IN
which time she had done work for many wealthy
Mrs Johnson was arraigned before Magistrate
Brann in the Harlem Police Court. yesterday morIS
ing. and held in 5000 bail. she IS good looking
The officers say that when Mrs. Johnson was al
lowed 10 go into the cellar OF the house after her
arrest IN order 10 gS me 3eo H he but 10 Vas
prevented through their vigilance.