New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-17
WILD EXCITEMENT IN COURT.
MRS. LEIBERMAN CONVICTED OF ARSON.

SHE FALLS IN FAINT. SCREAMS AT THE TOP
OF HER VOICE AS SOON AS SHE COMES TO.
AND HUGS HER SMALL BOY TILL HE Is
BLACK IN THE FACE HER TWO
BROTHERS TEAR OUT THEIR HAIR.
FIGHT THE POLICE. AND ONE
TRIES TO KILL HIMSELF
THERE AND THEN.
1t was one of the most startling scenes ever
witnessed in the Court OF General Sessions
yesterday morning. when a jury In Part III re-
turned a verdict OF guilty in the case OF Mrs
Ida Lciberman. charged with arson In the seconu
degree. for setting fire to her rooms IN nat
house at No. 52l East Twefth-st on Decem-
Der 49, 1893 The defendant at first tainted, put
was revived by a court attendant Ihen she
seized her two children, a boy and a girl. hve ana
three years old respectively, and clasped them
wildly to her breast. The lad. whose hcad was
pressed against his mothers shoulder. began 10
grow black in the face. and had the bystanders ho'
released him 1t Is probable that he would soon
have lost consciousness. In the mean time the
woman screaming at the top OF her voice.
and declaring in a Hebrew jargon that she was IN
nocent
She threw herself in the corner OF the room
and for fully five minutes screamed and moahed
at the top OF her voice. after which she again
was with her also became hystercal, ana threw her
self upon a table and began praying in Hebrew. Tho
by this time was In state OF intense eN
element and the sharp raps OF Justice Martine
gavel or the attendants keys, were drowned III
the disorder.
In the rear OF the room there was even more
excitement. The two brothers OF Mrs Leibermah'
whose name was Stein, twenty-four and nineteen
years old. had by this time. although unable 10
understand English. realized from the cries OF the
defendant and their mother that the sister had
been convicted. They at once began 10 tear their
hair throwing great handfus upon the floor
They also beat their heads upon the wall, at the
same time crying and screaming as loud as their
lungs would permit. The eldest threw himseit
with great violence upon the floor. Hair dozen
court attendants seized the two men ana tried 10
eject them from the courtroom. They fought
biting and kicking the men, and at the same time
trying to get over where their sister had tainted
again.
After tussle Of several minutes the two STEMS
elected from the room. The eldest. as be-
fore again cast himself at full length upon the
marble floor of the piazza, while his brother STOOD
and swelled the general din with his cries;
a couple Of policemen attached 10 the ,iehera i
Sessions then tried to make the young men get
stairs. and the other LETT standing near the door
This was the younger OF the two. and seeing ms
compromising the situation, he gave Wild shrek
crowd could realize what he was about to do he
started to crawl over. At this juncture the crowd.
which had grown TO several hundred. suddenly
realized that the half-crazed Russian intended to
throw himself the railing TO the tiled floor
beneath. distance OF fully forty feet dozen
or more grabbed Stein by the coat and tried to
pull him back.
For more than a minute the spectators held their
breaths. for the Young hung half over the
rail. struggling with dozen or more men trying to
rescue him. Even after he had been pulled over
the railing he fought madly 10 get back again
lie was taken In charge by the police VINO
elected him from the building, where he Joined
his brother In Ieonard-st. There they began to
embrace and kiss each other and repeated the
scenes Of the courtroom. throwing themselves upon
the sidewalk. where they remained until a police
drove them away.
Mrs Lleberman Vas finally removed TO the
Tornbs. and AS she taken along the piazza and
the Bridge Of Signs her cries resounded
through the building She remanded for SEN
tence until Thursday next.