New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-26
A "FIREBTG" CONFESSES.
WEINBERG TURNS STATES ENiDENCh
IMPORTANT TESTIMONY IN THE TRIAL OF MAX
H. GRAUER-HE TELLS OF THE CANAL-SI'
FIRE Ely WHICH FIFTY 1.-TWO CHILL

FIRE BY WHICH FIFTY-rwO chill
pREN WERE IMPERII.LED
The trial Of Max II. Grauer. the alleged leader
OF the East Side "frebugs was resumed IN fart
TIT ~ the Court OF Genera Sessions before Justice
MARITIME. yesterday
The courtroom was filled with witnesses ana "e'
hers OF the Fire Department. and representatives
Of the insurance companies. Near the door sal
State Detective Jackson. with the convict, Ro'n-
man who confessed to having set fire TO the
nremises at No. rs Canal-st, and aiterward was
sentenced fifteen years in the peniteh'a'!'
The alleged detective. Simon Rosenoaum' whose
cross examination had not been concluded pN MI
House for the defence. when court adjourned OH
Thursday last. took the stand upon the opening
OF court. -
Rosenbaum told the story OF the Lynn 'He ne
said II was started two weeks after the nre IN
Canal-st and again exhibited his burned hahos
10 the Jury which injury. he asserts. was the
result OF an attempt OF the frebugs TO burn MN
I'm for telling the authorities about the Canal
st fire Witness admitted he had been present IN
Walker-st. with Max Gluckman. when ne started
q fire there. The building did not BURN oowh al
though there was considerable OF loss. Giuck-
man paid him, so Rosenbaum claimed. sN 10
watch outside while he went In to start the fire.
Rosenbaum said that he had secondhand shoe
stores in Third. Seventh. Eleventh ana sixth a'es''
IN this city, and in Fulton-st.. Brooklyn
The witness then said they had burned him out at
house the fires having been started by the man
Isaacs while ne was out
you say you have been in this country eight
years Can you tell me OF one honest act you
have done in that tme?" fairly shrieked Mr.. House.
Sure" said Rosenbaum
Name II, name it," said Mr. House
'If you can tell OF one. let us hear 1t: we would
like much to hear IT," nterposed Judge MARITIME.
Mr. House continued to demand the character OF
the honest act, but Rosenbaum did not an
swer.
That's ALL" exclaimed the little lawyer, trum-
phantly
After g. short redirect examination Assistant Dis
trict-Attorney Davis said: Call Levi Weinberg
Great was the CONSERVATION In the camp OF the de-
fence The attorneys could not conceal their sur
prise while the defendant turned fairly livid
Weinberg is the proprietor OF the tailor-shop IN
Cana-st Of which the defendant Is alleged 10 nave
planned the firing. 1t is understood that he was ar
rested yesterday in Boston. and at once turned
States evidence He testified that he purchased the
store at No IFS Canal-st last spring. He SAID that
young Grauer came to him and asked II he did not
want Insurance. and he replied he did lie TOOK our
two policies one for 500 and second for $1,000
Afterward he visited the office OF the deienaant IN
Pne-st and while there the elder Grauer sa!d'
MIR Weinberg, not do some business TO-
gether?" ,u ,a tho
witness "He said then that he was in the business
OF making fires. and that could make few dollars
and that we could al make s some ons be fire. mar
shals and that they would know eXacr Wnen se
that the Fire Marshal would come to me. and was
to tell him that the fire started with the gas re
womld he ' hur, then wanted to know how much
he would charge me Mr. lirauer said ne %ouI1 mI
have the business done by. safe men for Ayo.
told him that didn't have $40 Then a mi man had ti ing
Are. and that he got his money all rish, In ten IN
The he had be psd ne bills
pocket and gave 500 bill Then Mr. Gra nr
5d he 9r R pd h& a5o
on, and came back in half an hour and said It was
sba Tsh The e sae sAt Of the that he
have 10 per cent for adjusting the losses 49,,
.aS YS Ss 'n and man
bills from his pocket and gave d to h was the ne
that done the hremaking for him .,. and
sU w TO milking sn "a the six faes the
The second ID day ate; ra wen and % h she s
said to him. Mr.. Grauer. take my s5 and let me
out of n he don't 6c f to Dc hs ne sad
that he had papers and that he could S MAKE ak n me
whole lot Of rC snd make told nm ha ad qe had
his arrangements made and would be there to see
II few sa make aa be FIRE ba naSf o Sc be
danger and felt was not right 6 o as
to agree " Them day or 50 later and Louis
the store and looked around sao and II, sad sa.
door and put patent lock 50 the men tina.
@cl and he could pu get Thsa man
schitzsky came in and wanted TO know If Ro OF
had been there ] said, No. but he came In later
and looked around. and wanted TO buy suit OF
clothing I showed him goods but they did not
suit He looked at the door that had been fixed, and
tried IT, He did say anything to me- Then
thought was In for IT, and was scared. 80
"T6e next day Sunday Rothman came In with
a woman and three little boys. They looked at
some clothing and bought some for the children
The hill came TO 81 50. and he paid me- They looked
at everything carefully. did not see the woman
before She was tall and slim. and had never seen
her before They went away and came back again
and gave me to understand the place was 70 De
fred that night. After supper went TO synagogue
in Essex-st, where I remained until heard Of the
fire.
on cross examination Mr.. Friend kept the witness
hot pins trying to explain Why ne was Wiling
TO set the place fire with ffty-two children in
the house All the explanation Weinberg could give
was that he was forced into IL: that he tried
10 get out but Grauer threatened 10 send the con-
tract 10 the and make trouble.
MIR Friend again worried the witness by trying
70 get him to tell. the witness insisted he was
An honest man, why he had not Informed the police
az the proposals of Grauer. In 10 Mr..
Friend the witness stated The had no conscience