The evening world., 1895-08-15
THE WOODWORK SATURATED
Mixture of Lard and Turpentine
Smeared Over the Hall and
Stairway.
ANOTHER SUSPICIOUS BLAZE.
Fire In West Third Street Which
May be the Subject Of
investigation.

1t came to the knowledge of the police
| about midnight last night that an at
tempt had been made yesterday morIilg
to set fire to the fve-story tenement
house at 10 Second avenue. At o'clock
: esterday morning Ellen Ernst. young
woman who lives on the second floor,
started downstairs to get some milk. on
reaching the head Of the stairs leading
to the ground floor the young woman
slipped on something and slid halfway
| downstairs.
She screamed as she went down. Iier
screams aroused tho janitress. Mrs.
Buck. who ran TO her assistance. Mrs.
Buck also slipped. and saved herself
from falling by grasping the balusters.
Investigation showed that some one
had smcared the hall and stairway with
| grease. 1t appeared to be a mixture Of
| lard and turpentine. 1t was poured over
the floor on the first landing above the
ground floor, and extended almost to the
| bottom OF the stairs leading to the sec
ond floor. There were half-consumed
matches lying around. and two small
holes had been burned In the carpet.
Mrs Buck scraped the grease from the
floor. and subsequently went to the
agent OF the house and told him OF the
matter. The agent is Mr.. Newman. who
has an office at Second avenue and
| Eighth street.
| Mr.. Newman made an investigation
! among the tenants. and then made
| known the facts to the Fire Marshal.
| The latter had men investigating the
fire all day yesterday unknown to the
police. Last night shortly before mid
night Mrs. Wallace. who lives on the
| top floor of the house. told the police
about the occurrence. and the latter
made n report Of 1t to Police Headquar-
ters this morning.
1t was said that the house belongs to
an estate. and that It Is at present In
| the hands OF executors. To whom the
estate belongs could not be learned from
any OF the tenants this morning 1t was
said that the Fire Marshal still had the
matter under investigation.
| Another fire broke out early this
morning. which gave evidence OF having
| been set. The fire occurred on the first
floor of the three story brick building at
81 West Third street. III the rooms Of
the star Novelty Company.
In the basement Of the building C.
Bcrgerson carries on locksmith busi-
ness. and he and his wife sleep In the
rear of the shop. The Star Novelty
Company occupies the foor above. The
store OF the Novelty Company closed
last night about b o'clock. A short time
after that IA young man went to the
rooms OF the Bergersons. and said tina
he was employed by the Novelty Co. ant
that he returned to get watch which
| h.. h.l t,ft In, hn rha "a
man gained an entrance by window
in the rear.
Some time after that a tenant named
Sylvester Brophy. who lives on the tol
hoor returned home. He thought n,
smclled smoke. lie made Il casual in
vestigation and finally went to bed with
out making any discovery.
, Subsequently he went downstair.
again, not being satisfied with his frs
investigation, and saw smoke comm,
out of the rear window OF the room
occupied by the Novelty Company
When the fremen arrived they dis
covered tnat the smoke came from
! pile OF papers and rubbish In the Yer,
} centre of the floor in the rear room
l The flames had spread to the wood
, work Of tho room. and before the FIR
was cNtinguishcd damage to the exten
Ii was learned that the partnership
p Of the Company had been dissolved yes
} :erduy, and that during the day mum
e ber OF papers had been DESTROYED an
e. burned II is thought the fire ma
have been smouldering and did not brea
- out until later. hut still the fireme
\ consider the fire to he of a suspicion
II nature and the Fire Marshalls offic
= has been notified and an investigation
. ! will he made.
1 During the excitement. Mrs. Ber
n gerson SAYS a pocketbook, containing
0 was stolen from her room.
4 While on the way to the fire Engin
20 lost one OF Its hind wheels and
could not reach the scene. Nobod
was injured.
There was a slight fire on the fourt
floor OF the fve-story hrown-stone hat
house l64 East One Hundred and Thir
u street at 40 o'clock this mornnl
caused bv children playing wit
, matches
i Fire broke out at o'clock this morr
/. ing in Robinson X Freeman's tailC
. shop, on the first floor of the thre,
> story building l5l Essex street TT
u flames extended 10 the second floor, o,
= cupied by Abraham Newman, also
, tailor Robinson n Freemans loss Wa
;, 500 and NeNman's very slight tt
d building was damaged to the extent