New-York tribune., 1895-12-07
SAMUEL MICH ON THE RACK
BY EX-JUDGE CURTIS.
HE TELLS OF THE ARSON CONSPIRACY IN WHICH
HE WAS INTERESTED

HE TELLS OF THE ARSON CONSPIRACY IN WHICH
HE WAS INTERESTED
Tho cross.examination OF Samuel Mich the pubic
fro adiuster and ex-iirebug, begun yesterday
when the trial of Louis Gordon, the shirt manu-
facturer Of No. q Walksr-st. for arson was ''
sumed before Judge FITZGERALD in Part ILL., "ehe'a
Sessions.
perience in New-York. He worked for man nanled
LYNN in Orchard-st learning the trade OF pocket
book making He worked there two months ana
then started out pedler f2 while lheh ne
sold stationery. In 1887 he went into the hie III
surance business.
Did YOU go into any fire business them asked
ex-Judge Curtis.
NO" the witness replied
He said he worked collector for the Pruden-
tial Insurance Company. He then became a h'e III
surance broker with Office at No. ll5 Nassau-s''
This was in 1889 Four years ago he became nfe
adjuster.
Were you the leader of what was known as an
organized band of hrebugs. or robbers, one OF the
principal objects Of which TO set buildings on
fire and rob them during the confagration" MIR.
Curtis asked.
"Yon seem careful about telling the truth. Would
it grieve you greatly il by any accident you male
a misstatement?"
Yes, sir" , III,
He asked i he had had any ,d business Isl sas with
and P1 did not know that one Of the for
ing Fire Marshal Michel was ihat Frank frank s was ac-
do you know anything about Cohen's hre?"
YOU but appeared after the fire as an adjuster?'
"Po yoS understand ;he Hebrew jarsOn?"
20 you know Italian French
"Did you adjust fires in BROOKLYN" asked
| ~ " rovlied Uitne
He said ne had known Adolph Hrschkopf several
years. He a.so had known Max Giueckman ana
Koppe Fredland for some time . 90
when did you begin the career of incendarism !?
The witness said he would answer the question
II put in another way ~
D0s B0 you b knSw ey Tha Sdnns ar nSsnhay Hn 4e s
Mich then said he did not know what Career
not the man that applied the torch to the buildings.
Mich quickly answered long question by saying
buildings whose burning he had supervised. Conse-
quently none pershed and none were in perl. o.,
where irebug conspracies were discussed?
"Wasn't it matter of business with you?"
yes, sir; expected there would be some business
Ex-Judge Curtis asked the witness if it was not
through Abraham Levy that he got the ear Gf q
'Phsar?" PEar He Re asEei ssE I'' What's T that4'
ears" interjected Mr. Davis
Witness finally said it was through Mr.. Levy that
he made his confession 10 Mt. DaNs
The witness said that after making his confession
he paid a visit to the wine room near the Harlem
Bridge where the Gordon fire arranged. The
wine room was kept by a Hebrew. At the time none
OF them were intoxicated. Cohen and Gordon sug-
gested going TO the wine TO talk. They all
drank champagne. The conversation carried on
partly in English and partly in Yiddsh Hebrew
jargon. Glueckman, witness said. could not spcal.
more than half a dozen words in English.
Ex-Judge Curtis asked the witness about a num-
Der Of incendary fires that the witness aleeei
to have been connected with. Mr.. Curtis wanted to
know If there not people In the burned houses
apHif fhp lives uprp M 10 mod
the Lieberman fire in Broome-st the Eskett fire in
Twelfth-st., and the klemock fire in Suffoik-st
where the Yeager child burned to death. The
witness admitted that he had adjusted the fire loss
at the latter pace 1t the fire for which Adoph
Hirschkopf and Meyer Dietschek were indicted and
arrested week
The case will 90 Monday.