New-York tribune., 1896-06-04
KLEIN'S CONFESSION READ.
END OF THE PROSECUTION IN THE ARSON
TRIAL
DIsrRIcrATroRSEY BAcKus ON THE STAND


The trial Of Jacob Klein on an indictment fof
arson in the first degree which has been progress
ing before Judge Hurd and jury In the County
Cour, for severa. days. was well on the way W
completion last night. The sensational feature VI
tha day was the admission as evidence OF cohIes-
sion which Klein made to Ass slant District-At'or
ney Miles who is trying the case FOR the proseeu-
tion The confession made In the ONCE OF the
District ct-Attorney. and Robert H. Eldtr VINO ap-
pears for the defendant fought hard TO keep II OUT
on the ground that the paper ohered was "o' ~
original that Klc,n had been tod that he need
not make any statement unless he desired 70 90
so and that 1t was me statement OF TWO people
Fox an Interpreter and the defendant The state
ment was admitted by Judge Hurd. nevertheless
Tho trial Of Jacob X Elm has attracted considerable
attention as Il IS alleged that he was member OK
a gang OF frebugs who made a business OF settns
era 70 houses 70 get the insurance. He Is Jointly
indicted with Adoph Hrschkopf, who is row IN tns
Tombs in New-York awaiting trial on cnarse o'
mansaugher in connection with another arson case':
and who is alleged to be the head and 'front.' Oh 'hs
conspirators. a
vos.erdav and testified that Klein had been brought
70 the office and while there he told him that 10
made any statement at his own us" ana 'na. Nv
one was authorze TO promise him immunity Hos'
amusement The prisoner said that he understood.
and then Mr BaclSus left the room lie cou.a noe
swear that Klein made any statement out ne oo
ueved he had made one TO Mr.. Miles
I-rde- cross-examna,ion by Mr.. Elders the DIS
,-,c,Attorney admitted that he had asked MT
Elder TO use his influence to get statement iro"
Klein
"And that was after he had made the statement
IN tNe Office, wasn'i it," asked counsel
"I believe So" was the reply.
"e,, that after YOU had already got one statement
from the man. you tried 10 get his counsel TO get
you another
KLEINs STATEMENT.
The statement. which refers to ex-Fire Marsna'
Lewis who Is now under indictment for co"sp"'''
is In part as follows ~
The T'i t. tine NE 4 y9S Sc Aterward ABOUT
two weeks. came to the house ve anh rst name?
aad tod him: MY name is Jacob kein sare: no
told me: Maybe you want insurance. aa, san yyn
sured He told me: You need not be afraid m nr,H ~
wont cost you any monte c went m away rS and maybe
for about months ddnt see s nrh, n any Time and
Then he came up Tr 70 see KEN M You are for
500 / said to him: Nobody came 10 see ''e '
niIIre; onss am nTt later he came and said MI Klein
o, are an examiner: you have nice posi'i9h s aro
YOU nee sn uo9 OF furniture buy from
pa him SIS fo@ it. Aftsrward msy6s ae0n, IN the ,ss
wssh' Ssh ms MTsSshs9s sSa ss X ss
n4s snrsd FOR 500 Now you burn out VIII give you
500 and 9nd 5w will ssi SIC asshRep rHE %y Dc that
ca,.t Ia /, trouble" He told me, MT. kieiI; a.
sure rrs ySu M sS s mne Isn told HrschkOp Il
can't do that in my positloh 81.
A man named seltzer saw Klein. according 70 ms
o,,assIor about two weeks afterward. and told
hIr, how ne had been burned out and got his money
ALI right. He said according 10 the confess'oh'
III YOU do that Mr. Hirschkopf you VIII De ,oH
fed with your money ana eyeryth,ns, ia s,onsv and YOU
get the so can DO something i,pnS IGS give
well. will give my. nina ai'er""
my opinion tonight
KLEIN NOT AT THE FIRE
r. n,,,, VENT 20 a meeting Of the lodge In
>or,oIks, New-York I went and saw MT kra-
kauer He has a shop at No. 2i3 Divisiohs'' .ooN
a little whiskey and wen; home someoody me. mo
and said oh Mr. Klein you are are oYfnru Yong Mr pant.
znger said the lamp burst up NsSt syhs some
IN up or saT e ms saS
policies never saw the Poce e He as brousht the
| policy down Sunday morning
WHERE LEWIS CAME IN
| .u,vh. somebody will ask you for the policies.
| and YOU have the policies 10 show tnat YOU NV
| them IN the house" Hirschkopf SAID HIsehA'p-
told me 10 sign a contract that the money 'na' wa
coming 70 him he should take from the amount set
| tied for Before the fire ne told me would get
| s7oe | signed a paper for HirschiSopf ior MN 10
| draw all nv money from the insurance companies
| RE left the policy with me- on Iuesndy "o'""s
Mr. Hlrschkopf came up at o'clock lie naa ~,.n
him solomon Schustuman lie said' Sir' N'e' 'o
Fire Marshal Will be here right away. AFTER thats
mavbe twenty minutes. carriage came up ana MI
| Zuudt and another fellow. | don't know the hanie'
| came up Mr. Zundt says i want you lot lew
| minutes" He asked me how the hre broke out
| told him what Hrschkopf tod me- 10 say that
lamp had broken. Then We saw Fire Ma'sna' hew'S WIS
Zunat acted as Interpreter. had never seen rlre
| Narebal Lewis before He asked me who adjusted
| tho Motley and ] said Mr.. Hrschkopf IAen Mr.
iiirschkopf and Fire Marshal Lewis hai long @ .ak
| Il av.
| thar the fire l!:tle crooked ana "ou'a s''
| him some money TO make 1t all riRn'
In his statement Klein went on TO say that Zuhdt
| ,old him II he ever got into any trouble ne woud
h,, him ont OF Il, Zundt and Lewis had taken all OF
| them TO a saloon another occasion ana reared
| them This on the way TO court "heh VEINS
vas arrested Fire Marshal Lewis told him tnat Gay
tha, ne must testify against Weng. just as ne had
signed a paper before. He said ne did not "an' "
| do that but the Fire Marshal insisted
A 10 the reasons for his flight 10 Philadelphia no
said he went because he heard there was trouble over
| the insurance He lived in New,York two months r,
h vas s 1ne over TO see DistrictAtorney and
tell ali he % o The be- neaf ssy stayed New
Then he went 10 PhladsiphIa Mr. Mile, an
| nounced that the prosecution would rest
BEGINNING THE DEFENCE.
NJ Elder opened the case for the defence He SAID
| ,,at tho Witnesses he would cali had never worn
! prison stripes and reputable men ara women
who would testify TO the good character OF .ne oe
| fendant He would prove that Klein was oe'hs
bounded down through a conspiracy and that an Az
| tempt was being made to railroad him to prison ~
order to get him OF the way as witness ior ~;
| Fire Marshal Lewis the suit brought aSainsI nln1
for 900 900 damages for false mprisonment Dy DnvS
Wenig in when Mr. Miles is the attorney Tor ths
| plaintiff. ~. =, xv,ua.,s, Eeu,-York
was called by M Elder ana testheS snan wa sn az his
house on the day OF the fire. and went through az enc
rooms without smelling any kerosene Mrs s n,s hsd
was dressing and had taken the lamp INTO ner oeu-
| room When she returned she tried 10 put me lamp
hack on a bracket door. but II fe.l 10 tne s9o'
and exploded The witness said that she seized Mrs
Kien's child and into the street crying Ire S,s
| Klein followed her. also crying hre sne waiteo
around the place until late that nlghl, wnsn srS
Sho Klein the ferryDOat, anu