New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-15
A MANIA FOR SETTING FIRES.
AN OLD wOMAN's WAY OF AMUSING HER
SELF
CAUGHT STARTING BLAZE AGAINST MONROE
ST. TENEMENT HoUsE-sHE GIVES TEN
ANT A LIVELY CHASE AND FIGHTS
HARD AGAINST ARREST.
HARD AGAINST ARREST.

HARD AGAINST ARREST.
At daybreak yesterday morning the people lv-
ing in MonrCe-st., near Pike heard the cry OF po-
lice raised When they looked out OF the win
dows 10 what the trouble was they beheid a
wizened old woman running down the block fol-
lowed by man. II the latter who was dong
the shouting. He continued his cries as ne ran
At Pike-st he caught the woman struggle ioi-
lowed. Weak as the old woman was IL was
plainly to be seen that she stronger man her
captor. As they struggled together on the side-
walk the man kept calling for the police
Just as the woman shook off the man ana pre-
pared TO run away again. Patrolman Hurley. oi .,i
Madison-st. station appeared. He took boid OF the
woman. but he found 1t no easy task TO he'aih he'
and he had to rap for assistance fohcein.'"
Hayes his assistance. IL requiteu "e
strength OF both policemen to drag their captive
TO the station where explanations followed
The man who had called for the police intro
duced himself as Max Rosenhoff. and said mat he
kept a small candy store in the basement OF No
los Monroe-st. on the sidewalk he has SOFA
water stand. With him lives his sister-'n-iaw'
Minnie Himbel. The latter was awakened ABOUT
o'clock yesterday morning by the CRACKING Oh
wood She left her bed to investigate and saw
the old woman who afterward arrested puiiu-
ing a fir, against the soda-water stand She mad
kindled a blaze and was piling on barrel slaves.
The work seemed to give her pleasure TOT mere
WAS a look OF satisfaction her face as she bent
over the burning pile.
Mrs Himbel At once raised cry OF fire. and the
next moment there was a hubbub In the tuiidins
az men women and children crowded the stai. way
with frightened ,ountenances all hurrying TO ieach
safety as none knew how small or great the hAii-
ger might be. Rosenhof was the hrst 10 run OUT
to the sidewalk in answer to MS sster-n-aw :
call The old woman fed when she saw him. ana
the chase described followed
The police had great difficulty In learning G any
thing from the prisoner. She could not SPEAK tlh
lish and an Interpreter had to be secured 10 lal.
to her in the Hebrew language Then she said ma
her name as Lizzie Wetzer, ana that she IlVeu
at No IS Third-aVe All she would say IN expiaila-
tion of her act was that she had often nghtcn nits
She built them because she liked 10 see mem pui
A milkman told the police that earlier IN me
morning he had seen old woman make q nre
OPPOSITE No "a Rutgers-st.. She made II In me
middle of the street. The woman tod the PC
that a woman named LANCER had ordered ler 70
buid the fires hut who Mrs. LANCER was OF "hefe
she lived could not be learned from heT
An ambulance was called and the wo n IN Was te-
moved 10 Bellevue Hospital for eNamination as
10 her sanity. She gave the police me WI ohB
address as No IS Thrd-ave. is the Bible ftouse;;
No one in Monroe-st who saw the old Wonin, g., g, wa
recognize her as A tenant in any OF the buildings
The police put her down az being pyroHldhia,c :
4 charge OF ars on is entered against her on 'he
police records