New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-18
SCHOENHOLZ'S STORY OF ARSON.
TIE CONVICTED FIREBUG TEsTIFIEs AT
ZJKER'S TRIAL

TIE CONVICTED FIREBUG TEsTIFIEs AT
ZuKERs TRIAL.
The trial Of Isaac Zuker. clothing manufa curer.
who is charged with in planning the burning OF
his house at No. 2a DivIsion-st. on the night OF
January T. 1892. begun yesterday in the Crim-
nal Branch of the Supreme Court before Justice
Fursman. Acting Dlstrict-Attorney Davis opened
the prosecutions case. and then called Morris
Schoenholz who has recently begun a long term in
Sing Sing for setting another fire. Schoenholz has
confessed that he actually applied the match to the
Divlsion-st. house the instgation OF Zuker.
Schoenhoz gave testimony to this effect yes,er-
day He had talked with Zuker about the contem-
plated fire In August; 1891 zuker. ne said. told him
that he had had the Divsion-st. house insured
though II had been condemned by the Board oil
Health. The witness declared that Zuker paid him
s. for moving some things into the house and max
ing preparations for the fire. Zuker had told MIN
that he would remove the gas meter and put can
OF henzne in its place.
Il asked him why he wanted TO make il so strong
the witness went on. land he said he wanted the
shanty 10 burn down. so that the insurance COM
panes would have to pay the full amount or build
a new building. He said he intended TO use twenty
gallons OF benzine. | told him that was enough TO
burn down the whole block. He said he did not
care. that the only danger was to the mex; house
and that Bum's sons would stay at home and save
whatever they wanted to.
The witness declared that in the latter part OF
December 1891 he met the accused and said 10 him:
Il that you mad fire already In Newark You
did not keep your word You said you would let me
have IT," He told me could not have done 1t.
Zuker said he nearly broke his neck when building
the fire. The Insurance agent had been suspicious.
Zukcr the witness testified. said ne wanted TO
have the fire on the night OF January !. as he was
10 have a New Years reception that night. on
January the meter was removed ana TWO tubs
were brought In and the beDZine was put In them:
The witness said Max Blum. Xuker and himself
made holes i'm the walls between No 266 and |nkers
house. \ cotton curtain was pulled through one OF
the holes Another piece of cloth reached from
the curtain TO some benzne.
Blum then went out the witness said. ANA
brought in a carpenter Zuker gave the carpenter
some money and sent him out FOR twenty gallons OF
henZins III. carpenter brought I'm five gallons OF
benzine and Zuker poured 1t into one of the tubs
tie went ont three more times ana got penzine
Zukcr poured the last five gallons upstairs on inc
floor lie told me to come to the house III the
nighttime and sprinkle tenZne on tn" walls SAID
would not. would have to use a light ana
the benzine would catch fire
The witness said that Iuker himself scattered me
benZinc about the place. Cloths saturated WIN
benzine scattered about the rooms "Zuker
placed a box I'm Of IN" rooms" ead the witness.
''and on the top OF this he placed candle. Tied
with benzlnc leading more benZine loths so
that the fire would communicate. string WAS
tied 70 the candle leading out through hole IN
the wall of tho hall Xuker told me that when
was To start the fire should pull the string so
that the lighted candle would tin over and the fire
would burst out all at once; on the night OF
January g. 1894 he wen; 10 the house and lit the
candle. He Ziker two or three days AFTER
the fire and Zuker paid him 81 for starting II.
witness said