The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-30
HIS RECORD AGAINST HIM.
FIREBUG HU0H MILLER "a @ HT
At A BR0oKLYN FIRE

ne was Once ConvIctsa Of Arson, ana Ne Is
Suspected or Having set several fires ne
centiy-He stin HAS the Cigarette Habit
TO which re Attributed Ms Downran.
A fire started yesterday afternoon In the
four-story brownstono fiat building at 49l
Vanderbilt avenue, Brooklyn, and two alarms
were sent out Tho damage to the building,
which IL owned by the Kingsland estate, vas
2 1900. The tenants, Edward Hofferen and
Frank Gilroy, each estimate their loss at $500.
and the store Of Moore G. Arnold. at $40 Full.
ton street, was damaged $3.50. The FIRE orig
mated in the dumb waiter and quickly spread
through tho building.
Chief Engineer James Dale Of tho Fire Depart
ment was struck by q shutter and received a
severe scalp wound. Foreman Frank Boyton of
Engine Company 80, und Foreman Rikel Of
Engine Company 90 were overcome by gas in the
cellar. They were carried out by their comrades,
and were soon able to return to work.
While the fremen were at work Policeman
Henry Heyn Of the Vernon avenue station was
standing on tho opposite corner with q man I'M
der arrest, on suspicion Of firing tho building.
The fremen did not know at the time that the
fire was Of incendiary origin.
When Policeman Heyn returned to the Vernon
avenue station with his prisoner. Capt. John w.
Eason at once recognized the prisoner, who de-
scribed himself as John Martin, 25 years old, of
224 Classon avenue. The charge against him
was arson.
"why, Miller, I'm glad to SEQ you" said Capt.
Eason.
The prisoner denied that he was Miller. He
was then locked up. and last night he was
visited by Police Superintendent McKolvoy,
District Attorney Backus, and Fire Marshal
Brymer. They questioned him, but so far as
could DO learned he didn't confess that he set
I'VE have got him all right" said Fire Mar
sha, srymer to a suS reporter and by this
ino = tuoss ~ Ano"e
was arres,od in March. 1891. for setting DIRE to
100 pr,5no 800, ,au.,.., =. ,ha E,r,r.
LOO nr,use stree- ana was sen. 10 inc niniA
released about three years ago. At the time Of
his arrest IN Ise1 he was a member ~ tho sands
Street Methodist Episcopal Church and was As.
sistant Librarian OF the Junior Department in
the Young Mems Christian Association.
During the winter Of 1s9o-91 there were
many incendiary Arcs in the lower portion of
Brooklyn. and at that time Capt. Eason was in
command Of tho lower Fulton street station
129-l3l Sands street was set enre and six per
sons were burned to death. They wore Frank
SO years; Edward Benedict, IL months Old;
Margaret Dorney, aged IS years; Daniel Dorney,
aged 3 years, and Minnie Dorney, aged 4 years.
Capt. Eason and Detectives Kearney and Moo
nan worked on the case diligently. but the fires
continued. On March 81, 1891. the tenement at
1913 Bridge street was set on fire, and II was dis
covered that the keyhole to the nearest fire box
had been plugged with q piece OF paper torn from
q church programme. Suspicion was directed to
Miller, who at that time lived with his parnets
at 159 Sands street. He was arrested. and when
searched at the station house a torn church pro-
gramme was found in his pocket. Tho piece
found in the keyho!e OF tho hre box had been
torn from tho programme found in Miller's
pocket. He was sent to Raymond street Jail.
and then confessed 70 Benjamin Lewis, who was
at that time the Fire Marshal, that he was
guilty Of setting the Bridge street house on fire.
gave q boy ten cents to get tho bottle filled with
Kerosene.
He said that he was an inveterate cigarette
smoker. and that he had been under a great men.
tai strain, due to his mothers illness. He said
he had read OF the series OF fires, and had been
impolled BY some force 10 set the Bridge street
house on fre simply to SEQ the engines scurry-
ing along.
During the last two months there has been q
number OF fires on Myrtle avenue, and Capt.
Eason became convinced that Miller might
know something about them. He ascertained
that Miller was In the bakery business at Myrtle
avenue and Ryerson street. and he communi-
Gated his suspicious to Superintendent Nickel
vey. who instructed Capt. Eason to have MIL
has been under the surveillance of the
police, excepting a short time last Thursday,
when he got out OF the house without being