New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-20
SET ON FIRE BY BOY PUPILS.
RESULT OF INQUIRIES INTO THE BURN.
ING OF GRAMMAR SCHOOL NO. 81.

THREE CHILDREN ALL UNDER FOURTEEN.
CAUSED THE DAMAGE so THAT THEY
COULD KEEP on PLAYING TgUANT--
MADE FIVE ATTEMPTS BEFORE
THEY sUccEEDED-THEY con-
TESS AND ARE ARRESTED.
Three pupils Of Grammar School No. g. in
Third-aye between One hundred a nd sixty.
ninth and One hundred M seventeen SITS. were
arrested yesterday morning ard confessed to
having set the fire which seriously damaged
the school Wednesday. besides endangering
! the lives Of 800 pupils. who were In the building
at the time. They set the fire. tho boys said. In
order TO destroy the school. and so have an ex-
cuse to continue playing ruant.
! Albert Smitt twelve years old. Of 40. rs East
One-hundred- and sixty -eighih-st.; John Perina,
eleven years old. the son Of a oisarmane-, OF No
244 Washington ave. and Frederick Post. thir.
teen years old. the son OF a liquor-dealer of NO.
3 30 Thifd-ave are the three elfconfessed fire.
bugs. All three are pupils In the same class.
They had been playing truant for two days before
Wednesday. and they wanted to continue stay
ing away from school Being in fear that their
parents would learn Of their non attendance they
tried 10 devise some excuse for staying away
Smitt and Perina thought OF several schemes. but
none seemed to suit until the Post boy suggested
that they could burn the darn shanty down"
The boys determined upon this plan, ana they
looked around to find out how best their plans
could be executed In the search around the
building for the best place to start IRE, they
som found a back stairway leading through
hatchway into a sort Of garnet, about two rect
high
On Tuesday morning. while the school was IN
session. the three filed their pockets WIN nay
manor and other infammable materials. ana
noiseesslv crept up the stairs TO the garrett. The
roof OF this garrett is somewhat sloping and IN
the far corner 1t Is barely half foot above the
floor In this corner the boys piled the fuel and'
after lighting their fire. stealthily crept away
They retired TO Fulton Park. which Is directly IN
the rear Of the school. TO see the fun. They
waited there for some time. and then seeing no
smoke they made a second trip, relighted tho
hay and paper and again retired with the same
result. Again and again they tried 20 hsht
steady fire. and upon the fourth triai they oe-
cided to abandon their attempt to burn the puiid-
ing until Wednesday, because their fuel hao
given out
At 40 O'Clock on Wednesday morning. armed
with a heap Of newspapers. the three az u"
climbed to the garrett, and carefully prepared
the fire. They spread the newspapers under
in a position where they would burn easiest
Then. after igniting the pile they once more
retired to Fulton Park. As they were leaving
tbe building. and were walking through the
nIavground they met two playmates. John DICK
son. son OF Alfred Dickson. OF DICKSON
Weekly" and Albert Dorset, twelve years oio'
of No .232 Simpson-st.
you'd better scoot, for the whole darn Duildns
is going to burn down. SAID one OF she 'o""S
firebugs TO Dickson and his companion -
The bows thought that he was only JoKihg
however and continued on their way To tnelr
classrooins They had not been seated iots pe-
fore smoke was discovered coming from uho
rrs, into the classroom presided over 10y MISS
Sarah Spratt An alarm of fire was qulchy
turned in and the children were marched OUT IN
safety. Before the fire was eNtlnSuS"eu T''''''
damage had been done.
membereA his conversation with the three DO!
and told his father what one or them mao sa s
AR crowley an employe Of Mr.. Dickson. AFTER
hearing IL, told the police OF the Morrsanla sla-
tion and Detectives Schrner and Herman were
nut on the case. Early YESTERDAY morning tne
detectives went to the homes Of the three poys
and took them TO the school There the tnree
we're taken by Schirner and Kerr an lht1 'ns
presence Of the principal. William -. lraup' -,
No Al Frankln-ave.. and questioned as 10
what they knew Of the fire. AT hrst thes r.
fused to answer. but the detectives thln s
that they could get a conf asslon from tle US
II rho prjncipal was not present. asked hr.
Traub to leave the room. In his absence en's
put the boys through what they i'"clI pr ~ a..
light form Of the thhd degree. rms reSut.u ~.
ali three breaking down and contessing thsir
crime Mr. Traub was then recaleu dNu '"S
bows repeated the confession To MN -. L..
II now seems that Mr.. Traub had heen III.
formed that the boys were about 10 attemp, ~
burn the school. but that he had laughel d, 1 ene
idea They had told their plans 10 youls 80
sett with whom they had been extremely NY ny.
mate and Dorsett had repeated the story 20 ny
father. who had Informed Mr. Iraup, anu "'
made the boy tell him what ne mac hcaru
IL. ffaatr COZ -
Smitt Perina and Post were arrested ana ,ane"
to the Morrisana Police Court They were we're ar AZ
raigned about noon, ana were re,.a" Sooe,y
Magistrate Mott 70 the care Of the Gerry . ,
This morning a further examination IN 'he'f case
will he held. -, ..,,hhau ~ the
President Charles Bulkeiey nuop. H. nroh.
Roard OF Education when he hearI tnal pp tio,
ahIv some of the boys connected WIN tne 49, -
had been concerned in some malner ~ ,n,o
nSa,r gave instructions 10 have them taken IIso
ahair x 81 cory effort made TO sift the case
:. 80 hortom without fear or favor.