The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-01


Apply for Writ of Habeas Corpus.
Leon Olchefski was given a hearing
before Alderman Millar yesterday and
committed to Jail to await trial on the
charge Of blowing up the building at
Pittston avenue and Elm street and
damaging many others by the explo-
sion and subsequent fire. The offense
is not bailable before an alderman. The
evidence offered yesterday was meagre
but Alderman Millar said ii was suf-
ficient to make out a prima facia case
against the accused. Chief-of-the-F Fire
Department Hickey and Detective Moir,
who represented the police department,
said they had abundant evidence of OIL
chefski's guilt which will be produced
at the proper time.
At the hearing Olchefski was repre-
sented by ex-Judge w. II. Stanton and
Attorney C. f. Oliver. At 4.05 they sig
nified their readiness to proceed with
the hearing and Alderman Miller said
to the prisoner: Leon Olchefski, you
are charged on the oath and affirmation
Of Frank Robling, jr., Chief-o of-police,
with the crime of arson on the morning
of June 20. How do you plead, guilty
or not guilty?"
Olchefski, coached by Attorney Oliver,
said: Il plead not guilty and demand
a hearing"
The hearing began forthwith. John
Power O'Connor, secretary to the
Chief-of- police taking stenographic
notes of the testimony. The witnesses
examined were:
THE TESTIMONY.
John Klein, SIS Elm strect-'I saw
Leon Ochelfski passing my house at 10
o'clock Monday night. He was carry
ing a common feed bag over his shoul-
der. The contents did not seem to be
heavy" He did not hear the explosion
but was present at the fire and de-
scribed the buildings he saw burning.
Miss Lena Hamm-"Leon OlchefsN
was brought into our house after the
explosion to be cared for After l had
washed his face l asked him if his
family was saved and he said he did
not know. He said that he went to bed
at 8 o'clock and did not know anything
else until he found himself under the
debris after the explosion. He was
attired in white shirt, trousers and
stockings, and after he was put in bed
we took off one of his stockings and
threw it under the bed. Olchefski
begged me to call his wife and l did so.
AS soon as Mrs. Olchefski came in her
husband spoke in Polish and she i'm
mediately began to look around at the
foot of the bed and then raising the
clothes started to take off the other
stocking. l assisted her in doing this"
She thought Mrs. Olchefski wanted
to take the stockings away with her.
In the morning she examined Leon Oh
chefski's clothing and found them satu-
rated with kerosene oil. Olchefski's
moustache on the left side was slightly
scorched. About six o'clock in the
morning Mrs. Olchefski and a Po-
lsh man came to her. house with some
articles tied up in a clean sheet. She
followed Mrs. Olchefski into the sitting
room and Mrs. Olchefski opened the
package and took out a pair of trousers
for her husband and other articles of
clothing for the children The appear
ance of the package excited Miss
Hamm's suspicion.
ODOR OF KEROSENE.
Mrs. Veronica Nitch-"Some of Oh
chefski's furniture was taken TO my
osene oil"
John Keller-"Mrs. Olchefski came to
me after the fire and asked me about
bundles of her household goods"
This testimony was objected to and
! Keller left the stand.
Adam f. Micholowski--"I saw Leon
Olchefski between 10 and II o'clock on
the night of the explosion. l have a
c. n h1yt ba
explosion. l had been out walking with
my wife that evening and when l re-
turned to my saloon Olchefski was
there reading a paper and drinking a
glass of beer. l was lying on the floor
of a room adjoining my bedroom as
leep when the explosion occurred. I
looked out the window and saw the de-
bris on the street and the flames shoot
| ing from the wreck of the building
where my saloon was located and
then started to get my family out of
the building. l lived in the apartments
over Olchefskis apartments"
After he had finished. Judge Stan
| ton said:
| Il can't see that Adam knows any
thing about this case. Well, you lost
you sleep anyhow" he added, turn
ing to Adam.
I'D be satisfied if that was all
lost" said Micholowski with much
| feeling.
COMMITTED TO JAIL.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Micholow-
skis testimony Alderman Millar said
he would commit Olchefski to the
county Jail to answer a charge of ar
son. Judge Stanton entered a protest
against this ruling. He said there was
not particle of evidence presented to
show that Olchefski had been guilty
of any criminal act and that it was
very unjust to commit him to Jail and
compel him to ask for a writ of habeas
corpus or secure large bail.
There is plenty of other evidence" 4"
said Detective Moir, twelve or fifteen
| witnesses"
IF there Is any other testimony
against this man l am prepared to lis
ten to it, but l must strongly object
to his commitment on the evidence
thus far adduced," replied Judge Stan
ton.
Mr.. Oliver supplemented Judge STAN
toms remarks by stating that If Oh
chefski is committed the police will
make no effort to look further into this
case and will bend all their energies
TO fasten the crime on the accused. He
charged that the police were on the
wrong track and said that If the Off
GERS would bend their energeries in
another direction they might be sue
cessful In running down the culprit.
After the hearing Mr.. Oliver hinted
that a man had been seen near the cor
ner of Elm street and Pittston ave-
ME a few rninutaa hafora the avnInS