The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-16
BESSIE MAKES A LANTERN.
JURORS IN AN ARSON CASE PET
ISTENsELY LNTEREsTED.

Chndish Contributions In Court 70 the Truth.
the whole truth. and HsthinE bat the
Rruth-Ir BiumenthaI. Papa, IL Acquitted.
nen Rave ME Youngsters 70 Thank.
Four children were called ne witnesses yester-
day in the General Sessions, at the trial of Der
nard D. Blumenthal, indicted on a charge OF
arson In the second degree, q crime for which
the extreme penalty Ia twenty years imprison-
ment II he Is acquitted the children will DO
responsible for II.
According to the story told by Fire Marshal
James Mitchell and other witnesses called by
the prosecution. Blumenthal bought q little
store at 435 East Elghty.second strect, paying
et65 for II. It was q toy and candy shop. He
insured the place for D 1000. and when. on Sept.
Q last, q IRE occurred at the store, the nre
insurance company notified Blumonthh to
care for tho goods saved from the flames pend
ing the settlement Of the fire claim. A few
weeks later, on Sept 90, there was another fire
at the store. and whom the nremon got to work
to extinguish tho flames they discovered that
the FIRE had been caused by lighted candles set
mp in wooden and pasteboard boxes at various
points about tho promises. Blumenthal's ar
rest and indictment followed.
. Assistant District Attorney Milliken exhibited
three wooden boxes to tho jury, each box being
Q inches long, 31nches wide and 8 Inches deep,
with ono end piece missing. Each box contained
o piece Of wax candle, fastened to tho bottom Of
the box with candle grease.
Lawyer William H. Grossman. counsel for
Blumenthal, told tho jury that Blumenthal's
ohildren had set IRE to tho store while playing
with the boxes and candles. It was on the Jew
ish New Year day. Mr.. Grossman explained. and
Mr.. Blumenthal and his wife were away pray
ing In the synagogue. It was proved by the
Blumenthals and others that they were at tho
synagogue and had left tho store in charge Of
their children. Then Bessie Blumenthal, q
girl with kfhky curls. was called.
SLOW old are you r. asked Recorder Coz.
"Ninc, SIR answered Bessie.
do you know tho meaning Of an oath r.
asked tho Recorder.
"Yeth. sir" answered the child; cit 10 when
some one swenrs that it's truc.
o.-whats truei A.-What somebody swears
10 true.
o.-what would happen IL somebody swore to
aliei Alto would be punished in the dark
hole with fire and pitchforks.
The child was sworn and then asked to tell all
she knew that had occurred on tho day Of the
hre in her fathers store. She said:
Papa and mamma went out TO Schulz. leaving
us children in the store. We took some swords
and some false faces from the store shelf and we
all played sojers in tho back room and In the
yard. We made lanterns out Of boxes and
marched with lit candles in tho boxes. We
made the lanterns by c%hopping the end of tho
boxes and-oh, there's one OF EN- on the table
near %f. pe .Ris on. of them J.. asked Lawyer oro,.
:. "Yeth. sir" answers the girl; but that
on the front side, so you couldn't see the can.
"what did you do with the lanterns - asked
"oh 70 Just put 'em down when we stopped
"Yeth. sir. answers. the child; shSw could
w o. nays snf IL your u, up la AT .ess "e Aeai did Id
o.mWhese did you get the matShesi A;Eon
S.mWhsre aid You get the candiei at
weren't no candle. it were only q piece of candle.
were a whole lot Of pieces in a box there. and we
picked EN- out
9mH9w did a yoq f last, n. sh e. candle ssas,d IN s1 the s sO5
dropped some of the hot candle in the box, and
then l pas ed the candle on the hot piece what
QEAnd how did you fasten the tissue paper
to the box in making the %lanterni A.-Jest tied
Juror No. 10. William L. LiRety. addressed
Recorder Con, sayings:
some paper and Irvine be given to the child. Let
her make the lantern here as she says she did
"a very good suggestion" remarked the Re
The lawyers handed tho child one of the
wooden boxes, a sheet. Of paper. some Irvine, q
candle. and some matches. The child wrapped
the paper about the front Of the box. and. having
This amt the kind OF ~oord-that cord'e to;
won't stay tied"
TAKE your time" said the Recorder. " ant
The shIid set SGT one n Of .I her X knees ,ss ,p, under En be:
she found the string loose, and when she triet
TO Tie the string. the paper fsll out Of place: j,
"Pshawl" she finally exclaimed; ! can't d'
Juror No. !, Patrick Brown. was watching he
that big chair. She wasn't Sitting in a efkaii
the aoor. your Honor. and maybe she viii get
eo aSh' ~ Rsy til It'll, L s 'hr' 60 " Over , fs's a nsfs sIs e
the floor Just as you did when you made you
TsEinE the hoy, paper. Irvine, candle. an
fhoHfdfi nRd The Ssf Rom eeT tSsk isS srSssie os h ssr ls ass' 81 81
tied the tissue paper TO the bog and With tn
sPshaw ]" she eteisimsS: my BRET went o
bad gathered near, and Recorder Con stOO
room was Interested. but the. jurors stood opel
mouthed; When the child had lit the cahdl
stuck the candle in place, she stood up an
proudly waved the lantern.
."Ah-ah-ahl" exclaimed tho jurymen e.
citedly, and three OF them, Jurors o, 10. and /
SHOUTED In chorus: shes done IT; shea dor
Then the jurymen whispered to each 9th,
and shook their heads approvingly.
The little girl was cross by the A
sistant District Attorney, but sho stuck to b.
lantern story, ending by saying: Zone OF Il
hremens found my lantern lit under the COUNT
when papa's store was burned and my broth,
L1nis,s lantern was in the back room; ~
~sojers."
Louis Blumenthal. in knickerbockers, WI
lifted into the witness chair by q big court Office
WHATS your namei" asked Recorder COT.
"Mei" asked the boy.
"Yes, your name" repeated tho Recorder.
I'm Louis" said the boy. Then he suddenl
exclAimed: oh there's my papa sitting by Il
Every one in the courtroom laughed. al
Louis put three fingers In his mouth. Then
took them ont and said TO tho court oficer:
by papa r.