The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-09-22
W
TO0HO9FOR DENTIST
Albanesius Said it Was No
Use to Open the Door
for the Firemen.
THEN THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED
The Trial for Arson Moving Along
RapidIy--Many Witnesses
Examined.
THEN THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED

Prosecutor Winfield's opening with an an-
sence of friction between the opposing
lawyers and consequently a correspond
ing rapidity thai is not common IN cases
of so much Importance. The direct eA-
animation of the witnesses was brief ana
the majority of them were not suo]ecteo
to cross-examination. The state nrst
proved by John Blohm, agent OF the Ger
mania Fire Insurance Company. mat the
defendants house was insured IN tnat
company for $4,000.
Frederick w. Bender, the company ;
general agent for Hudson county, cor
roborated Blohm's testimony.
John c. Martin, of No. 60 Sherman ave
nue.. testified that he was employed pS
Albanesius to appraise the damage. ne
and John Lyman, who represented the
insurance company, were unable TO agree.
Martins figures were 1920 and Lymans
s.. $50. They called in Martin Hackett as
umpire and he settled the dif1lcuity ps
appraising the damage at S2,ss2.zo.
Martin Hackett testified that prior 70
acting as umpire he had been employed
by Herman l.. Kreuder, the company
adjuster, to appraise the oamag anu he
appraised it about g, $50.
what do you consider the building was
L dShCo ~"
..About 81. $780, answered the witness.
..yon wouldn't build one like it for that
price. would your
yes, 1 would replied the witness very
positively.
bilius Berger. a halter and furrier at
No. 1868 Central avenue. testified that ne
had a conversation with AlbaneSiuS a lew
DAYS before the fire. In the course OF II
Albanesius said that if the house was not
there he would put up flats He Wouio
get some income from them and they
would be more in harmony with the obner
buildings on the block.
Did he show you a set of teeth and
say that he had rescued them from the
fre?" asked Mr.. Winfield.
He showed me a set of teeth and SAID
that he found them in a drawer the DAY
after the fire. He said he considered him.
self lucky"
Did yeu notice any smoky smell about
them?"
.sHs was smoking a cigar and I couldn't
tell much about it."
Bertha Blohm, a daughter OF John
Blohm, the insurance agent, testified that
shortly before the fire Albanesius spoke 10
her about insuring q tenant next door to
his house. He did not mention the ten
ants name.
John -Blohm was recalled and said that
he knew nothing about that matter ex-
cept what his daughter told him.
Mrs. Lena Borne, of No. liz Bo%ers
street. had great difficulty in locating the
distance between the AlbaAesius house
and hers. After it was satisfactorily
located she testified that she knew notn-
effort to insure the properly: Bertha
Blohm's testimony was ordered stricAeh
out.
Paul Albanesius, a brother of the de-
street, Union Hill, testified hal ne caleu
at his brother house on the night o. me
fire. He arrived there at ten mlnules
before nine. He found his brother busy.
He and his brother left the mousse ABOUT
ten o'clock. The witness locked the door
followed him out. He and his brother
both had keys. When they lett tnere %as
one gas jet burning. All the rest hao
Patrolman Martin testified that he was
on duty that night on Bowers street, from
Central avenue to the Hoboken city me.
Ahlwardt. the Jew batter, had q meeting
in Kessler's Hall that night, and the VII
ness had been instructed to keep as CLOSE
to the hall as possible. He was IN Iront
Albanesius's house. No. $40 Central ave-
nue.. He notified Captain McNulty, who
was in Kssslers Hall daa nn With J a ,a sau s1ar o1
box. He sent In the alarm at ll:zo. Inc
witness had not seen Albanesius that
Roundsman Joseph Richards was on
duty at Kessler's. He did not see Al
banesfus there. When he heard OF the
fire he ran up to the house and found the
gate leading from the street open; The
inside gate leading to the barn was closed
but the witness forced it open. He knew
that Albanesius had some valuable horses
in the stable, and he wanted to save
them. He did save them with the as
sistance of some fremen The witness
the front stoop of the adjoining, mouse.
The ffremep were trying to break open
Mr.. Frank said to Albanesius, Doctor
why in hell don't you go and open tnat
door or give them the key?' The: doctor
replied, II can't; it's too hot there for
burned anyway" The witness did not
see any dogs alb out the premises,
precinct was in KessIer's Hall the night
of the fire. He went to the house with
Roundsman Richards. The rear exten-
pack to the stable and warned him to Took
out for the dogs or they. would eat him
up. The witness saw Albanesius at the
She's a good one this time, Captain =
adjolnlng hallway; They ;y,r nae ! tt a bottle tile
drank some of the whiskey. The. Captain
did not blame him, as it was g. cold night.
The witness arrested Albanesius on a
NIAR A&J ~ -
him to Chief MurphySs office in. Police
HEADQUARTERS. The thief showed
Albanesius a bundle of letters. These
are my letters Albenesius exclaimed,
somebody must have broken into my
desk" Chief Murphy told Albanesius
that the letters (the threatening letter.
had been examined by an expert and
pronounced to be his own writing. The
witness said that Albanesius used to come
to him frequently and show him threaten
ing letters. The State endeavored to
prove the contents of the letters by the
witness, but Lawyer Simpson objected.
He said that the letters themselves were
the best evidence.
well. produce the letters said Mr..
WinfEid, you have them" Mr.. Simpson
said that Sufficient notice had not been
given. Judge Hudspeth directed the
defence to produce the letters this morn
Captain MoNuIty testified that he had
given some Of the letters to Chief Muir
ply. Albaneeips showed the witness a
threatepipH letter to the witness four or
five months before the fire. He did not
request the witness to find out who wrote
the letter. A1banesius told the witness
at the fire that the dogs were in the
stable. HI witness heard the explosion.
1t seemed to be in the front parlor, near
the windows.
Detective Michael McNally testified that
he examined the premises with Rounds
man Richards the day after the fire.. He
found straw in the barn n a bail of
1t leading from there to the house. In
the house he found some straw floating
In water. The straw had been saturated
-eAl r..a al ~ A1A