The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-03-12


piciOn, Declares His Innocence.
The Prisoners Former Boarder,
NirEinIus de PruIa, Locked UP as
WItness-The story Told by Him.
NEWARK, y. J., March 12.-What Was
undoubtedly the worst fire in Newark's
history. fron the standpoint OF fatalities
attending il. caused the death of at least
GGteon persons and destroyed the frame
tenement at the southeast corner Of Morris
and Fourteenth Avenues this morning.
Fourteen bodies Of men. women. and 5hil-
dr5n had been taken out Of the ruins By
the fromen and one man had died at the
city hospital mp to 10 O'Clock this morning.
The search Of the ruins was being kept up
and the list Of victims may be increased
The names Of the dead so far as IS known
follows. Angela castillo and his wife; To-
ny castillo. Bennlnito castillo. Frank Ca
suIo. Carmina castillo. Getanimo Balmi-
ccan NuHciato Bardo, Theresa Bardo An
tonic Parmiano. Parliano Parmisno, Gui-
seppe PsTIaiano. NGncato Parmiano.
Two other bodie= -yere recovered. which
were SO badly burned that they were IN
recognizable. and one other man. whose
name is not yet known. jumped from a
third story window to escape the flames
and died subsequently at the city hospital
Arrested on Suspicion.
How tie fire started is not known Vito
Cradanzo. who lived In the house, was ar
rested about $50 O'Clock this morning be-
cause v.rgiuius De Prula and Joseph
Frenrc told Omcers John Murphy and
Muller that the man knew something about
I the origin ot the blaze. Cradanzo was
locked up in the Fourth precinct police
station and De Prula and Freurg were held
/ as witnesses. The charge against Cradanzo
was not stated. but Captain Edwards says
/ the man is held on suspicion Of having
| committed arson.
/ Tie buuaHE I'm which The FIRE broke ou-
( was a vcritabIe fire trap. II was Old Of
/ frame construction. ana extended two sto-
4 ries above the ground a5or. Until three or
, four years ago ihe structure had been B
/ church but fl WAS converted into a teue-
ment.
The lower f9or fronting Oh -1. -. aud So
! Fourteenth Avenue were used as three
stores and the upper portion o. the b-.iid
( ing was divided into twenty living rooms.
. ts nearly as can De learned. the structure
was occupied by ten families. solely IlaI-
/ .ans Two o. -bc occupants. C-adauzo and
one other family. Eept bolrdcrs and though
! the total population of the Ro5kery could
not bc definitely asceraiHel during The
/ excitement attending the fire. there is said
% have been forty or Hfty OF both s=xea
and an aaes in the building when the fire
I started II was just before = o'clock tha.
The fire was discovered.
Flames spread Rapidly.
yircinhs de Prula. who lived In the
house. declares that at about thar hour De
heard Cradanzo rushing through the hall
ON the second aoo-. shouting In Italian.
Fire. Ere Hurry up. Everybody hurry
up. Fire In an instant q, seemed. az
cOrdluE 10 De Prula's story. that the vhoi.
interior Of the structure was aaame- The
fire alarm signal IS located only across ths
street from the building. When the FIRE
men had been summoned the fire had as
sumed the proportions OF a frightful hClO-
caust.
with incredible rapidity. the Aa-aes had
eaten their way through The thin partitions
and the screams Of the imprisoned inmate
could be heard for nearly a block around
Though there were ten families in tn,
/ house there was but one exit from the lp-
per floors and in a few moments freedom
for the inmates by that mega rs was cut of
Four men. it is said one OF whom va.
i UgEcnio Castillo. whose family was wipe,
out. practically jumped from the uppe'
vintows. Castillo was not much hIt an,
two others escaped with slight injuries
The occupants Of the rooms in the back o
the stores on he first floor escaped. b,I
how many got out from the uprer storiJ
is a matter Of conjecture.
Crudanzo Protests Innocence.
The arrest Of Vito Cradauzo. who. will
his wife and two children. occupied the rea
part of the upper floor Of the house, wa
made after Captain Edwards had put hin
through an exhaustive examination in III
private room at the police station. Suspi
cion. as said, was first directed to Cradan
| 20 by the statement OF NuBlullS dc lFuld
a boarder at the Craianzo household. VIII
told the captain that he was aroused be
tween four and five O'Clock by the cries q
Cradanzo and his wife. De PruIa says tha
when he awoke he saw the Cradanzo famil
fully dressed and making ready to leav
the house.
IF there is a reward ! will tell WIN
set fire TO the house. was the first state
ment by De PruIa 10 the captain Of polio,
Cradanzo was at once placed under arres
and taken to the sta onhouse, where Cap
tain Edwards questioned him sharply. Tn
result Of the questioning is that Cradarz
, was placed in a cell and held as a susrsC
while his former boarder. who gave tn
information against him, was also held a
a witness.
The suspect is a short, thick-set man {
D about thirty years. wearing a heavy blac
a | mcustache He was vehement in prote.
S ! tations Of his innocence and trembled yer
j much as he talked with the police captain
Extension OF Rhode Island Avenu
A Joint resolution to amend an act eI