The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-07-03
ARSON PLOT DISCOVERED
New Workers Charged With Plan
ming TO Burn Houses.
Threatened Row of Dwellings Con-
tnins Many FnmiIies-The Place
soaked with nnRmmnbIe Liquids.
Alleged Owner Indignantly De-
niles the Accusation Against Him

niles the Accusation Against Him
who lives in one Of a row OF houses. sid
to be owned by him, in Thirty ninth
Street. between Eleventh and Twelfth
Avenues. Brooklyn. and Morris Si,ve- OF
PA Greenwood Avenue. Windsor Terrace.
we're arrested yesterday by Detectives Shea
and Busby, OF the Coney Island police
station. and Acting Captain Cole. of the
Parkville Police station. on the charge Of
conspiracy to commit arson
According to the detectives, Decker and
Silver had plotted with Burton Lyons.
waiter employed in Coney Is and con ert
hall, to set fire to the houses OF which
Decker is the reputed owner, and which
shelter seyenty-twO families in order that
Decker might collect the money for which
the houses we're insured. Decker and Sill
yer were arraigned in the Flatbush Po-
lice Court later in the day. and held for
examination. while Lyons was paroIed as
a witness.
The locality in which the houses are stu
ated is known as Kensington. II is far re-
moved from fire alarm boxes and fire en-
gines. Had the alleged plot succeeded. the
detectives aver. there is little doubt that
the entire row OF buildings would have
been burned 10 the ground and as tie
tenants were all in bed at the time. many
persons would, in all likelihood have per
ished. When the arrests were made tie
detectives found Decker fully dressed and
,esdy to leave his apartments above his
bake shop. while his wife and four chill
dren were sound asleep in another part OF
the house.
To Shea and Busby is due the credit for
having frustrated the alleged Conspiracy of
which they were lrst informed by Lyons.
According to the story told by Lyons. he
was at work in the Coney Island concert
hall last Friday when Silver entered tte
place and engaged him in conversation.
Silver. IL IS alleged. asked Lyons II be
would ike TO make S35 without any troC-
BILE Lyons answered in the Affirmative.
and agreed 20 meet Silver the following
morning
When the men met the next morning.
Lyons says Silver Unfolded plan where
by they were 10 burn down a row Of houses
in KensingtOn. Lyons was simply 10 as
sist Silver. for which Lyons was 10 get S35.
II WAS TO be Lyons task TO strike a match
and apply il 10 q part Of the building which
would be ready before he arrived on the
scene. Then Silver went away satisfied
that all was in readiness. Later in the
day Silver returned Lyons declares, and
gave him so
Lyons told the story 10 Detective Busby
BUsby told Lyons 10 make Silver believe
that he was ready for the work. and 20 ar
range 70 meet him in Browns Hotel. In
surf Avenue. Coney Island. at. O'Clock
Saturday afternoon. Before the hour ~
rived Detectives Shea and Busby had hid
den themselves in closet in the room in
which silver and Lyons were 10 meet Al
O'Clock the men entered the room The
detectives could overhear every word
spoken.
Lyons was told by Silver. the detectives
say. that Decker. who owned the row Of
buildings that was 20 be fired. wanted 10
collect the insurance on them. and had
hired him 70 do the Job" for him Every
thing was 70 be in readiness for the men
when they arrived at the place. the detec-
tives declared Silver said and there was
10 danger Il was arranged that the
buildings should be fred as soon as posi-
BE after midnight on sunday
Lyons worked in the concert han until
1 O'Clock yesterday morning, when Silver
called for him The two boarded 2
Brooklyn Rapid Transit car rode d Thi--
ty-nlnJh Street. and walked the resi- Of
me way 10 DecEecs shop. The bakers
were stu ~ work Detectives Shea ans
Busby were in hiding with Acting CAPTAIN
Cole only . few feet away As soon as
the last baker had left the shop Silver
and Lyons entered it. They found forty
barrels nlled with refuse and paper satu-
rated with oil and benZine Several cans
OF benEine and turpentine were also there
The shop floor VAS soaked IN oil. as was
the floor OF the apartments above. Decker
the detectives say, walked out OF the shop.
leaving the two men alone Silver handed
Lyons $50. and saic that all was ready for
the match
Lyons took match from his pocket jus,
as the detectives and Acting Captain Cole
forced open the door and entered The
place. They arrested the two men Silver
declared he worked in the bakery. and
said Lyons Was driver for Decker. Deck
er was found in the front room Of lis
apartments above the shop. fully dressed
When told he was under arrest he became
indignant and declared he knew Of no at
tempt to burn his property He was then
confronted with Silver. Decker denied
that he owned the buildings. and sail his
wife was the owner. Later he denied he
was married.
At this juncture Fire Marshal Brymer.
who had been summoned BY telephone
arrived He succeeded in getting a con-
fessiOn from Silver. who said be had re
ceived 500 from Decker to fire the Drop
erty. Decker said the confession was
false. and again asserted that he did not
own the property He subsequently in
formed the Fire Marshal that the property
was insured in the North River company
but he refused to tell for what amount.