New-York tribune., 1901-03-03
4 SELFCONFEssED INCEyDIARY.
FIRES WHICH MADE EIGHT FAM
LIES HOMELESS

Eliza beth, y J. March SPECIALIZATION
Baehr. a Spanish-American War volunteer, who
served in the Sd New-Jersey Regiment is locked
UP in a cell at police headquarters on the double
charge OF arson and larceny 70 both of which
crimes he has confessed. The prisoner Is only
twenty-one. and his parents live in Reid-st-
Since he returned from the war Baehr has done
work. but has drunk to excess. Last summer
he spent month in the county jail for setting
fire to a barn and large hay barrack of Harry
McCandIess, a contractor in Linden. who lost
So 500 by the fire. Baehr was arrested on sus-
picion. and declared that a spark from pipe
he was smoking fell IN the hay and ignited it.
AS he was a volunteer and no previous charge
had been made against him, Judge Vail was
merciful and imposed very light sentence.
Last Monday night he determined 50 he de-
clares. TO have some fun and start a big fire so
as to see the dremen hustle. He first visited the
barn Of Henry Flagge. in Seventh-st.. and set
fire 70 II. Then he went TO the wagon shed of
Albert W. ErxIeben baker in EIizabeth-ave.,
where he ignited the shed that adjoins the
storehouse. in which were two thousand bar
rels OF -four. The fire here burned itself out
without being discovered. while that at FlagSe's
barn was put out with slight damage.
The incendiary next appeared at Harris Rel
bells furniture store, in Ellzabeth-ave., where he
applied the torch 10 rear extension The fire
department was called out 70 this blaze which
lasted half an hour and did some some hundreds
OF dollars damage.
The fremen had only just got their apparatus
housed. when they were summoned again, this
time TO Sidney & Thompson's lumber yard and
the T. c. Sayres stables. where large blaze
was raging. After iguiting the stable he walked
along the Elizabeth River bank 10 Thompson's
lumber yard two hundred feet away, gathered
a pile OF shavlncs. and. placing them against
the big shed in the lumber yard, set them on
fire. Then he went home Three tenement
houses between the lumber yard and stable
were destroyed. eight families were renderd
homeless and a loss Of nearly $1,000 was en-
tailed by this fire.
Several Of the occupants Of the houses barely
got out alive, and most OF the families lost
everything Suspicion fell Baehr, who was
quietly taken into custody on Wednesday, but
after several hours questioning was released.
as the police authorities could get nothing out
of him. He was in the Jersey Central Railroad
waiting room at Elizabeth on Thursday night
and saw newsboy get dollar bill for 81 in
change from the ticket agent. Baehr stepped
up TO the boy and asked 10 see the bill which
he declared wrongly numbered. He then
stepped into the toilet room, and before the
surprised newsboy knew what had happened
Baehr opened a window in the toilet room
sprang through it and disappeared
The case was reported 10 Detective Decker,
who Friday night caught the thief at Al
Gene. Baehr supposiHS he was arrested again
for the Thompson fire, broke down, and con-
fessed 10 Chief Teuney that he was the un-
known incendiary. He seemingly took pride in
telling the particulars OF his exploits He ap-
peared perfectly cool and Indifferent.
The police think the prisoners mind is de-
ranged from whiskey drinking He says that
when he drinks he has an uncontroIable mania
TO start a fire somewhere. He will be arraiSned
next Monday in the police court. and meanwhile
those people whose premises he set on hre VIII
make formal charges against him