The sun., 1903-12-27
HALL IS A DOClLE PRISONER.
THE NOTORIOUS CROOK IN
DUTCHESS COUNTY JAIL.
Story OF His Purchase OF the Van Allen
Place in New Hamburg-NOw Under
Indictment for Arson for Setting Fire
to the House on Feb. IN. 1908.


to the House on Feb. IL. 1908.
PouoHKEEPsIE. Dec. 2e.-Charles P. Hall,
who has spent half his sixty years OF life IN
prison, is a mild and docie prisoner in the
Dut chess county Jail, where he is awaiting
hearing before County Judge Phillips
on a charge OF arson in setting fire to the
handsome Van Allen place in New Ham
burg on the night of Feb. 13. The authori-
ties are convinced that Hall is involved in
a conspiracy to defraud insurance COM
panies and hope before long to have some
or all Of his confederates,in in Gust ody.
Hall is not permitted to have visitors,
and all attempts to get confession from
him have failed. Chief Of Police Charles
j. McCabe Of this city, who arrest ed him,
secured a letter he had just written, which
cont aims information of importance to
the District Attorney. Other letters. of
lees were fSnhd snitb on MsNps Ms pnrs
Hotel, New York, was searched without
finding anything of value. He told Chief
McCabe that he had other apartments,
but refused to tell where they were, re-
marking with smile: Il know my busi-
ness, chief, and you know yours" =,
Sheriff Hoff man expects to remove Hall
to the new Jail in a few days. In the mean
time, as the old Jail where he s now con-
fined is u ramshackle structure, he is being
closely watched.
county last February as a possible pur..
chaser of the Van Allen property. one. Of
the handsomest country homes in New
Hamburg, he described himself as a real
estate broker, with an office at s37 Broad
street. Newark, n. J. and 80 Broad street.
New York. The negotiations for the .pur
through the owner, Ellis p. Southworth
OF New York, who purchased the property
from Mead Il Taft of Cornwall Hall acted
Of his wife, Emily p. Hall, who took title
to the estate on Feb. 4. 1908. The con-
sideration was $4,000, but no money was
paid. Mrs. Hall gave a second mortgage
of 5000 and assumed a first mort rtgage
Of 5000, which was then being foreclosad
tain personal property on the place was
purchased by Hall for $1,000, on which,
ne said, he gave 81 ,050 In cash as part pay
ment.
At the time of the transfer southworth
held IS 900 insurance on the property placed
by the Dutchess Insurance Company and
the Globe and Rutgers Insurance Company
The policies were payable to the Pough-
kt spsi ie Savings Bank. Subsequently Mrs
Hail insured the, property for, $500 ad-
! ditional and her husband had the personal
property insured for 5000.
On the day of the fire Hall came up from
New York to look over the building, with
the idea, he said. of having certain repairs
made. This was Feb. 49, lsO3 nine days
after the purchase of the property by Mrs.
Hall. That night the house was burned
down. Hall said that he had started wood
fires in the house to dry 1t out and that he
was aroused after he had gone to bed by
the caretaker, who said that he heard
burglars. He got up and while making
an Investigation discovered the fire, which
had then made considerable progress, in
the upper story of the building. 1t was
impossible TO check the flames. Hall at
tributes the fire to birds nests in the CHM
noy6,