The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-17
FIREBUG LEVINE CONPESSES,
IMPLICATES TIVO MORE or HIS
ALLEGED ACCOMPLICES.
Gives Fire Marshal Complete Details ~
Plan for Burning Williamsburg Teacsj
nicnt-TwO More Arrests Made, and
search Under Way for another Person

NcbucNldy IuOlnHlP b0u Niph 0STj
tempted arson and who subsequently,
attempted suicide by jumping from the
fifth story window Of Police Headquarters,
Brooklyn, nude full confession to Fra
Marshal Beers in the Brooklyn Hospital
on Friday. in which he said he had been
promised $125 to set fire to the enement
3lS Union avenue
He said that Phil Davis, saloon keeper
at 81 Gouverneur street. Manhattan, had
made the proposition to him and that
carpet cleaner whose name ne did not \
know furnished the bonzin matches andl!
wicks by which he was to make the fre.a
while an Italian named Joe, who owned
the house stood by and offered to do any.
thing for Levine If he only burned down
the house.
Levine also accused Davis's son Of having
carried &c to him from his father
telling him that everything was all right
and to go ahead. Levine said in his
confession that Davis, the carpet cleaner, /
and the Italian ACCOMPANIED him to the
Union avenue house on Monday night but
that he refused to Sc. the place on fire that
night. He was then only to be paid $3.50.
but on the promise that he would fire the
house on Tuesday night the amount was
raised to $i25 Then he went to the house
alone and was captured by Capt. Harktns
and his detectives. a
Levine made The confession while suffer
ing great pain and with the fear that he
was not going TO recover. Capt. Harkins,
acting upon this confession, sent Detective
Sergeants Reidy, Duggan, Graham and
kinsela out to watch the men whose names
had been used by Levine in his confession.
Phil Davis WAS already under arrest, and
is now out on 81, 500 bail to appear for ex-
animation in police court tomorrow.
The detectives came to Manhattan yester-
day and ran across Harry Davis, the
eighteen year-c9d son of Phil Davis. He
was taken to the State street headquarters.
where Capt. Harkins questioned him. He
said he did not know Levine, but ac-
knowledged having carried a message for
his father to Hyman' IS saloon at 213 Broomo
street for Levine. He said the message his
father had sent was Everything is all right.
Go ahead as
Il did not have tho slightest idea what
was meant by the message" said young
Davis. Ia
He was then taken to the Brooklyn Hos
pital, where Levine immediately identified
him az Davis, and then when Levine was
told that Davis did not know what the
message meant, he said:
"You knew all about it. You wanted to
come with me to do the job and l wouldn't
let you. because you were too young
When Davis was taken back to Head
quarters and Capt. Harkins was apprised
of what Davis had said and what Levine
had replied, he ordered young Davis locked
up on the charge Of being accessory to at
tempted arson. He will be arraigned be-
fore Ma gistrate Dooley this morning.
In the meantime the detectives had ncs
been able to find joe the Italian, but they
met several acquaintance of his, and told
them that Capt Harliins was putting it up.
very strong against him, and that the bost
thing he could do was to 60 to Police Head.
quarters, Brooklyn, and squa re himself
with the captain. He Immediately fell into
the trapand visited Capt. Ha rkins last night.
He denied ali knowledge of Levine.
why" said the captain, LEVINE says
YOU own the house on Union avenue and
that you offered him anything he wanted
if he would only burn the house down.
Il don't know this Levine, said Joe. Z
Then he told the captain that he was
Joseph Frje!lo, SO years old, and that he
nnu Il Saloon hL NAObt duG StcSNSs
Manhattan. lie said he owned the house
at 3ls Union avenue, Brooklyn, but never
asked any one 10 set it on lire. freJeilo
was taken to the hospital and Levine, as
soon as he cav him, said: ii
That's the fellow they called the boss.
He's the Italian who owns the house. He
told me he would do anything for me II
would only set the house on fire."
Il did not said Frejello. Il never saw
you before
yes. you did," said Levine; you went
to the house with me on Monday night.
You said you had a room in the house,
where you and your wife stayed at times.
You even went so far as to offer me the
key Of the room"
Frejello was taken back to Headquarters;
where the conversation was repeated to
Capt Harkins. ~,
aHave you key to room in the housep.
he asked. M
yes" said Frejello. ~
where was your wife on Monday nighti'
.She was at Danbury, Conn., replied
Frejello.
Frejello said that while he owned the house
there was u mortgage of 5000 on 1t and
it was insured for that amount, but the
holder of the mortgage also had the insure
anoe papers. He denied knowing either
Davis or his son, but said he knew the
oarpe. layer.
why I'm all right said Frejello, -and
the police will tell you so. There is police
man in front of my place on NJ Oft street
twenty-four hours OF the day
"Why?' asked the captain.
"Oh" said Frejeilo, "the police thought
! had disorderiy house and they sept
policeman there constantly to watch
Under those, circumstances business
must be poor over there Capt. Harkins
said.
1T could be better" replied Frejeilo,
in fact was going to transfer the property
tomorrow at IL O'clock"
He WAS then locked up on the sans
charge as that preferred against young
Davis.
only one more at large said Capt.,
Harkirs glcefully land he'll be pinchcd,
before morning. Levine has made good!
all he said in his confession. Luck is ALE