Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-09-22
F|REBUC PLACES
MANY LIVES IN
DANCER ON HILL
Man Who Gave Alarm Is Held
by Police Under l,500
Bail.

Charged by the police with endan-
gering hundreds of lives in his per-
sisten efforts to set fire to half a
dozen or more houses in the "Hill"
sectior Joseph Pertswig, a Russian
anarcE-st, was held In $1,000 bail for
the grand jury today by Judge Herr
In the Fourth Precinct Court.
The charge against him-arson-was
made by Battalion Chief McDermitt.
of the fire department. Pertswig was
arrested by the three patrolmen to
whom he gave an alarm of fire this
morning shortly after o'clock at Fair
view and Eighteenth avenues.
The police believe that the arrest will
clear up a mystery that has kept the
residents of that section in a state
bordering on panic since he began his
career two years ago. Twice before he
has been arrested by Captain Vogers
men. once on a charge of arson, and
another time for breaking with intent
to steal. The arson charge was dis
missed but he was held In $1,000 bail
for the grand jury on the burglary
charge.
Scores, probably hundreds, of lives
nave DttH tIfudIlStGcu Dy lllt dDDdllIlS
series of fires, which the authorities
cannot explain except by the flrebug
theory.
In each case the fires occurred be-
tween midnight and o'clock In the
morning, and four of them between
and a. m. cause unknown" is the
clause added to the report of each of
the disasters on the books of the
Fourth precinct Items like rubbish
under the stairway" or mattresses in
the cellar" leave little doubt as to the
real cause, the police now say,
Two families, keeping small grocery
stores, have been forced to move from
their burned homes to escape the fire.
bug, and one owner, frightened to des-
peration. has sold his house to rid him
self of the suspicion that he was caus-
ing the fires to get insurance money.
From the corner of Fairview and
Eighteenth avenues, circle one block
in diameter would include the entire
series IF fires. What the motive Is no
one can explain, for none of the victims
will admit having an enemy capable
of arson.
Third Fire In One House.
\ The fire at 81 Fairview avenue this
morning is the third In that house c r.
ing the last two years 1t has brought
the situation to a climax, and the
naighborhood is in a buzz of excite
ment and panic. The first blaze was
two years ago, when the house was
owned by Joseph Silverman. Mr.. Silver
man lived there with his family and
rented the store below to a man named
Mitchell, who ran a grocery store
Mitchell moved out after the flames
had wiped out good half of his stock
and left him ruined
Mr. Silverman repaired the place, and
in short time rented II to another
grocer, Harris Levy. On the morning
of May 26 last just one year lacking
day after the present suspect had been
first arrested on another charge Of
arson, fire was discovered in Levy's
grocery store, between and a. m.
The damage this time was slight, but
Levy refused to stay in the place any
longer.
Mr.. Silverman Immediately made up
his mind to sell, and finally persuaded
Samuel Grossman, a butcher, of Al
Fairview avenue, to buy. That was
about a month ago. Grossman started
to fix up the place for a new butcher
shop, but the fire today has disor-
ganized things so badly that it may
be a week before he can move in. And
now that the arson scare is so pre-
valent in the neighborhood Mr.. Cross
man may decide not to move In at all.
Since Mny "a there have been eleven
fires within the little circle of which
Fafrvi9w and Eighteenth avenues is
Continued on Page 2, Column 81