New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-15
TZN THE PAINTER" MAY
TURN ON larson TRUST"
Head of Fire Making Gang, in
Sing Sing, Considering
TeStifying for State.
is INDICTED ONCE MORE
Will Be Brought to This City to
Answer New Charge-Two
Other True Bills-One
for New Man.

SbaNA oS AS
for New Man.
"Izzy the Painter" boss fire maker OF
Harlem, who, Fire Marshal John p
Prlal believes, started more than three
hundred fires in the last two or three
years, received a visit i'm Sing SING
prison yesterday from Royal H. Weller
the Assistant District Attorney, who is
investigating the larson trust" for Dis
trict Attorney Whitman. It is likely
that after "Izzy" has consulted with
his attorney he will decide to help the
District Attorney to stamp out the 'ar-
son trust"
Justice COTS grand jury yesterday
returned three indictments based or
the evidence submitted to them regard
ing the activities Of the arson trust. v
One indictment charged "Izzy the
Painter" with arson in the second de-
gree for setting fire on December /,
1910, to Colds fiat. No. $40 East 13Sth
street. Another indictment accuses
George Grutz, the fire adjuster who
was held in $4,000 bond by Magistrate
Murphy last week, as an accomplice OF
"Izzy's." The third indictment IS
against another fire adjuster, who is
alleged TO have filed false proofs OF loss
with the German-American Insurance
Company after Colds fire.
On bench warrant issued yesterday
afternoon, Assistant Fire Marshal
Richard Sheehan and Montgomery
Wade arrested last night Kalman New
mark. an insurance broker, forty-one
years old. Of No. $50 West 152d street.
Newmark was arrested in front of his
home and held in the West 152d street
police station for Detective Thomas. Of
the District Attorneys Office. New
mark is charged with fling a false
claim Of insurance.
To Determine Motive.
Besides being a public fire adjuster,
Grutz was a life insurance agent, and
Mr.. Weller has interrogated many of
those insured by Grutz. 1t was found
that some Of his life insurance Gus
toners obtained fire insurance also
through him and some afterward had
fires on which insurance was collected.
All who collected fire insurance under
such conditions will be examined
further TO determine whether the dun
ming Of Grutz. the life insurance agent.
might have been a motive for an at
tempt to raise money on their fire in
surancc policies.
The visit made by Mr.. Weller to
"Izzy" Steinkreutzer 49, 'Izzy the
Painter he is called. because of the
vocation assumed by him to enable
him TO buy benz and other inflam-
mable stuff without exciting suspicion
lis regarded as significant 'Izzy'
told Mr.. Weller he would make no con-
fession until he had consolidated his at
torney. Abraham Levy. II was said.
however the fact that another ar
son indictment had already been found
against him and the possibility that
others might be found made a pro-
found impression upon him.
For every Indictment found against a
man in prison a bench warrant is
lodged with the prison authorities.
Not only is that bench warrant served
as soon as the man is released but a
bench warrant for another crime is
generally taken into consideration
when application is made for pardon
or when the prisoners case comes up
before the Parole Board "Izzy" is now
serving a sentence Of twelve to twenty
four years, and conviction on the in
dictment found yesterday might mean
was released
ON the other hand, II he aided the
District Attorney in the fight against
the larson trust he might hope for a
letter acknowledging his services,
which would prove of great assistance
if he should apply for a pardon or
when his case came before the Parole
Board.
1t is believed that "Izzy" could give
most valuable testimony. lie was re-
garded as the most dangerous member
Of the gang which kindled blazes on
the east side OF Harlem and in The
Bronx, and it is believed he could, If he
would, tell not only of the nine or ten
men who gathered nightly in n First
avenue saloon to receive orders for
fires but Of the work Of crooked" adj
justers, who in most cases arranged the
fire with the tenant and then tried to
swndle the insurance company on the
tenants claim Of loss.
'Izzy" will be brought from Sing
Sing either tomorrow or next day to
plead to the indictment against him.
That in itself is a somewhat unusual
proceeding, and lends color to the belief
that when he has consulted counsel he
will become witness against the "ar-
son trust"