Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-11-25
LOUIS BERENS0N HELD
IN The SUM OF $1,000
ON CHARGE OF ARSON
Pleads Not Guilty When Ar
raigned Tuesday Morning But
The Court Finds Probable
Cause to Hold Him


having caused the fire in his tailor
shop on Cony street Thursday eve
ming Nov. 10, was arraigned before
the municipal court at o'clock Tues
day morning to answer to the charge
of arson. Berenson was represented
by George w. Heselton of. Gardiner
and Samuel Titcomb of Augusta and
waived a reading of the warrant and
pleaded not guilty. County Attorney
William H. Fisher appeared for the
State.
The case was briefly opened by the
county attorney and seven witnesses
were called. The first witness to take
the stand was Charles Murree, who
had been employed by the respondent
in his tailor shop. Murree, who is
High school boy testified as to the
arrangement of the shop, what there
was in it and for what purposes 1t
was used; that Berenson was doing
fairly good business, considering the
season of the year. He also told OF
the use of gasoline in cleansing and
that this was in store room at the
rear of the shop; that there was
pan of gasoline in the shop for the
removal of spots from clothing. He
further testified that he left the shop
at about 6.45 on the evening of the
fire, at which time Mr.. Berenson re-
turned to the shop.
Amos Higgins was next called and
told of the purchase Of hip by Beren-
son of the business and that the lat
ter had paid 5000. 1t also came out in
the testimony that the witness had
sold the business and bought it back
several times. Witness also described
what was in the shop at the time
that the respondent bought the bust
ness and said that Berenson bought
new table and sewing machine.
1t also came out in Higgins testimony
that he had occupied an Office in the
building until quite recently, and that
Berenson in addition TO his tailor shop
business had laundry agency there.
Reuel Packard, who occupied the
tenement over the tailor shop, when
asked about the fire testified to hay-
ing heard a rumbling noise like thun-
der. shortly after which he smelled
smoke; that he then heard a noise
like the closing of a door: that he
vas sitting in the kitchen with no
shoes on and that the smoke came so
quickly that he only had time to put
one shoe on and get out taking the
other shoe in his hand; that he then
helped Officer Burke carry Mrs.
Packard out of the building, she hav-
ing been overcome by smoke.
Mrs. Reuel Packard ztestimonyt was
brief, she claiming that she heard a
roar or rumble like thunder, after
which the smoke came almost iame-
diately: that man named Mcdonald,
who ,roomed there. said that the
thunder indicated cold weather
On cross examination by Mr. nes-
elton, during which team crossed
the Kennebec bridge. upon question
by that gentleman both Mr.. and Mrs.
Packard admitted that the noise
which they had heard on the night Of
the fire was similar to that made by
the team in question.
Warren Bowman. who is a carpen-
ter living on Eastern avenue, testified
that he had known Berenson very we'll
for year and that he had done work
for him in the carpenter line; that
at about 7.30 on the night of the fire
he left home with his wife and came
out onto Cony street; that about OPP
posite the Bruce store he met Beren-
son and slapping him on the arm said:
Hello, Louis; that Berenson was
walking fast toward Bangor street and
did not reply, although it was the
custom of Berenson to call out to him;
that witness went into Levine's store
ha
so walked fast to overtake his wife;
that when he reached Berenson's store
it was all ablaze. He further said
that he thought he met Berenson with
in about $50 feet of the latter's store.
Charles f. Downing testified regard
ing the arrangement with Berenson
about insurance; that witness was
asked to increase the insurance, but
said that he thought Berenson had
that witness offered to cam
eel the policy and pay the money back
The last witness called was Chief
Engineer Charles G. Hunt of the fire
who said that the alarm
on the night of the fire was rung in
at about $50 and that in two min
utes after that he was at the fire;
that the door of the building was open
and the flames had burst out; that
it was a quick fire. Regarding the
condition inside the tailor shop he
said that the partition was not burn
ed down, that the stove was all right
and that the electric iron was all right
and up out of the way; that he could
not see anything to produce fire.
At the conclusion of the testimony
for the State Mr.. Heselton asked for
the discharge of the respondent on the
ground that the State had not made
out a case and that there was moth
ing out of the ordinary about the fire.
to which County Attorney Fisher re-
piled. saying that there was great
for the fire to be explain
ed and to let the respondent tell It,.
AS 1t was the fire was a suspicious
one, he said, and urged that the re-
spondent be held.
The court then gave the respondents
counsel an opportunity to put him on
the witness stand but they did not do
so, and the court brought the hear
ing to close by finding probable cause
to hold the respondent in the sum or
$1,000 for appearance at the January
NH.