The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1914-08-01
ALLEGED ARSON PLOT Barred.
Sam. Schonberu Accused by Negro
Employee Of Setting Fire to His
Bakery and inspiring Attempt on
Another Shop.

AS the sequel to an attempt to
set fire to Q. J. Soignet's Home Run
bakery in Claiborne street at 12: %
O'Clock Thursday morning, July 20,
and the burning of Sam. Schonberg' s
Acme baker shop in st. Patrick
street at $50 a. m. the following
day, Fred. Braud, a negro baker en-
ployed in the latter establishment
and Sam. schonberg, owner of the
Acme shop, are charged with the re-
spective crimes. Braud was taken into
custody Tuesday morning, following
an investigation by Sheriff E. C.
Hanson into the two fires and
Schonberg was arrested Wednesday
morning.
The latter's alleged connection
with the arson plot was established
through a full confession made to
Sheriff Hanson by Braud. The negro
admitted that he had set fire to the
Home Run bakery, but declared that
he did So upon instructions from
Schon berg, to make it appear as
though some incendiary was direct
ing his animosity at other bakers
than Schonberg, and thus to divert
suspicion from the latter when his
own place should be burned. En-
ployees of the Home Run shop de-
tected and extinguished the flames
before any material damage had re-
suited. The fire had been started
in a lean-to shed at the rear of the
premises, and the evidences of in
cendiarism were abundant.
Braud declares that Schonberg
himself set fire to the Acme shop,
after first thoroughly saturating the
floor and walls with an inflammable
Oil. The negro says he was in the
place at the time, but that after the
necessary preparations for insuring
the quick ignition and destruction
of the building had been completed,
he was told by Schonberg to turn
out the lights. close the door and
go to the house of the next neighbor,
where a negro wake was in progress.
This he did, he declares, leaving
Schonberg alone in the bakery. The
flames broke out a few minutes Ia
ter and We're first observed by per-
sons at the wake, who gave the
alarm. The fire had made such pro-
gress before being discovered that
the entire uilding was ablaze by
the time the fire department reach
ed the scene and brought their
streams of water into play, and the
structure was soon totally consumed.
1t is alleged that the other baker
employed in the shop, a young white
boy, had been told by Schonberg
that he could go home at about 2::35
O'Clock, after the last batch of bread
had been: prepared and placed in the
oven for baking. Although the youth
demurred, and urged that he would
prefer to wait until daylight be-
fore leaving, as usual, since he was
afraid to go home in the dark, his
employer insisted that he depart, it
is said, and, to allay his fears, loan
ed him weapon With which to pro-
tect himself should he be attacked.
The boy reluctantly left, this being
the first time, according to the re-
port, he had ever been relieved from
duty at such an hour
Evidence corroborative Of Braud s
story has been secured by Sheriff
Hanson, and it is rumored there will
be some sensational disclosures at
the trial Of the case. The negro
says he was to be paid $50 for his
share in the arson plot as soon as
the insurance money had been col
lected. Schonberg has made no
statement except to protest his in
nocence Of the charge against him,
and to declare that his accuser is
Weak-minded and irresponsible.
The fire of July "a was the third
erty owned by Schonberg has been
destroyed. On Oct. 4, 1912. at 2:15
O'Clock in the morning, his baker
shop was burned at a time when the
oven was being repaired and had not
been in use for several days. The
building was insured for $1,000 in
the Teutonia Insurance Company.
On March 2, 1913, at 1:45 a. NJ,
an unoccupied dwelling owned by
Schonberg at No. ia st. Vincent
street, in the restricted district, was
destroyed by fire of mysterious
origin, the loss being covered by in
surance to the extent of $1,000, also
in the Teutonia Company. The
building burned July "a was insured
for $1,000 and the contents for $40O
in the New Jersey Fire Insurance
Company. All the policies were car
ried through the Klotz & Dugas
agency of Napoleonville.
Wednesday afternoon Judge Wor-
than fixed bond at $3.50 on the
charge against Schonberg, and Sc
curity for this amount was furnish
ed by the accused's mother, Mrs.
Frances Schonberg. Braud is still
in Jail. The case will come up for
trial at the next jury term of court
in February.