Norwich bulletin., 1915-02-11
ARSON TRIAL CONTINUES
Defense Witnesses on Stand in Pun- trautz Trial in Superior Court.

Witnesses for the defense were on the stand all day Wednesday in the superior court here in the trial of the case of Nathan Pumerantz of New London, accused of fraud and arson in connection with a fire on December 13, 1913 at the -Pumerantz store in New London.
 The Defense still has one or two more witnesses yet to examine at the court session today and there are a few witnesses in reouttal.
 In the Pumerantz case Wednesday the first witness was Jacob Niedtch, a tailor, employed by Pumerantz about the time of the fire, testified through an interpreter. He said that he re- nembared shelves across the cellar door in the front part of the store, the testimony being introduced to offset the claim of the state that entrance to the cellar was made by the front door. The witness stated that Pum- erantz went into the store the day after the fire and took away three books and $500 in money, telling the l f1rernen il was all right. The amount of the money was ruled out Oy the court is it was shown that the wit ness did not know the amount eX- 1 cept what he had been told. The wit ness was cross examined at great i length by State Attorney Hull l Edward r. Condon of New London, a former clothing clerk, told of talk l ing account of the stock of tho Pum-
 erantZ store for Deputy Sheriff Tubbs ! in March, the goods then being stored 1 over Palmers garage in Bank street l There vas a discussion between the counsel for the defendent, as to whether the inventory list should be allowed and the court ruled that fl should foe laid in. Then there fol- 1 lowed lengthy discussion as to l whether or not the witness was an eX-
 pert in such matters and qualified to testify concerning prices, and he was 1 allowed to testify.
 The testimony brought out that 1 the prices on the inventory list which ing the inventoryfzyon, aftCshhond 1 the witness had were not taken dur 1 ing the inventory last March but were taken in January of this year. The ] figures were on some of the Pum- erantZ stationary from which the heading had been torn.
 i State Attorney Hull inquired as tt how it happened that the figures were on Puuerantz stationery and the wit i ness said taht he had taken the figures l at Pumerantz's store. The figures giv- en were at the request of Attorney l GearN. The state attorney inquired why he did not arrange them at At l torney Geary-'s office and the witness l replied that he did not care to write there. Then he was asked why lt 1 did not go to his home and the wit ness replied that he did not have any stationary there so he thought Inc would go to Punerantz's place. Con don testified, however. that Pumer- l antz was not in the store at the time but that he was downstairs.
 1 The witness was allowed to call of l each item of the inventory with the
 prices wich totalied $7,412.04
 1 Michael O'NeIl, 8 policeman of New ] London, said he saw Nathan Pumer- antz on Bank street about 3 o'clocl 1 the night Of the fire.
 Lillian Punerantz said Nathan lef home about 3 o'clock the night the
 store was burned.
 Benjamin Pumerantz on Stand. l Benjamin Pumerautz, a brother. O, ] Nathan, said he worked for his broth l CT and kept the books. He said he lef l the store with his mother, brother ana sister and he went to the Turkish bath while Nathan took a. car for home At the bath he first heard about tn, fire and when he reached the stor, he told the f1remen how to get i1 through the back door. He said h, was the one who put up the shelves on the cellar door about six week. before the fire and the door was naiiet There were no loose boxes or debris abround the cellar, which had beer al cleaned up.
 On the night of the fire, he said h,
 ran the elevator up from the celia to the sidewalk level about oclocl and left it in that position.
 Joseph Stanners, paying teller o the Union bank in New London, gav
 more expert testimony as to tn
 sheets showing the proof of loss. H said there is an error Of about $240
 in the total sales from January to De cember. They should be larger by thi
 amount. He said the profits of tn
 business in 1912 ware $6,50930 and il |. 1913 $7,510.04.