Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1922-06-12
ATTACKS WIFE
BURNS HOUSE
Man in Uncomfortable Rage
Uses Axe on Wife--Breaks
Her Arm
SETS FIRE TO HIS HOME
Battles With Those VINO
Would Put it 0ut--FinaIly
Arrested

A vicious outburst of uncontroi-
able rage, believed to have been IN
cited by a too large quantity OF IN
toxicating liquor, caused local man
20 attack his son with an axe, strlke
mis- wife and break her arm with tne
same weapon, and then set hre 10
his home on Saturday night. After
setting the building afire the raging
man paced up and down before ths
house, swinging the axe and re1us-
ing to permit neighbors to extlngulsh
the flames.
The man is Peter Mesak, forty
ove wears old. a Pole and a laborer
M ais Summit avenue. He was ar
rested bv Patrolman Michael Pat-
ten. who drawing his revolver. sue
ceeded in making Mesak drop the
axe, and is held without bail at the
police station here on a charge oi
arson. He will probably be taken
TO New Brunswick today to have pan
fixed by Judge DAILY in the county
court.
Patten was summoned on the
case at $3.50 o'clock Saturday wneh
a terrified boy came running up u
tho policeman and said his latnel
was attacking another son with an
axe. A Quarrel between father and
son is given as the cause of the as
sault by other members OF the
family.
The officer hurried to the Summit
avenue address with the frightened
lad and discovered the entire resi-
dsrce in flames Mesak. the father,
was pacing bellgerently up and
down in front of the blazing home,
threatening anyone who interfereo
with him. When neighbors attempt
ed to take steps to extngulsh tns
fire Mesak waved the axe anu
charged them. -,
revolver drawn. Mesak took one
swing at the officer and then drop
ped his weapon when he understood
that tho policeman meant business.
He let go the axe and was hand
cuffed and removed to the police
station. :,
During the attack on his family
preceding the fire Mesak is accused
OF striking his son several times
with the axe and also with attack
ing his wife, one of whose arms was
broken by a vicious blow. The next
move of the prisoner is said to have
been to seize an Oil can and wei
down the Soors of the house. later
SelIlQg IL dllTe. he thOi eOOh ~ hts
post before the building. defying all
comers to interfere. The family
succeeded in getting out before the
blaze made much headway.
An alarm of fire was turned IN
from box 80. at Amboy avenue and
Inslee street, but the flames had
gained such headway by the time
the firemen arrived that their work
was fruitless and the home was to-
talqy destroyed. Sergeant George
Kozusko, who reported the blaze
quotes Fire Chief Anderson as set
ting the building loss at $4,000 with
the furniture and contents of the
house valued at another $1,000. Two
witnesses who will swear that Me-
SAX set fire to his home are avail
able, according to Patrolman Fat
ten.
Mrs. Mesak and the young son who
was the first victim of his father
liquor infiamed temper, were taken
TO DIR. George w. Fithian for treat
ment. The father, sober. was ar
raigned before Recorder Pickers-
gill this morning at the regular po-
lice court session.
A second case involving man IN
an arson charge was heard in court
this morning. Chief Andrew Ander-
son, of the fire department, made
complaint against Sam Natoli, forty
three years old, and resident OF
437 New Brunswick avenue. Chief
Anderson accused Natoli of setting
fire to his home shortly after mid
night last night. The accusation was
later withdrawn.
Patroiman Michael j. Burke, who
made the arrest at the request OF
Chief Anderson. presented a jug
containing kerosene and jar or the
same inflammable material as evil
dence against the prisoner. Chief
Anderson had an armful of crum-
pied up wrapping paper. which II
IS charged, ~ac found lying on the
door beneath the counters and In
.he rear room of the store after the
fire was extinguished. No one saw
Natoli fire his store. however. and
the evidence was purely circum-
stantial.
Mesak. who was held without bail
this morning. is represented by
David T. Wilentz. while Natoli has
retained Stephen Somogyi as coun-
sci.