“Someone Wishes to Burn This House” (1891)
Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of our clients’ homes.
The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations.
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(New York, N.Y., 6 May 1891) – Fire of incendiary origin was discovered at 11 A. M. yesterday in the cellar of a five-story brick double tenement at 131 East 101st street. There are twenty families in the double house.
Mrs. Bryan, the janitress, and Mrs. McCauley occupy the first flats. Mrs. McCauley smelled smoke, and found a quantity of paper and chips burning between the ceiling of the cellar and the flooring of her kitchen.
It had just been ignited, and was easily put out, but a letter carrier hurried around to Engine 53 in East 104th street. Foreman Tetter found the paper and wood saturated with kerosene.
On April 6 a fire kindled in the same way was discovered in the cellar at 5 o’clock in the morning.
Kerosene-soaked paper and wood had been used to light this fire, which, like the one of yesterday, was between the ceiling and flooring. The fireman had to tear down part of the cellar ceiling to get at the fire, and as the damage had never been repaired, the person who built the fire yesterday found an opening prepared for him to fill with the Inflammable stuff.
Mrs. McCauley remembered after the fire was discovered that she had heard the rattle of paper as the Incendiary stuffed it under the flooring almost under her feet. She also heard footsteps of a person leaving the cellar.
Agent Ahearn says that no one could have any motive in burning down the house, and that he thinks mischievous boys are to blame. The owner is R. G. Potter. The firemen do not agree with the agent, and recall the fact that on April 21 there was a determined effort to burn the tenement at 120 East 102d street, which is directly back of 131 East 101st street. There Is no fence between the yards of the house.
Foreman Vetter says two other attempts were made to set fire to the 102d street house, but that the pile of material was discovered by tenants before the incendiary had time to apply the match. He is Inclined to believe that someone is interested in depreciating the value of the tenements by frightening away the occupants.
– The Sun, Wed., 6 May 1891.
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