A Midnight Fire at Mount Vernon.

Mount Vernon, N.Y., Feb. 22.-A fire occurred this morning before daylight in the row of one-story wooden buildings fronting on Depot Place, which caused damage amounting to $3,000. It is supposed the fire was of incendiary origin. Max Jacobs of 80 Chrystie Street, New-York City, was arrested and held for a hearing Monday. Jacobs was arrested soon after the fire was discovered, while on his way to Harlem Railroad station. Jacobs said he arrived in Mount Vernon on the New-York, New-Haven and Hartford Railroad shortly after midnight, and had come to visit Isaac Kleinbaum, a glazier, but he had not found him at home. Kleinbaum occupied the store in which the fire is thought to have originated, and usually slept in the back room. Jacobs used to work for Kleinbaum, it is said.

The fire burned out Michael George’s barber’s shop, Henry Wendler’s news store, Kleinbaum’s shop, and empty store, and damaged John H. Murphy’s real estate office. The buildings are owned by E.J. Lucas.

There were twelve other buildings in the row, which narrowly escaped destruction.

The New York Times, New York, NY 23 Feb 1896
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Transcribed by June. Thanks June!