People v. Perlman

The defendant was engaged in the business of manufacturing and selling umbrellas, both at wholesale and retail, his store and factory being at No. 9 Blandina street in the city of Utica.

Sometime between six and eight o’clock in the evening of February 19, 1926, a fire started in the rear room of the premises but when discovered had been mostly extinguished by the operation of a sprinkler system with which the store and factory were equipped.

Shortly after the discovery of the fire defendant was arrested and has since been convicted of arson upon the charge that such fire was willfully,…