Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1858-03-05

IkAe Facifto Hotel Disnetcr at Sc Louis.
Arson AND MuRDER-THk SUSPECTED
MURDERER AND INcENDrARy ARREsrEp.-
Almost every citizen Of st. Louis has, no
doubt, had strorg suspicious that the Pacific
Hotel disaster WIS the result Of tho most
diabolical inccndiarism, and circumstances
are now being developed, which tend to con-
firm this suspicion beyond the possibility Of
doubt.
II appears that Mr., Doane one Of the un-
fortunates who was supposed to have lost
his life by the fire, and whose remains were
recovered from the ruins, retired to bed
about ten o'clock, in the room adjoining
that usually occupied by a man named
Charles L. Taylor, alias Sanders, and scpa
rated from it 10y board partition, reaching
only part of the way to the ceiling. About
ono o'clock, on the morning of the fire, the
wiatchman Of tho Pacific Hotel met Taylor
in the street, and in conversation with him,
Taylor stated that Doane had $4,000 in his
room with him.
AT two o'clock tho same morning, Tay-
lor went to said Hotel and wont to bed
AT quarter past thrco o'clock, he went
to tho Townsley House and took bed for
the night and slept there. lie had no
boots on at the timei In tho morning the
bed in which he slept was found to be con-
lsiderably stained with blood, and no wound
was on tho person of TAYLOR. The room at
the Pacific Hotel, occupied by Doane, was
in part of the building afFording the best
chance for his escape had he been alive.--
When his remains were recovered, they were
upon the bed on which ho had slept, and it
was saturated ,Oith Uood! There were 9th.
or unmistakabe indications that he had beer
murdered
Taking all those circumstances into con
sidcration, suspicion rested so strongly upon
Taylor, that he was arrested on the charge
of murder and arson.
DR.. D. W. Strader, the landlord of the
Hotel, was its reputed proprietor, but it now
appears that he had not dollar of interest il
it; that it belonged to persons with whom ht
was at feud. He, also, has therefore beer
arrested on the charge of conspiring will
Taylor in the preparation of this demoni
acal act The suspicion against him is very
slight and tho investigation may dissipate il
SHtIoINs LIS AlIcSb WIS luOi0 oH Luo RIVubu
of possibility than probability.
Taylor has been about St. Louis ocea.
sionally for long time, and few years
ago was clerk for Chouteau and Barlow
He was also at one time, Assistant City
Engineer. 1t is also reported on pretty
good authority, that he had been convicted
of felony in California, and had served ;
term in the chain gang at San Francisco
A few months ago he was arrested for al
extensive robbery at the City Hotel, in thi'
city, but was discharged on account of thu
man who was robbed not remaining e
prosecute. He was so alarmed that he flee
the city few minutes after the robbery.
| Taylor is good sized, good looking man
and somewhat noted for bis reckless dissi
patton. Since his return to the city he ha:
been known by the name of Sanders only
but we understand he has several aliases
one Of which is Sanders Taylor.
Charles Waldrup, the watchman of the
f Pacific Hotel, has also been arrested, and VIC
learn is detained as witness, to prevent
him from being bought off or sequestrated
by any of the guilty parties.
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