The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-01-27
THE NEwHALL HOUSE HORROR.

THE NEWHALL HOUSE HORROR.
Arrest of George schelIer. Lessee OF the
Newhali House Bar-room, n Charge
of Having Set Fire to the Hotel Through
spite. 10
MILWAUKEE, January Ia
George Scheller, proprietor of the Newhall
House bar. was arrested az one o'clock this
afternoon on warrant sworn out by onicer
Ham, fin charging him with setting the fire
which destroyed the Newhall House Wednes-
day morning. The arrest was made by Lieu
tenant Jansen and Officer Hannian, in Roths
"quiet house." corner OF Mason street and
Broadway Scheller did not seem very much
surprised AMI made no statement. He looked
pretty badly broken up. He has been drink
ing heavily since the fire, and his face shows
the effects of the spree. The prisoner vps
locked up on the charge of "arson," and was
Immediately transferred to the county Jail,
where he was locked up in an upper cell. He
did not speak to the Jailer The officers are
very reticent about the details of the arrest
1T is reported that Scheller was arrested prin-
cpaly on the statement of Linehan and
another employee, who claim that they saw
! Scheller in the wood-room, where Linehan says
the fire originated, and that he was there after
three o'clock a. m. Application was made at
the Sherif's Office for opportunity to talk
with the prisoner, which was refused.
| District-Attorney Clark also refused to LEE
| any one see Scheller, his excuse being that he
! is afraid an attempt will be made to lynch him.
The warrant sworn out by Detective Hanni-
| fin reads:
John Hannifn being duly sworn complains
| to the Nun cipal Court of Milwaukee County
| thai George Scheller alias, ON the 10th day OF
! January, A. d., 1883, at the said city of Mil
waukee, in said county, at about the hour of
| three o'clock of the night-timo of that day,
then and there with force and arms certain
| dwelling-house there situated known the
hall Of xrafa haaf l,.n1 nod
| George Scheller alias was there and then the
tenant then and there feloniously, willfully
| and maliciously did set fire to the said house,
then and by the kindling of such fire did
| fel niously, willtully and maliclousy burn and
consume contrary to the statute in such case
made and provided and against the peace and
dignity of the state of Wisconsin, as said de-
ponent verify believes, and prays that the said
George Scheller (alas) may be arrested and
| dealt with according to the law"
Linehan, engineer of the Newhall House, ia
out of his room to-day. He states that the va
rious tales about the fire originating in the SEQ
ond or third stories is all bosh, let people say
what they will. Linehan, when the announces
ment of the fire was made, went into the wood
room In the basement, and there found pile
of wood burning in a corner. The brick walla
were blackened, which was caused by the
burning against it some time, as may be seen
at present, and that there was other fire
above or below nor in any other part of the
room. The smoke was ascending through the
floors above and spreading throughout the
building.
In further proof that the fire originated in
that very spot where it was found burning
brightly by the engineer, there can be found
no other blackened wall from the same or
other cause in any part of the basement or
elsewhere.
Linehan accuses no one of lighting the
torch, no matter what he may think concern
ing it, but he does not hesitate to say that
hot tp1r fhaAs hxr nafH nF.tt On
there was no fire anywhere near, and there
was no possibility of il originating by conbus-
ton, and consequently the conclusion is in
evtable that some one in the still watches OF
the IL ght struck the fatal match-in the i'm
teIest of some one else, perhaIs, but to the
horrible 10 s of hundreds-anl then crept to
his retreat to avoid his damnable reward.
Scheler was spoken tn shortly before his ar
rest. He was told that there was some talk OF
startled him, and he said that such surely
could not be the case - would rather drop
dead than to be so accused" he said, and il
his ap earance hal anything to do with the
matter he was telling the truth.
There was talk that Scheler had set his
house on fire at Norh Point, which burned
two years ago. 1t was afterwards clearly
proven that he was not at home at the time of
the fire. Scheller has always borne good
reputation, but his unfortunate connection
; with the disreputable Mascotte saloon on Mar
lSet street caused many people to lose respect
for him. He ran saloon place of low repute,
contrary to the wishes of all his friends, as
well ms everybody in the vicinity of where il
} is located Scheller is about thrty-three years
| old, and has small family
, Scheller has been in financial straits of late.
An attempt made last Friday to raise $500 on
a chattel mortgage from Charles Scholes, the
gambler, failed. The liquor-dealer who fur
n shed the bar-room holds a note of 500
} against Scheller, which he offers for ten
| cents.
The afternoon before the fire, when Scheller
5 was intoxicated, Landlord Antisde gave him
, | a talking to, warning him to mend his ways.
, | Scheller was afterwards talked to by Tice,
= chief clerk OF the hotel, and lett in high dud-
m a nnR IL
: | claims having left the bar-room in the hotel al
y l 30 a. m. the morning of the fire, but con
1 elusive evidence has been secured to show
: that he was out until 1880 q. m.-half an hour
before the fre-with Will Sanderson, of Ed
ward Sanderson Co., Tom Dunbar, of the
milwaukee driving Park, ana Joe Henherer, 9
and Newbauer
s The feeling is intense, but a great many
people who know Scheller will declare he il
not capable of the deed.