The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-01-17
The Milwaukee FIRE

Milwaukee, 16.-GeOTge SchelIers
proprietor of the NeWAail House
bar, was arrested this afternoon, on
the charge of setting the ere which
destroyed tho NeWhall House. The
arrest was made at Roth's Quiet
House" Scheller did not seem
very much surprised made no
statement, but looked pretty badly
broken up, as if he had been drink
ing heavily since the fire. His face
shows the effects OF a spree. The
prisoner was transferred to the
county jail. The officers are very
reticent about the details of the ar
rest. St is reported Scheller was
arrested principally on the state
ment of Linchar and another en-
ployee who claim they saw SchelIer
in the wood room where LinGhar
says the fire originated, and
that he was there after 8
o'clock a. m. The district
attorney refuses to let any one see
Scheller the excuse being he is
afraid that an attempt will be made
to lynch him. Linehan, engineer
of the Nwehall House, to-day, states
the various tales about the fire olig-
mating inthe second or third stor-
les are ali bOsh. LineEan, when the
announcement of the iFe was made,
went into the wood room in the
basement and there found pile of
wood burning in a corner, the brick
walls blackened, which was caused
by the fire burning against it for
some time as will be seen at pres
ent and that there was no other
fire above and below, nor in any
other part Of the room. ThesmCke
ascending throughthe doors above
and spreading throughout the BALD
ing, is further proof that the fire
originated in that spot. There can
be found no other blackened wall
from the same or other cause, in
any part of the basement or else
where. Linehan accuses no one else
of Lighting torch, but he does not
hesitate to say the fire never came
there by acci lent, as there was no
lire anywhere near. and there was
no possibility OF It's originating Bug
combustion. Sehelter was spokei
to shortly before his arrest, ant /
tOl1 there was some talk of a wa :
rant being out for his arrest. r q
said such surely could not be u le
case; I would rather drop dow m
dead than be so accused. He sa id
there was talk that Scheller set j lis
house on FIRE at North, Point, VIII Oh
was burned two years ago, and it
was afterwards proven that he Y Ias
not at home at the time of
the fire. Scheller- has always bU rne
a good reputation but his unf@ .tu-
nate connection with the disrG ,pu-
table Mascotte saloon caused m any
people to lose respect for him. To-
night messengers, reported, at the
sheriff's Office excited knots or the
streets with talk of lynehins !. It
! is feared there will be trouble when
it. comes to be generally X noWn
that Scheller is in custody. Ghe po-
lice and sheriff are pTepa red to
fdefend him. An extra guaJ d will
be kept at the Jail all night. Schel-
Ter has been in financial straits of
late. An attempt was
made last Friday to raise
$500 on q chatteF mortgage
from Charles Sholes, gambler, but
failed. A liquor dealer furnishing
the barroom holds a note for 5000
against Scheller, which he offers for
'10c. He claims he left the bar room
in the hotel at 1.30 the morning Of
the fire; but there is conclusive ayi-
dence secured to show he was out
until $50 am, half an hour before
the fire.
The fifth days search through the
ruins of the NeWhall House, result
ed in the discovery Of fragments of
I eleven bodies, making total of
thirty-nine, since the work. COM
tmenced, In the afternoon, the safe
of the house was got out and rolled
upon the sidewalk and opened. 1t
was hoped TO find in. it the
register showing the names of the
persons in the hotel at the time Of
the fire. The contents Of the safe
were badly tumbled and tossed,
but not the least trace of any
: book or paper of the slightest
Importance in showing who were
3 in the hotel one week ago last night
!. was there. There were numerous
0 papers and documents, and ahree
blank books, but no register
g No transfer book no menaoran
dunn of the guests or employees
: The theories advanced as TO tn,
j. cause of the disappearance Of al
! important volumes are Numerous
!, but more satisfactory. IN view Q
i the fact that books and papers O
b every size and kind are found i
e every direction, only partially con
is sumed, and the vanishing of sue
y solid books as the register and it
e, companion, is regarded as myster
l. Gus and GnexplaiRable. Other book
h known to have been in the offic
o. are found in part, but nothing
E. show that the two, that would b
R. precious beyond all price, ever e.
TO listed. rewards the most sesrchln