The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-24
THE CORONER AT WORK.
Mr.. AntisdelI's Testimony Concerning
the kewhall Fire.
He Thinks the Hotel Was Destroyed by an
MISUNDERSTANDING the Ashes
from the Burned Train.
THE NEwHALL IRE.


bdnulOru AlLfsue1l 1nlHk II IOuoo WIS
Fired by an Incehdiary.
MILWAUKEE, Jan. 23.-The inquest in the
Newhall House case began this morning.
The first testimony read was that of Blocker,
manager of the Tom Thumb company, who
escaped from the burning building and had
sent in a written deposition, which, however,
threw no light upon the cause OF the fire or
the condition of the building.
Landlord Antisdell took the stand, but
could give no explanation of the cause of the
fire, except that it was the work Of an inceu-
diary. When he was aroused the fire had got
such Roadway that all he could do was to
save himself and family. When the latter
was safe he wanted to return into the build
ing. but was prevented by his sons. He
noticed a very strong smell of gas and UNI
bearable heat. This leads him to believe that
somebody who set the fire had turned on the
gas, and that an explosion of the latter spread
the fire with lightning speed through all
parts of the building,
Following are the points of Mr.. Antisdells
testimony:
When he went to bed on the night of the
fire there were about forty guests in the
wv olG " GAlC ElNL ~ tIllC0s
He retired about 1920. He had in the house
probably fifty or over female employees; his
son and Clerk Tice had also paid help; they
slept on the fifth floor, on the west side. on
the alleyway. There was y door across the
servants hallway at the south end. 1t was
kept locked until the elevator fire of March
4, 1874. This door was thin and could be
pushed down by any girl. On Dec. 5 there
were, all told, eighty employed, but as bust
ness had been light, many had been dis
missed. There were thirty males, most of
whom slept at home. He had one night
clerk, Tom Delaney, and a night watch
man, Mckenzie. The latter's duties were to
make rounds through the halls and to see
that everything was right; he was supposed
to go through the house every hour and Of
tener. When the late trains came in he
took care of the baggage, and occasionally
took a man up in the elevator. He was for
q time night porter and bootblack, but while
occupied at the latter Delaney made the
rounds, The watclman carried no stop
watch or clock. There never was an alarm
bell on the premises. There was no fuel in
the room near the elevator. He discovered
rubbish in the room back of the elevator and
had it removed and the room locked. The
elevator was inclosed in pine lumber, and
had not shrunk apart. There was no grease
at the bottom of the elevator. The open
court was not used for storage. A
person coming in on Broadway could
go down into the basement at any time. The
Michigan-street tenants on the ground floor
leased from G. d. Nash. There was not a
particle of fire in the basement, except in
the engine room. There was a fire plug in
the latter room. Most of the stores and
offices on the ground floor, and also the
hotel, were heated by steam from the hotel
boilers. George Scheller had had charge of
the billiard and bar-room since it was fixed
over, one. year ago last May. A person could.
from Michigan street, go into the bar-room
and billiard hall and down into the base
me Mt TO the foot of the elevator. The fire
escapes were the same as at the Planklngton
House. There were no signs or Indicators
to show where the fire escapes were
located. The house had been on fire
since he had been there upward
of thirty times. Antisdel said that
any part of the house that he had charge
of could not have produced such a fire un-
aided. The occupants of the fifth floor were
nearly all lost, because the hot air and smoke
poured up as if shot out of a gun, and they
were strapgled. He could not tell whether
the occupants on this floor lived until the
floor burned under them or not. Two of the
girls were taken out in a helpless condition.
saved, as the heads OF the different depart
ments hired their own help.
The testimony of Mr.. Antisdel's sons fol-
lowed, but did not differ materially. After
that an adjournment was taken until to-
morrow.
TIL district attorney says he wants to show
that the first persons who tried to escape had
a harder time than those who started after
ward. The first persons seemed to be suffer
ing from burning gas.
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