The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-12
.SC0RCHED TO DEATH.
THE MILWAUKEE HOTEL DISASTER.
Still Searching Among the Rulns for the Dead.
The Building Fired on four Previous 0ecAS.
IOhs-SuppOSsd IacendIary Origin Of
the Disastrous ConnAErAtIoH.

| the Disastrous ConhIErAtloH.
MLwAuHEE, January ll.-A force oil95
workmen was engaged all day at the ruins
OF the ill.iated Newhall Hotel, searching
for bodies, but none were found up to !
o'clock p. NJ. The remaining walls were
pulled down because they endangered the
working force, the north wall, which is q
partition wall with the adjoining building,
might tumble at any moment. The dread
full holocaust is the principal topic OF con-
versation. II is stated that number OF
times the Newhall House has been ignited
through the fundamentally Of malicious
persons.
ISCESDIARISM.
A gentleman who occupied quarters in
the house said the building had been set
on fire at least four times during the past
two years. Once fire was set on chair
placed in the hall in contact with the ee-
vator. On the chair had been placed oiled
kindlings. The fire got pretty good start
The next time the tire was started in Il
barrel in the tinder which stood in the hall
on the first floor against the elevator. This
time also the house had narrow es.
cape. The next time hole was torn
through the plaster in the wall at the bot.
tom OF the elevator and q mass of inh4m-
mable stuff inserted, which was fired, and
only eXtinguished with the greatest diff.
Guilty. Still another time fire was started
near the bar room on the first floor,
adjacent to the west side elevator shaft.
These all had undoubted inCendiary origin,
and were started at night near the elevator
so as TO preclude the idea OF saving the
hotel, but each time luck held sway and
the blazes were blighted.
AsPITETUI. FIESD.
With each recurring fire the regular
boarders would say some one had a spite
against the building and would yetburn it.
They would avow the intention OF leaving,
but as time would elapSe their ideas would
be erased only to recui With another at
tempt to burn the building. This time the
fire liend was successful, as there is no
reason TO doubt the incendiary origin OF
the fire. The building was lily con-
structed. Only few weeks ago it was
ignited from bad crate and burned con-
sidembly before being put out. This was
supplemented by another slight fire in an
other quarter last week, but no special
damage was done.
REMAINS AT TIE MoRGUE.
Three bodies remain ut the morSue, that
OF Ollie Walters, is years old, an employe.
she has been fully identified by brother
residing in this city. A young Irish girl,
supposed to be Nora Flanagan, waiter.
She was recognized by Mary Hardy, of the
PlankingtOn House, but not positively.
The body OF an elderly woman, apparently
Of Irish nationality, about 45 years OF age,
unidentified; medium size, dark hair,
slightly tinged with gray; on the middle
finger OF the right hand flat band ring
THE NIGHTwATCIIMAN's STORY.
William Mckenzie, the nightwatchman
Of the hotel makes the following important
statement: On the night Of the fire l had
made my rounds as usual visiting the
different lodging floors and basement
rooms. Nothing unusual was observed.
The bar room was open till 2 o'clock in the
morning. George Scheller, proprietor,
was there for about three.quarters of an
hour after. had been to Woods room
about . clock, and on opening the door
leading TO the bar room, that place was still
occupied. At later hour / had to
turn the elevator down to the bottom tlange
to take up a gentleman who came from the
bar. Nothing like smoke was detected. At
$3.50 o'clock in the morning 7. B. Elliott
come in on the late train. | was in the
office. He asked me ii the elevator was
running. told him | would take him up,
and did 80, letting him out at the third
floor. Then l went up to the top floor,
taking the railway conductor up from the
third to that. l looked around the halls
and got into the elevator to go down. This
was few minutes past half past o'clock.
sTARTISG OF TIE FIRE.
AS got into the elevator noticed very
little smoke. Immediately started down
to see where it came from. BY the time l
reached the office floor the smoke was so
dense that l could go no farther in the
elevator. Throwing open the door |
rushed ont and started for the
stairs, shouting to the night clerk
that I'VE are on fire down below" was
going to see about it, and by the time
reached the bottom OF the elevator shaft,
the smoke was so intense and sitting that
| knew something must be done. | called
to the engineer, who was in the engine
room, and told him to rouse the servants.
Then started back to awaken tine people,
for knew there was no chance to stop the
fire alone.
THE SUPREME MOMENT.
By the time reached the first floor above
the office and had raped at Mr.. Cramer's
door, the heat cracked the glass doors'of
the elevator, and in moment afterwards
the flames burst out. In the meantime
rushed into the bank building, aroused as
many dodgers in that portion as l
could. Afterwards l rendered what
help | could in saving people. 1t
might have caught in some OF the shops
in the basement that back up to the bottom
OF the elevator; but on the bottom floors
ofthe hotel part there was nothing that
could possibly have been smouldering
throughout the night. This is shown by
the fact, that so many were around until
such a short time before the actual blaze
occurred. ~ don't know that the fire was
incendiary, but there is very queer look
to il"
Another Warming.
SAN BERSARDiSo, CAL, January r.
1