Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-02-01
TIE NEWHALL HOUSE HORROR.
Arrest of George Scheller. Lessee OF tho
Newhau House Bar-room, on Charge
of Having Set Fire to the Hotel Through

Arrest of George scheller. Lessee of tho
Newhau House Bar-room, on Charge
of Having Set Fire to the Hotel Through
Spite.
MILWAUKEE, January 16.
George Scheller, proprietor of the Newhall
House bar, arrested at one O'Clock this
afternoon on a warrant sworn out by Officer
Hannfin charging him with setting the 1lre
which destroyed the Newhall House Wednes-
day morning. The arrest was made by Lieu
tenant Jansen and Officer Hannifin, in Roth's
"quiet house." corner of Mason street ard
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 was
locked up on the charge of ''arsonF 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 arrested prin-
cipally on the statement of Linehan ana
another e1nploye, who claim that they saw
Scheller in the wood-room, where Linchan says
the fire originated, and that he was there after
three clock a. m. Application was made at
the Sherif's office for an opportunity to talk
with the prisoner, which was refused.
District-Attorney Clark also refused to let
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 Hannifin, being duly sworn. complains
to the Mum cipal Court Of Milwaukee County
that George Scheller alias, on the 10th day OF
January, A. D., 1853, at the said city of Mil
waukee, in said county, at about the hour of
three o'clock of the night-tim of that day,
then and there, with force and arms. certain
clearinghouse there situate known as the
Newhan Hou g, of which he the abovenamed
George Schelier lalias) was there and then the
tenant, then and there feloniousiy, witlfully
and maliciouSly did set fire t. the said house,
then and by the kindlng of such fire did
feloniously, willfully and malicousiy 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 sale,
dealt with according to the law.
Linehan engineer of the Newhall House, is
out of his room to-day. He states that the va
rous tales about the fire originating in the sec
ond or third stories is all bosh let people say
what they will. Lnehan, 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 corner. The brick walls
were blackened, which was caused by the
burning against it some time, as may be seen
at present, and that there was no 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 one of lighting the
torch, no matter what he may think concern
ing it, but he does not hesitate to say that
that fire rever came the e by accident" as
there was NJ fire anywhere near. and there
h hXn
ton. and consequently the C inclusion is in
evitable tn 1t some one in the still watches of
the II ght struck the fatal natch-in the in
te1est or some one else perhaIs S, but to the
horrible 10 S of hundreds-ani then crept to
his retreat to avoid his damnabIe reward.
Sche Ter was spoken t. Sllol thy before his ar
rest He was told that there was some talk of
a warrant being out for his arrest. The news
startled him, and he said tht such surely
coald not be the case. Il would rather drop
dead than to be SO accused he said, and if
his ap earance had anything to do with the
matt er he telling the truth.
There was talk that Schcller had set his
house on fire at Nor.h 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
with the disr aputable Mascotte saloon on Mar
ket 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 as everybody in the vicinity Of where it
is located. Schcller is about thirty-threeyears
old and has small family
Scheler 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-deaier who fur
nished the bar-room holds q note of $500
against Schellcr, which he offers for ten
cents.
The afternoon before the fire, when ScheIIer
was intoxicated, Landlord Antisde gave him
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-
geon, proceeding on q regular carouse. He
claims having left the bar-room in the hotel at
100 a. m. the morning of the fire. but con-
elusive evidence has been secured to show
that he out until $3.50 q. m.-half an hour
before the tire-with Will Sanderson of Ed
ward Sanderson & Co.. Tom Dunbar of the
Milwaukee Driving Park, and Joe Henderer. a
saloonist under the gambling den of Sholes
and Newbauer.
The feeling is intense. but a great many
people who know Scheller will declare he is
not capable of the deed.
Four Hundred Persons Burned to Death.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, January a.