The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-18
WHO FIRED THE NEWHALL?
Circumstances Indicate That Scheller
May Be the Man.
Statement as to an Attempt to Destroy the
Hotel by Gas Explosion-Scheller
Removed from the City.

court for examination. The district attorney
will spend the day in examining the case. 1t
is not known just when the police COM
menced the investigation which resulted in
Scheller's arrest. On Sunday night informa-
ton was filed with the police concerning
Scheller's whereabouts on the morning of
the fire. Everything was done last night to
protect the prisoner from mob, in case one
was formed. Arrangements were made for
special train to carry Scheller to Racine in
case there were signs of trouble,
Scheller came to Milwaukee with Mr.. An
tisdel, from Detroit. about nine years ago,
when the latter assumed charge of the New
hall House. He had been chief clerk OF the
Biddle House, in that city, when Antisdel
kept it. The two men, it is said, have always
been warm personal friends. Scheller learned
the printers trade in his youth, and worked
at it in Detroit for six years.
Beside Scheler's well-known financial diff
ficulties and his high insurance, another
thing gave rise to the first suspicion. This
was no less than an attempt to blow up the
Newhall House by gas explosion some two
weeks ago. About this affair William
statament:
81 am in the habit of going to the hotel
about o'clock in the morning. About two
weeks ago 1 went up the main entrance and
when got near the elevator smelled gas.
The smell of gas was terribly strong, and
seemed to come from the bar-room. l
opened the door, and was nearly knocked
down, the odor was so overpowering. Just
as 1 opened the door, the barkeeper, Henry
McCool, came in the front way. Iasked him
what the trouble was and he said he didn't
know, but thought it was the gas meter. We
both rushed in and looked at the gas meter,
but it was all right. We came out into the
bar-room and threw open the outside doors.
l then noticed small blue flame on one of
the burners away back III the room, and then
looked up and found that every one of che
six chandeliers had the gas turned on full
force | could hardly believe what saw, and
said ~ Mccormick: My God, what's this for?
He said he didn't know, and that Scheller
was in the place when he left. We
turned all the gas Off and 1 went up stairs
I told Mr.. Antisdel of it, and he asked me if
lit a ma tch. l told him did not and he
said l did wrong. Scheller didn't come
around next day at all. 1t was three days
before he showed up and he said he was sick,
He was asked about the gas, and he said
some one must have had key to the door,
and got in and turned 1T on.
Hughes says boy known as little Pete, "
who worked in the bar-rOom, said that ne
left Scheler in the place about o'clock that
morning.
SCHILLER REMOVED FROM THE CITY.
About $50 last night carriage drove in
front of the Jail, and the sheriff, with two
deputies, took Scheler from his cell TO the
carriage Sheriff Bentley and his deputies
then entered, and were hurriedly driven to
the House of Correction. where it was at
first intended he should be placed. On
reaching the house, the inspector being alb
sent, the officers in charge refused to receive
the prisoner. consultation was held be-
tween the sheriff and his deputies and it was
decided to remove him from the city. 1t is said
he was taken to Racine on the midnight
train, but a gentleman from Racine is sure
he was not there. 1t is reported from trust
worthy source that Scheller was taken to
Waukesha, and is locked up in Jail at that
place An official at the sheriffs office stated
this afternoon that Scheller had been taken
away, hut that he would be brought into the
Milwaukee municipal court on any day set
for his examination, but further he would
say nothing, either about his removal or
where he was taken.
When Scheler was brought out of Jail he
uttered scarcely word. This is pretty
x
over you" WAS all he was heard to say. He
seemed to he almost implicitly broken down.
and followed the officers in a dazed sort of
way, as though he hardly knew what he was
doing.
The failure to find the register of the New
hall or any other books in the safe which
would show who were III the hotel on the
night of the fire has caused considerable sur
prise, and many theories are put forward as
to what became of the books. 1t had been
~. ~. 1
transfer books had been put into the safe
when the fire was discovered, and hundreds
of persons all over the country were wait
ing for the register to be recovered so that it
might be known who were guests OF the
hotel on che fatal night. When the safe was
opened no books or papers were found
to show who were employed in the
hotel or who the guests were. There were
only blank hooks and lot of unimportant
papers. Mr. Antisdel. who was present
When the safe was opened, quickly threw the
contents into box and carried it off.
The number of workmen at the ruins was
reduced to-day, but the work is expected to
be completed on Saturday. Five bodies were
recovered to-day, making total of forty
three, all burned beyond recognition. TWEEN
ty-three of the dead have been identified,
and it is supposed from fifteen to twenty are
still missing
The chief of police states tonight that he
learned that one of the clerks ran out of the
burning hotel with the register but stumbled
down stairs and lost the book The transfer
book has not been heard from yet.
The Sentinel's special from Madison saws
1.-THE rumor that Scneller had been brought
here for protection is denied positively BY
the sherifTs officials. Sheriff Bentley, of
Milwaukee, however was seen here and
spoken to- this afternoon. 1t is believed
that Bentley's presence is suggestive of
Scheler's presence in the Dane county jail"
The Melville Family.
MEDIA. Pa, Jan. I'm the case Of Eng-