The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-25
THE HOTEL FIRE.
Some Startling Revelations in Con-
nactiOn ThneH it'll.


MILWAUKEE, Jan. 17.-Nothing was
Schiller into court for examination.
The district attorney is examining the
case. Ebbets q Mckinney have been
retained by Sch .er. Everything was
done last nighU + protect the prisoner
from mob, liz Use one was formed.
w. K. Ebbets visited Chief WATSON
and besought him and the sheriff to
remove the prisoner to Racine to pro-
tect him from. the vengeance of the
third and fourth warders, saying that
to keep Schiller in Jail here would be
to place him at the mercy of the mob.
The mayor was then called on and
visited the chief, when it was arranged
to ascertain the state of feeling in the
locality mentioned, and also to ar
range for special train to carry
Schiller to Racine in case there were
signs of trouble. An engine
was held in readiness, and a
considerable number of the day po-
lice force were kept on hand at police
headquarters. ,Schaller came to Mil
waukee with Mr.. Antisdel from De
troit about y years ago, when the lat
ter assumed charge of the Newhall
He had been chief clerk of the Biddle
house in that city when Antisdel kept
it. The two men it Is said have al
ways been warm personal friends.
Schiller learned printers trade in his
youth, working at it in Detroit for six
years. Besides Schiller's well known
financial difficulties, his high insur-
ance and another thing gave rise to
present suspicion. This was no less
than an attempt to blow up the New
some two weeks ago. About
head porter at the Newhall House,
says: Il am in the habit of going to
the hotel about 6 o'clock in morning,
and one morning about two weeks
ago went up the main entrance, and
when l got near the elevator L smelt
gas. 1t was terribly strong, and
seemed to come from the barroom. 1
opened the door, and was nearly
knocked down the odor was so over
towering. Just as opened the door
the barkeeper, Henry McCool, came in
the front way, and | asked him what
the trouble was. He said he didn't
know, but thought it was the gas
meter. We both rushed in and looked
at the meter, but it was all right. We
came out into the barroom and threw
open the outside doors, when l noticed
small blue flame on one of the burn
ers away back in the room and then /
looked up and found that every one of
the six chandeliers had the gas turned
on full force. could hardly believe
what l saw, and said to McCool, NV
God, what's this He said he didn't
know, and that Schiller was in the
place when he left. He turned all the
gas off and went up stairs. / told
Mr.. Antisdel of it and he asked me If
l lit a match. l said that / didn't and
he said l done wrong. Schiller didn't
come around that day at all. 1t was
three days before he showed up
and he said he was sick.
He was asked about the gas
and said that some one must have had
a key to the door and got in and
turned them all on"
Hughes says that boy known as
Little Pete, who worked in the bar
room, said that he left Schiller in the
place about 3 o'clock that morning.
Another body was found in therIiins
this forenoon, but was an unrecog-
nizable mass, so much so that it was
impossible to ascertain whether it was
the body of a man or woman.
This makes in all forty bodies taken
from the ruins since the morning after
the fire, twenty-three being identified.
The loss of life, as far as known, foots
up sixty-three, with twenty still miss
ing.