The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-01-26
TIE NEWHALL HOUSE HORROR.

TIE NEwHALL HOUSE HORROR.
Arrest Of George scheller. Lessee OF the
Newhall House Bar-rooms ON . Charge
Of Having Set Fire to the Aotel Through
Spite. -
MILWAUKEE, January 16
George Scheller, proprietor of the Newhall
House bar, was arrested at one o'clock this
afternoon on q warrant sworn out by Officer
Hannifin charging him with setting the fire
which destroyed the Newhall House Wednes-
day morning. The arrest was made by Lieu
tenant Jansen and Oficer Hannifn, in Roth's
"Quiet house." cornnr of Mason street and
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 larson" 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 was arrested prin-
cipally on the statement of Linehan and
another employee, who claim that they saw
Scheller I'm the wood-rOom, where Linehan says
the fire originated, and that he was there after
three o clock q 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 Hanniin, being July sworn. complains
TO this Nun cipal Court of Milwaukee County
that George Scheller (alias,, on the 10th day Of
January, A. d., 1881 at the said city of MI.
waukee, in said county, at about the hour OF
three o'clock of the nighttime of that day,
then and there, with force and arms. a certain
dwelling-house there situated known as the
Newhall Hou. Q, of which he, the above named
George Scheller alias was there and then the
tenant, then and there feloniously, willfully
and maliciously did set fire to the said house,
then and by the kindling of such fire did
feloniousy, willfully and maliciously 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
George Scheller (alias) may be arrested and
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. Linehan, when the announce.
ment of the fire was made, went into the wood
room I'm the basement, and there found a pile
of wood burning i'm a corner. The brick walls
were blackened, which was caused by the
burning against 1t 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
hat ov,pf 1,,,r,
brightly by the engineer. there can be found
no other blackened wall from the same OF
other cause in any part of the basement or
elsewhere.
Lnohan accuses no one of lighting the
torch no matter what he may think concern
ing 1t, but he does not hesitate to say that
that fire never came there by accident" as
there was NJ fire anywhere near, and there
was no possibility of IL originating by combus
ton, and consequently the conclusion is in
evitable that some one I'm the still watches of
the n Int struck the fatal match-in the in
terest of some one else, perhars, but to the
horrible loss of hundreds-and then crept to
bis retreat to avoid his damnable reward.
Scheller was spoken tn shortly 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 that such surely
could not be the case. II would rather drop
dead than to be so accused" be said, and if
his appearance had anything to do with the
matter he was telling the truth.
There was talk that Scheller 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 ut the time of
the fire. Scheler has always borne good
reputation. but his unfortunate connection
with the dsraputabe Mascotte saloon on Mar
ket street caused many people to lose respect