St. Landry democrat., 1883-01-27
THE NEwHALL HOUSE HORROR.

Arrest of George Scheller. Lessee of the
Newhal1 House Bar-room,4 on Charge
of Having Set Fire to the Hotel Through
Spite.
MILWAUKEE, January 16.
! George Scheller, proprietor of the Newhall
House bar, was arrested at one o'clock this
afternoon on a warrant sworn out by Officer
Ham fin charging him with sett ng the fire
which destroyed the Newhall House Wednes-
day morning. The arrest was made by Lieu
tenant Jansen and Officer Hannifin, in Roths
"quiet house." corner of Mason street and
Broadway. Schelier did not seem very much
surprised. ana 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 'sarson,'' and was
Immediately transfer ed 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 Scheler was arrested prin-
| cipally on the statement of Linehan and
| another employe, who claim that they saw
| Scheller in the wood-room, where Linehan says
the fire originated, and that he was there after
| three o'clock a. m. Application was made at
| the Sheriff office for an opportunity to talk
1 with the prisoner, which was refused.
District-AttorneY Clark also refused to let
| any one see Scheler, his excuse beng that he
| is afraid an attempt will be made to lynch him.
The warrant sworn out by Detective Hanni-
| fin reads:
s.John Hannifin being duly sworn. complains
| to the NUN cipai Court of Milwaukee G. unity
| tina George scheller (aliasi, on the 10th day of
| January, A. d., 1883 at the said city of M l.
| waukee, in said county, at about the hour of
| three o'clock of the nfght-tim OF that day,
| then and there, with force and arms, certain
| dwell ng-house tn re situate known as the
Newh Il Hou e. of which he. the alb ven med
| George Schelier alias was there and then the
| tenant, then and there feloniousiy, wislfuliy
| and maliciouSly d set fire the said house,
| then and by the kndling of such ii did
| fel niously. willfnly and malic ,oasiy bu n and
| consume, ntr ~ to the Statute in such case
made and provided, and against the p ace and
| dign ty of the State OF Wisconsin, as said de-
ponenI verify believes, and prays that the said
| 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
rious 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 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
| room. The smoke was ascending through the
1 floors above and spreading throughout the
| building.
| In further proof that the fire originated in
| that very spot where it was found burn ng
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
4 elsewhere.
| Linehan sccuses no one of lighting the
1 torch, no matter what he may think concern
| ing it, but he does not hesit tie to say that
/ that fire ever came the by accident" as
| there was n fire anywhere near. ard there
was no pGssibsl lily of il origina ing by conbus-
| ton. and consequently the c INFUSION Is in-
| eyitable tn It some one in the still watches of
tben ght struck the fatal matca-in the in
teIest of some one eise, PERHAPS, but to the
| horrible. 10 of hundreds-an then erept to
| his retreat to avoid his damnahIe reward.
Schesier was spoken trshos tly before his ar
rest He was told that there was some talk of
| a warrant being cut for his arrest. The news
| startled him, and he said tn such surely
/ co Id not re the case. would rather drop
| dead than to be SO. accused he said, and if
/ h. ap eaTance had ANYTHING to do with the
4 matter he WIS telling the truth.
There was talk that Scheller had set his
4 house on fire at Nor Point, which burned
! two years ago. 1t was afterwards clearly
/ proven that he was not at home at the time of
1 the fire. Scheller has always borne a good
reputation but his unfortunate connect on
1 with the disr putabe Mascotte saloon on Mar
ket street caused many people to lose respect
for him. He ran a saloon place of low repute,
4 contrary to the wishes of all his friends. as
well as everybody in the vic mtg of where it
4 is located. Scheller is about thirty-threey years
4 old, and has a small family
Scheller has b en- in financial straits Of late.
1 An attempt made last Friday to RI Sc $500 on
i a chattel mortgage from Charles Schoes, the
/ gambler, failed. The Hquor-dealer who fur
i n shed the bar-room holds note of 500
against Scheller, which he offers for ten
4 cents.
The afternoon before the fire, when scheller
was intoxicated, Landlord Antisdel gave him
4 a talking to, warning him to mend his ways.
4 Scheller was afterwards talked to by Tice,
chief clerk of the hotel, and letin high dqd-
1 geon, proceeding on a regular carouse. He
claims having left the bar-room in he hotel at
80 a. M. the morning of the fire. but con-
| elusive evidence has been secured to show
/ that he was out until $3.50 a. m.-half an hour
4 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
1 and Newbauer.
The feeling ID intense, but a great many
people who know Scheller will declare he is
i not capable of the deed.
| II H., H., L. =