The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-01-24
soHELLER,s CRIME.

sCHELLER,s CRIME.
The Alleged Incendiary of the Newhsll
House Charged With Previous Attempt
to Blow Up the HOtsl-Work I'm the Ruins
MILWAUKEE, Jan. 17-Nothing was done
this morning about bringing Scheller into
Court for examination The District Attor-
ney will spend the Gay examining the case.
Messrs. Ebbetts and McChenney have been
retained by Scheller. 1t is not known just
when the police commenced the inyestlga'
ton which resulted in Scheller's arrest.
Sunday night information was filed with
the police concerning Schellers whereabouts
on the morning of the fire. Everything was
done last night to protect the prisoner from
the mob in case one was formed. In the az
ternoon w. H. Ebbetts visited Chief
wason and labore6 with him and
the Sheriff to remove the prisoner TO
Racine TO protect him from the vengeance
of the Third and Fourth Warders- To keep
Scheller in Jail here would be to place him
At the mercy of the moo. The Mayor was
then called upon and visited the Chief. Ii
was arranged to ascertain the state of feel
ing in the localities named and also to
arrange for special train to carry ocheller
TO Racine in case there We're signs oftrouble.
An engine was held in readiness and con-
siderable number of the day police force
were kept on hand at the police headquar-
with Mr.. Antisdel, from Detroit.
about nine years ago, when the latter as.
sumed charge of the Newhall House. He
had been Chief Clerk of the Biddle House
in that city, when Antisdel kept it. The
two men, IL is said. have always been warm
personal friends Schelier learned the
printers trade in his youth, and worked at
it in Detroit for six years
Besides Scheller's well-known financial
difficulties 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 a gas explosion some
two weeks sgo. About this affair William
Hughes, head porter at the Newhall, makes
the following statement:
am in the habit of going to the hotel about
O'Clock in the morning. One morning
about two weeks ago / went uD the main
entrance, and when l got near the elevator
| smelt gas right away. 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 | opened the door
the barkeeper, Henry McCool, came In the
front way | asked him what ,the trouble
was, and he said he didn't know, but
thought it was the gas metre. We both
rushed in and looked at the
metre, but it was right. We
came out into the bar-room and
threw open the outside doors. | then
noticed a small, blue flame on one of the
burners way back in the room, and then
looked mp 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: 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 of, and went up
stairs. / told Mr.. Antisdel Of it. and
he asked me if lit match. told him L
did not, and he said 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 them all
on. Hughes says boy known as Little
Pete" who worked in the bar-room, said
that he left Scheller in the place about B
o'clock that morning
About $3.50 last night carnage drove to
the front of the Jail, and the Sheriff, with
two Deputies. took Scheller from his cell u
the carriage. Sheriff Bentley and the Dep
uties then entered and were hurriedly
driven to the House of Correction, where it
was at first intended he would be placed.
On reaching the House the Inspector was
absent. The officers in charge refused
to receive the prisoner. A consultation was
held between the Sheriff and Deputies, and
IL was decided to remove him from the city.
1t is said he was taken to Racine on the
midnight Tram, but a gentleman from
Racine says he was sure he was not there.
lie is reported from trustworthy source
that Scheller was taken to Waukesha, and
is locked up in Jail at that place. An Off
cial at the Sheriff's office stated this after
noon that Scheller had been taken away, but
that he would be brought into the Milwaukee
Municipal Court on any day set for the ex-
animation, but further he would say moth
ing either about the removal or where he
was taken. When Scheller was brought
out of jail he uttered scarce
ly word. This is pretty
rough to have such a charge as this hangin nc
over you" is all he was heard to say. He
seemed to be almost completely broken
down, and followed the officers in dazed
sort of way, as though be hardly knew what
he was doing.
The number of workmen at the ruins was
reduced to-day, and the work is expected TO
be completed Saturday. Five bodies were
recovered to-day, making total of forty
three, all beyond recognition, and twenty
three identified dead, and it is supposed
from fifteen to twenty are still missing.
The Chief of Police states tonight he
learned one of the clerks ran out Of the
burning hotel with the register, but STUN
bled down stairs and lost the book. The
transfer book has not been heard from yet