New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-13
TIE NEWHALL HOUSE DlSASIEh'
BODIES FOUND IN THE RUINS.

A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSE vi
THE DISASTER TO BE MApE-PRoBABLE Lh'''
LATIoN.
MILWAUKEE, Jan. 12.-Up to evening hyo pod
les if five little heaps of charred human flesh may
be called bodies, had been found In the runs Oh
the Newba1I House. At noon the remains Oh
man were found ut the north end of the ruins. ly-
ing OIL q mattress showing that the victim had
been smothered. The body was burned beyond rec
ocnition although the skull remained intact
showing a set of well-preseryed teeth. AS the
workmen raised tho body the head fell OIL Inc
remains were taken TO the Morgue.
As the workmen opened up the ruins the odor OF
burning flesh became more and moro apparent, and
there is scarcely room to doubt that by to-morro"
night a scene will DO presented before which the
stout hearted will quail with horror human
foot was found partly burned, with no trace OF the
body TO which it belonged. Two little heaps OF
remains found near personal effects recognized as
belonging to Robert HOWE and David H. Marte''
Wisconsin Central Railroad conductors, leave nttle
doubt that both persisted. Toward evening TWO
more heaps of remains we're found, making h'e III
all The remains were all discovered near tne sue
walk of the Broadway front. The body ldehtiheu
in the Morcue Is that of Mrs. l.. W. Brown, OF
Allegheny. Penn. whose husband is IN the employ
of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Inc
last body recognized is that of Emma lager
servant.
William Z. Wyie, formerly the Michigan passen-
ger agent Of the Michigan Central Railway anu re-
centyapponted Milwaukee passenger agent Oh inc
company, arrived in the city on Tuesday and regis
tered at the Newhall House. He went TO MS room
shortly before midnight and has not Deen seen
since His home is in Detroit.
A most thorough investigation into the causes of
t1,o Grao and fI,a n
cidcd upon by the authorities. The District-At-
tornev will conduct the examination of witnesses
The iurors empaneled by the coroner are not Salts
factory As they have already been sworn in, how
ever they will hear the evidence Tomorrow as 10
the causes Of death Of the persons taken to the
Morgue. This will require very little tlme' ana
then the great question to the cause OF the ire
and the responsibility for the slaughter of so many
persons will be taken ND.
Governor Rusk will send in a special message
by the first of next week, advising revision OF the
hotel laws In connection tn the suLj"ct OF legs
latlon the Lieutenant Governor expresses belief
that the Legislature will revise the statutes To
considerable extent. There can DO no doubt he
thinks that the Legislature Will act upon The Sng-
gestons of the Governor and enact laws compelling
hotels to furnish better facilities for escape IN cases
Of fire,
James H. Earnest, OF Shullsburg, Lafayette
County. whose name appears among the missing,
was a we-known Democratic politician In South
ing and farming. He was natlveol Kentucky ana
was born in 1919 being in his sixty fourth year
He came to Wisconsin IN 1886, and for time re-
sided III Milwaukee. He represented his county in
the Legisla ure at various times being member OF
the Senate in 1868
john Gilbert the actor is still unconscious but
the physicians do not give up hope. Mrs Sylvester
Blocker, wife of the manager OF the Tom Ihumb
troupe passed quiet night, o9t IS very low ana
will probably not live James McAiplne, the Mill
waukee commission man, does not improve, ana
grave doubts are entertained of his recovery.
Andrew Hardy is improving Mr. ana MS Cramer
are out OF danger. All the servant girls have been
taken to their homes except Silnne Mack and Dora
Cole, both OF whom are doing well.
LONDON Jan. 12.-7he Times, IN an editorial on
the burning of the Newhall House in Milwaukee,,
says it is reprOach and shame to modern intrllI-
gence that nearly hundred lives we're lost IN sight
of crowd eager to and, from the want or elective
mechanical appliances.
WHAT AN EYEWITNESS SAW AND HEARD.
LarEin b. Day. of Milwaukee, was at the
Metropolitan Hotel yesterday. He is the senior
Der Of the carpet and drapery firm OF l.. b. Day Co..
Of Nos 1872 and 384 Broadway Milwaukee, just across
the from the Newhall House aud he was an eye
witness of the fire, To n TRIBUNE. reporter he said:
81 had returned from Madison late on Tuesday night
and WAS very tired. but when 1t was found that our
Or, misses were in danger for. When arrived
upon the it was 5:45 a.. N. The whole building
then seething mass of flames, but the walls were
still standing The worst horrors
oyer-thank God land the fire fairly under
troll At 6lO the seemed suddenly TO collapse.
The walls fell neither out, but dropped down all
in a heap a might fall II struck terrific blow on
he head. The building Was tweny-sx years old and
known to everybody a hre-trap. 1t was complete
wooden structure that had been given veneerns OF
brick merely for appearance sake aud thereforea death
trap. There no Insurance company in Milwaukee
that would take risk on It, There good grounds
for believing that the fire was OF ncendary origin. My
partner, John d. Van Nuys knows that while he WAS
guest house last March and April the place
set on fire lwce-once with coal oil OF the horrors of
that fearful Tuesday night not a half have yet
been told. One OF those who escaped told that he
was sleeping the third story when he awakened
by the broken glass of the transom falling into the
room. Throwing wet towel his face and
head he managed to find his way down stairs
and escape although nearly sufocated. On the
way out he assured that he had to stun
BILE over fifteen twenty dead bodies.
Chief Clerk Tice, OF the hotel told my son-inaw that
there 200 persons including the servants IN the
house that night, and is commonly said that the house
was packed from cellar to garnet. II ID my firm belief
nobody has yet conceived the horrors that will
pear when the ruins are thoroughly examined There
Ia appalling whisper going the rounds in Milwaukee,
which hope from the bottom OF my heart Is not true
1t the effect that tho proprietor OF the hotel in
the habit OF locking his women servants in thor bed
they discovered the fire they were Gagged pisoaers,
whom there no escape except by the windOws
Johu +. An5dell, the proprietor is a man with big
heart and a friend OF mine We are members of the
Baptist church. ana no man In Milwaukee, is more
respected IDan No. hHOW Ills opinion OF WORKING
women aud that lends color 20 the story. Mr. AnIisdel
has insane since that terrible night, and 1t said
that the loss OF his property is the OF It, bur
he was not the man TO have his brain turned
by the mere loss Of his properly"
John W. Day. a OF l.. Il. Day, told the reporter
how Colonel A. j. Case, of New-Iork mad escaped.
Colonel Casses the Office floor. and before
gong to bed lie had aken the preOsu0n TO put all his
clothing under the mattress, because he had noticed
during the day that "a suspicious looking had been
following him and closely cycling the diamond pin that
he wore. He was awakened by the crash O glass falling
into his room, and hastily slipping into his clothes he
got out OF the house unhsrmed. At the oce OF H. c.
kroh Co., No. 400 Pearlst, for whom Colonel Case
travelled further details OF his escape had been
ceyed than contained In the first telegram
nouncing his safety and the loss Of his baggage.
supply OF samples mas been sent TO him ut the fremont
House, Chicago
INSPECTING NETWORK HOTELS