Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-01-25
THE NEWHALL HOUSE HORROR.

Arrest of George ScheIIer. Lessee of the
Newhau House Bar-roOm, On Charge
of Having Set Fire to the Hotel Through
Spite.
MILwAUKEE, January 16.
George Scheller, proprietor of the Newhau
House bar, was arrested at one o'clock this
afternoon on warrant sworn out by Officer
Hannifin charging him with setting the ire
which destroyed the NewhalI House Wednes-
day morning. The arrest was made by Lieu
tenant Jansen and Officer Hannifn, in ROth's
. quiet house, corn"r of Mason street and
Broadway. SchelIer 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 arc
very reticent about the details of the arrest.
1t is reported that ScheIer 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 Sherif's Office for an opportunity to talk
with the prisoner, which was refused.
District-Attorney Clark also refused to let
any one see ScheIler, 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 Hannifn. being duly sworn, complains
to the Municipal Court of Milwaukee County
that George Scheller (alias), on the 10th day or
january, A. D., 1883, at the said city OF NIL.
waukee, in said county, at about the hour or
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 e, of which he, the above-named
George ScheIler talias) was there and then the
tenant, then and there fel0niousiy, willtully
1Trdy lf-irN w n n fro
then and by the kindling of such fire did
felJniousy, 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-
ponent verify believes, and prays that the said
George Scheller (alias) may be arrested and
dealt with according to the law"
Linehan, engineer of the Newhau House, is
out of his room to-day. He states that the va
riOus tales about the fire originating in the
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 blaclIened, which was caused by the
burning against it 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
that very spot where it was found burning
brightly by the engineer, there can be found
no other black ened wall from the same or
other cause in any part Of the basement or
elsewhere.
Linehan accuses no one of lighting the
torch, no matter what he may think concern
ing it. but he does not hesitate to say that
that fire never came thee by accident" as
there was NJ fire anywhere near, and there
was possibility of it originating by cOnbus-
IL,
evitable that some one i'll the still watches of
then'ght struck the fatal lmatoh-in the in
taIeSt of some one else, PERHAPS, but to the
horrible 10 of hundreds-and then crept to
his retreat to avoid his damnabIe reward.
Scheller was spoken to 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. 81 would rather drop
dead than to be so accused" he said, and if
his appearance had anything to do with the
matter he 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 at the time of
the fire. Scheller has always borne q good
reputation but his unfortunate connection
with the diSr1putabie MaScOtte saloon on Mar
ket street caused many people to lose respect
for him. He ran a saloon place of low repute,
contrary to the wishes of all his friends as
well as everybody in the vicinity of where it
old, and has q small family
Tonight messengers reported at the
| Sheriff's Office, that excited knots were on the
streets, with talk of lynching. 1t is feared
| there VIII be trouble when it becomes gener-
ally known that Scheller is in custody on the
awful charge, and the police and Sherifs are
prepared to defend him to the last. An extra
| guard will be kept at the Jail all night.
Scheller has been in financial straits of late.
| An attempt made last Friday to raise $500 on
| q chattel mortgage from Charles Scholes, the
| gambler, failed. The liquor-dealer who fur
| nished the bar-room holds a note of 500
| against Scheller, which he offers for ten
! cents.
The afternoon before the fire, when SchelIer
! was intoxicated, Landlord Antisdel gave him
! a talking to- warning him to mend his ways.
! Scheler was afterwards talked to by Tice,
chief clerk of the hotel and left in high dud-
! geon, proceeding on regular carouse. He
| claims having left the bar-rOOm in the hotel at
! 80 q. 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
before the fire-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
| and Newbauer.
! The feeling is intense, but great many
| people who know Scheller will declare he is
| not capable of the deed.