The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-17
He Is Arrested and Placed in Jail, Charged
with Having Set the Fire Which
Destroyed the Hotel.
The Officials Very Reticent, and Ac
cess to the Prisoner Denied.
While the Full Extent of the Disaster Is
Not Yet Known, the Worst Is Thought
to Have Been Revealed.
A TERRIBLE CHARGE.
George SchelIer Arrested on Charge of Hav-
ing Fired the Newhau House.

George SchelIer Arrested on Charge of Hav-
ing Fired the Newhall House.
MILWAUKEE, Jan. 16. - George Scheller,
proprietor of the Newhal House bar was
arrested at 1 o'clock this afternoon, on a
warrant sworn out by Officer Hannifin,
charging him with setting the fire which
destroyed the Newhall House on Wednes-
dav morning. The arrest was made by
Lieutenant Jansen and Officer Hannifn in
Roth's "Quiet House" at the corner of Ma
son street and Broadway. Scheller did not
seem very much surprised, and made no
statement. He looked badly broken
up. He has been drinking heavily
since the fire and his face shows the effects
of spree. The prisoner was locked up on
charge of arson, and was Immediately trans
ferred to the county Jail, where he was locked
up in an upper cell. He did not
speak to the jaler, and the officers are very
reticent about the details Of the arrest. 1t is
reported that Scheller was arrested princi-
pally on statement of Linehan and another
employee, who claim they saw Scheller in the
wood-room, where. Linehan says, the fire
originated, and that he was there after
o'clock A. NJ.
Application was made at the sherif7s Office
for 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 HannI6n reads:
"John Hannifn, being duly sworn, complains
10 the Muuiciual Court of Milwaukee county,
that George Scheller taiias), on the 10th of jan
uary, A ID. 1888, AT the said city of Milwaukee,
In said county, AT about the hour of 3 o'clock of
the night time of that dav, then and there, with
Ioree OF aims, IN certain uWeIlITe-house theIe
situated, known as the Newhall House OF winch
be, the above-named George Scheiler (allas) was
there and then the tenant then and there felo-
ni0usy, wilfully and malclOusly did set fire to
the said house then, and 10y the kindling of such
fire did feoniOusy, wIilfully and maeiOusy
burn and consume, II contrary to the statute in
such case made and provided, and AGAINST the
peace and dignity of the State of Wisconsin, as
said denonent verify believes, and he pravs that
the said George Seheller (alas), may be arrested
and dealt with according TO the law"
LINEHAN's STATEMENT.
Linehan, engineer of the Newhall House,
is out of his room to-day, and states that the
various tales about the fire originating in the
second or third stories are all bosh, let the
people say what they will. Linehan, when
the announcement of the fire was made.
went into the wood-room in the BASEMENT
and there found pile of wood burning in a
corner The brick walls were blackened,
which was caused by the fire burning against
the same, as may be seen at present, ana
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 build
ing, In further proof that the fire origin
ated in that very spot where it was found
burning brightly by the engineer, there can be
found no other cause, i'll any part of the
ole i,,aI ,n, No
one of lighting the torch no matter what he
may think concerning it, but he does not
hesitate to say that the fire never came
there by accident as there was no fire any
where near and there was no possibility of
it originating by combustion, and conse-
quently the conclusion is inevitable that
some one struck the fatal match, in the in
terest of some one else. perhaps, but to the
horrible loss of hundreds, and then crept to
his retreat to avoid his damnable reward.
THE ACCUSED MAN.
Soheller was spoken to shortly before his
arrest He was told that there was some
talk of 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 was
telling the truth. There was talk that
Scheller had set his house on fire at North
Point, which burned two years ago. 1t was
afterward clearly proved that he was not at
home at the time of the fire. Scheler has
always borne COON reputation, but his I'M
fortunate connection with the disreputable
Mascotte saloon, on Market street, caused
many people to lose respect for him. He
ran this saloon, which is a place of low
repute contrary to the wishes OF his friends
as well as everybod in the vicinity of where
it was located. Scheller is about thirty three
years old, married, and has a small family.
Tonight, messengers reported at the sher-
ifs office that excited knots on the streets
were talking of lynching. 1t is feared there
will be trouble when it becomes generally
known that Scbeller is in custody on the
awful charge and the police and sheriff 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. He attempted, last Friday, to raise $500
on a chattel mortgage from Charles Scholes,
a gambler, but failed. The liquor-dealer
supplying the bar-room holds a note for
5000 against Scheler, which he offered
for ten cents the afternoon before the
fire, when Scheler was intoxicated
Landlord Antisde gave him talking to,
warning him to mend his ways Scheller
was afterward talked to by Tce, chief clerk
of the hotel, and left in high dudgeon, pro-
ceeding on a regular carousal. He claims
that he left the bar-room in the hotel at 1:30
A. NJ on the morning of the fire. but conclu-
sive evidence has been secured to show that
he was out until $3.50 A. NJ, half an hour be-
fore the fire, with Win Sanderson, of Edward
Sanderson & Co.; Tom Dunbar, of the Mil
waukee Driving Park, and Joe Henderer, a
saloon-keeper under the gambling den of
Sholes & Newbauer. The feeling is intense,
but great many people who know Scheller
well declare he is not capable of the deed.
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