Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-21
DIAB0LIC INCENDIARISM.
ONE LIFE LOST WHERE NINE
WE'RE JEOPARDIZED.

The House Saturated with Kerosene
from Cellar to Garret-The Victim the
Wife of the Man Suspected of Apply
ing the TOrch-The Other Alarms of
the Day.
NEW YORK, Sept. 2o.-An elaborate and
well planned attempt at arson, which
would have cost many lives, was brought
to light to-day. The diabolical crime,
however, miscarried. Its only result was
the killing Of a woman, the wife of the
man whom the police arrested on a charge
OF setting hre to the house. The woman
was Mrs. Gersteg. wife of Leo Gersteg.
saloon keeper at No. 234 Rivin et ton
street. The fire was discovered in his
house. He lived on the second floor with
his wife and child. Seven dodgers occu-
pied the third floor. Early this morn
ing police Office saw flames IN the
house and gave an alarm. He and
another officer went on an
adjoining house and reused the inmates.
Then, ascending to the roof, they went to
the rescue of the occupants of the burn
ing building. They, however, at the first
alarm. had fled to the street-aIl but two,
Mrs. Gersteg and her nine-year-Old boy.
They were found on the roof, the boy
nearly choked with smoke and the woman
dying from horrible burns. The two were
brought to the street. In the meantime
the fire had spread, and eaten its way
through to the roof. The flames blazed
furiOusly. When the fire was put out it
was found that everything in the house
had been saturated with kerosene oil and
the gas everywhere turned on. A
sofa had been saturated with oil,
and chairs piled on it in the
front room, and then set on fire. Fire
was also started in a closet. Kerosene
stepped wood and shavings were scattered
everywhere in the house. Mrs. Gersteg
could give no account of the affair. She
was taken to a hospital and died at day.
break. The boy was not badly burned.
The husband could be found nowhere.
1t was reported that he had quarrelled
with his wife, and went away and was
seen no more. 1t is cODjectured that the
woman had hand in firing the house.
Gersteg returned to the house later as un-
concerned as if nothing had happened,
and was placed under arrest. He is a
Frenchman, and expressed no concern at
the charge preferred against him. He de-
MED that he was guilty, and said that he
had been out of the house all night.
Later, when arraigned in court, Gersteg
was committed for examination.
RIVER STEAMERS ABLAZE.
CINCINNATI, Sept. 2O.-The fire, which
started in the pantry of the steamer Morn
ing Mail shortly before 2 O'Clock this
morning, communicated to the steamer
Bonanza and the United States lighthouse
tender Lily, which was lying alongside.
The three were burned to the waters
edge, except the Lily, which escaped
with the loss of her upper works. The
boats were lying at the upper landing in
Fulton, where a number Of other steamers
were tied up during low water. The
steamers gaH and shinkle were cut loose
and flOated out of danger. No one is able to
tell how the fire started. The Bonanza
and Morning Mail were owned by the
Cincinnati, Portsmouth and Big Sandy
Packet Company. The former vas built
in 1876, and before its destruction was
worth $4,000. The Morning Mail was
built two years ago, and was valued at
$50, 600. They were insured in Cincinnati
companies for $4,000 each. The Lily's
damage is estimated at $4,000. No lives
were lost.
TUGS DESTRUCTION.
CHESTER, PA, Sept. 2O.-The tugboat
j. B. Woodward, of Philadelphia, took
fire at O'Clock this morning while lying
at the rolling mill wharf at South Ches-
ter. The crew cut her loose and she
drifted up to Jeffreys street, when the
tugs America and Marcellus succeeded in
beachng her. She then burned to the
waters edge and is a total loss. The
amount Ol the tOSS anu luG Origin Oh Jne
fire cannot be learned. Alfred Clark,
young man living in Philadelphia, one Of
the crew of the Marcellus, fell overheard
during the excitement and was drowned.
His body has not been recovered.
CLOTHING STORE BURNED. .
ST. LOUIS, Sept. 20.-The "GOlden Ea-
gle' clothing store, corner Broadway and
Pine streets, owned by Browning, King
& Co., of New York, was destroyed by fire
this morning. The loss in stock is esti-
mated at about $150,000. 1t is insured for
$4,000. The loss on the building is
slight and is fully insured.
FLAMES IN A CARRIAGE REPOSITORY.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 20.-Fire broke
out this morning in the carriage factory
and WarerOOms of William ID. Rogers &
Co., at Nos. 1909 and 1011 Chestnut street.
The valuable stock on the nrst floor Was
saved, but the contents of the upper
stories were badly damaged. The loss is
estimated AZ $4,000.
FIRED BY A BURSTING BOILER.
INDIANAPOLIS. Sept. 20.-A special
from Vincennes, Ind, says that the boiler
in Emerson q Calendars mill exploded
this afternoon, setting fire to the building,
which was destroyed. The loss is $l2 1000.
One of Mr.. Calendars sons was probably
fatally injured.
A wooLEN MILL DESTROYED,
Boston, Sept. 30. - The Merchants
Wooden Mill, a large stone building at
Dedham, was entirely destroyed by fire
this morning, with machinery and stock.
The loss is $4,000. Five thousand hands
are thrown out of employment.
OHIO's BLAZING FORESTS.
CHARDON, OHIO, Sept. 20.-FOrest fires
are raging two miles from this city and
thousands of dollars of damage has al
ready been done.