Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-01

GeraId Latour was insured, as ne said,
with the Universal. and lost no time in
calling upon Mr.. Webber to acquaint him
with tbe disaster. The fire involved the in
suranee society in heavy loss, as Latour
was insured for e25, 900. Mr.. Weber fol-
lowed the usual Office rule in such matters
and sent down Mr.. Doggett, his private in
curry agent, To- institute an investigation on
behalf of the Universal into the origin of
the Great Chester street fire.
The heat emanating from the smouldering
ruins was so great that close inspection of
the premises was impossible, not only for
that day, but for several days to come.
Doggett, however, made trough preliminary
inspection, and a rude drawing of the in
terror Of the building as 1t stood after the
hre, carefully marking out in his sketch the
various heaps of debris for future examina-
tion. He picked up odd bits of information
while in pursuit of his task, learning, among
other things, that while the premises were
what is known as lookup" premises, Mr..
Latour had frequently been in the habit of
sleeping there, and that as late as II o'clock
on the night of the fire, according to COM
mon report, he had been seen either entering
or leaving the premises.
: 1t is the business of an inquiry agent in
cases Of fire, especially fires involving large
money losses, to protect the interests of his
employers from incendiary frauds, and
gDoggett at once pricked up his ears like
young terrier on the scent at this piece of
information. There might be nothing in
the report, even if it were true-and its
truth Doggett had yet to learn-but, at any
rate, it was his business to inquire, and to
take nothing on trust.
He first endeavored 10 trace out the origin
of tile rumor that declared that Mr.. Latour
had been seen on the spot within short
time Of the breaking out of the fire. One
of the constables informed him that persons
in the crowd had expressed themselves
alarmed for Mr.. Latour's safety, and had
declared that they had seen him, and he
himself had at first shared their fears.
These must be neighbors, of course"
Doggett reflected. "We shall soon find
out" A few inquiries carried him to all
the information that was likely to be forth
coming on that point. Mr.. Latour had not
been seen but light had been noticed by
several persons burning IN the room usually
occupied by Mr.. Latour, when he slept at
Great Chester street, at lib. The con-
stable on the beat supplied the information
that at 1:45 there was no light burning in
the room, nor did he perceive any smell of
fire. The fire was discovered by the con-
stable when he passed that way again on his
rounds, which would be half an hour later
-1215.
1t narrowed itself to this then, that some
person was on the premises as late as 11:15,
and in Mr.. Latour's room, too, and who, it
was conceivable, might have remained on
the scene to within few moments OF the
time when the constable passed the door at
11:45 and found all right In that case,
though the origin OF the fire might be traced
to perfectly innocent causes, as for instance
to carelessness on the part of the last person
to quit the premises in putting out the light,
there was room for the play of suspicion as
to possible incendiary act.
"Did you meet anyone on the street as
you came along?" Doggett asked of the
constable.
But no. the constable had had the street
to himself. 1t was a particularly quiet
street. he explained, at that hour of the
night. Later on, when the public houses
disgorged their visitors at closing time, he
might have encountered good many per-
sons whose way home lay along Great
Chester street. but as it happened he met no
one.
3 ''Not Mr.. Latour?" asked Doggett.
No, not even Mr.. Latour The constable
was one of several witnesses who was pre-
pared to swear to the fact of the gaslight
being turned on at full in Mr.. Latour's
room at 11:15, and he supposed that Mr..
Latour was staying there that night, and
had gone to bed when he passed at quarter
before midnight. Doggett felt that good
deal would turn on the explanation that Mr..
Latour might be able to give of the light
burning in his room at that late hour, and
upon the character of Mr.. Latour's explana-
tion would hinge the question whether it
would be necessary to ask him to account
for his movements that night. But the de-
tective was not the man to act precipitately.
Further inquiries into the mystery
of the burning light in Mr.. Latour's room
could very we'll be held over until an exam
ination of the premises had been made.
As soon as the embers, which continued
to shoulder many days, had cooled down,
Doggett assisted by the police and capi-
tai salvage corps, took possession Of the gut
ted building, and began his examination of
the debris. The building was mere shell
of blackened walls bearing the impress of
subjected Happily however, the walls,
though tottering in places, threatened no
immediate danger, and after they had been
we'll shored up with timber where they ap-
peared weak, the inspection could be at
temptedswithout risk.
The examination had not proceeded very
far before the detective came across unmis- |
taxable signs of gunpowder. Doggett was
keen-scented, and could not easily be led |
into the blunder of confounding the differ |
ence in the smell from fire and that from |
gunpower. The discovery was important |
Gerald Latour, when questioned by Cap |
tain Barnes, the head of the fire brigade, was |
unable to say whether there was gunpowder |
on the premises or not, and had referred |
Captain Barnes to his man, Joe Gillett.
Iasr
had declared that there was no gunpowder /
on the premeses, and when asked how he
accounted for three successive explosions
that had startled the crowd, confessed his
ignorance, unless it was the bursting Of the
gas pipes.
But when the debris began to be cleared |
away the matter was placed beyond all dis
pute. Under great heap of rubbish,
though not buried Deep since portions of
the roof-slate, tiles and timber--were
found with it, was discovered small keg
Of gunpowder. The supposition was ar
rived at shat the top floor had been carried
away before the flames had reached this
small barrel Of explosive, guess that was
confirmed by other signs discovered still
later
But there were graver elements of sus-
picion behind. Though it was made plain
by the frightful havoc wrought by the
flames that combustible elements had been
placed with great skill, the same cool judg-
ment had not been applied all along the
line. Buried beneath the heaps of rubbish
there was gradually brought to light large
bundles of tow, soaked in infammable oils,
and other indications of criminal attempt
TO ire the premises, which had succeeded
only too well, but not without leaving in
testimony behind
While these discoveries were being made,
Doggett was not idle in other directions.
He instituted an inquiry into Mr.. Latours
nriYata life and nollaotad nnrnhar of