The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-05
KIND MR.. ST. CLAIRE.
How He Sympathized With a
Heart Broken Widow.
HE NuRsED THE DYING HUSBAND
And Before She Had RefurEed From the
Funeral He PIundered and
Burned her House.

eB0 oalA-eyeu E1gBsnMaa. arrested yes
terday morning At o'clock By Officer
George Sheebsn. and nov behind the bars
charged with rining and afterwards burn
ing the home OF Mrs. Paricx Fagan xhile
she was away barying her husband
Mrs. Pagan 10 the widow Of the man who
On Thursday OF last week had MS leg
broken on the Yesler avenue casie line, 81
the foot OF Terrace street. His death fol-
lowed on Sunday. partly the result o; his
injuries and partly of excessive drinking.
Last Monday night about Ii O'Clock the
house in which the Fagans lived. on tie
corner of Yesler avenue and Willard street.
was fired. and before assistance arrived IL
/ ad burned TO the ground
During the afternoon Mrs. Pagan had
buried her husband. and instead OF coming
home she remained down town all nigh.
No one knew the cause OF the ire: no one
had been about the house during the after
noon and night. and the prevailing remark
among the neighbors was: Il wonder how
the fire started"
The officers found as a clue that on the
day that Pagan, who was greatly intoxi-
Gated, met with his accident, ST. Claire had
accompanied him 10 the police station and
had subsequently gone home in an ambu-
lance with him. During the mans illness,
the Engi;shmsn remained around the
house nearly all the time, coming and
going. and when Pagan died 81 Claire was
at his bedside. He also assisted in prepar-
ing the remains for burial. and the family,
who felt greatly Indebted TO the stranger
for his voluntary kindness, gave him the
freedom of the house.
Just behind the Pagan house. a few
yards distant and IN the same enclosure, Is
rough little beard cabin. occupied by two
grizzied ieamsters, ]. w. A. Davis and Pat
Whalen. On Monday evening the accom-
modating ST. Claire came up 10 the house
ana found il deserted, but he did not look
surprised He spent the evening with the
two teamsters, and abou: 9 O'Clock. when
they "tlrned in" he rolled himself I'D at
the foot of the bed. without removing his
clothing. protesting that ne was as COM
Portable as could be, and would sleep Ike
log" The teamsrers went TO sleep. and
did not wake up until few minutes before
IL O'Clock. The EngIishman, who was
then sitting up. lay down again. and he
was noticed to be very nervous and rest
less.
"Can's you sleep Mr.. st. CIaire2" asked
one of the men.
He did not reply. but moment later
said absenty: Wonder If Mrs. Fagon
ever intended setting her house on fre?''
The words were scarcely spoken when a
shower of stones struck the house, and the
two men looked out to see what was the
matter.
The Pagan house was on fire, and people
from q cable car had gotten off and were
throwing stones at the adjoining dwellings
to wake up the occupants. The transfers
pulled on their jeans and jumped into their
boots. and ST. Care who was now more
cool, said: Take it easy, you can't do
any good now, let il burn
The teamsters grew suspicious, and
talked the case over. and although they
concluded that the EnglIshman knew more
about the fire than ne was willing TO make
known, they kept their council TO them
selves.
whereabouts are unknown until the next
morning, about O'Clock, when he
turned up at the Everett lodgin g-house, a
very respectable pace, on Fourth street
between James and Yesler avenue. He
knew the landlady, Mrs. ]. NJ. Forsythe,
and her husband, for he had stopped with
them for some time. Shortly after the ire
he was assigned TO room iwenty-one, in
the lower story. He was much interested
in the fire. and told Mrs. Forsythe and her
daughter the entire occurrence He said
he saw trunks full of fine dresses
burning up. and intimated that
the place had been set on fire by some one
who contemplated robbery. He was a, times
very nervous, so much so that the For
sythes also became suspicious. On We'd
nesday night ST. Claire called on the land
lady. and giving her small package, asked
her to keep it for him until he should call
for it, saying ne was afraid he would lose
it. When the woman took the package. a
small jewelers. card fell out, with For Mrs.
Patrick Pagan marked in pencil on it.
Are you not going to give it 10 her?" Mrs.
Forsythe asked.
NO" replied ST. Claire, much agitated.
"there is nothing of any value in it. Only
little memento from the dead man to
me-"
He then wrapped the package up again,
tied 1T tightly and gave il back 10 Mrs.
Forsythe. When be had gone the woman
called her husband, and both went into a
private room. locked the doors ami exam
ined the package. 1t contained two
Watches small gold one, belonging 10
Mrs. Pagan, and silver one, the property
OF the dead man. A ring also was found
in the bundle. The watches were
again wrapped up and the package
appeared untouched. The next morning
about fifteen minutes TO O'Clock, an
expressman came to the house with some
baggage for one of the guests. St Claire
approached him and Mr.. Forsythe heard
him tell the man: When YOU get
through, go down to the Pheaix house
and get trunk for me and take il to the
Lake Shore & Eastern depot" A moment
later he asked the iandiady for the little
parcel" which was given hum. he said he
had been engaged by a lady to go
10 work on farm at good
pay, twenty miles out in the country.
Mr.. FoTsylhe took the cue, and going 10
police headquarters told Chief Monroe all
that had transpired. The chief despatched
Otncer George sneehan TO arrest ST. Claire,
and TOOK him jest as he was preparing TO
get into the express wagon to go after his
trunk. He was searched at the station,
and besides the watches there was found
on bis person pair OF gold bracelets.
Where did you get those watches and
the braeelstsz demanded the chief.
They we're given TO me by Pagan for
his vile just before he died. - was the hest
tating reply q" was going TO give them
70 her as soon az | saw her."
de Was questioned regarding his where
abouts, and seeing that he was found out
he gave his case away by saying: IF you
viii let me go can show you good deal
OF stun that was never burned up
when this selt-convicting admission was