The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-04
TO ANSWER FOR ARSON.
THE LANES ARRESTED FOR tn 2
BEACH HOUSE FIRES

If the Holding Of James Lane. Pro
prietor OF the Hote', and Edward
Lane, Under Charges OF Incend.a
rlsm-Intense Excitement at Tybee
Over the Apparent Attempt 10 Burn
the Village.
The state Of excitement and apprehension
in which the residents Of Tybee have ex-
listed for the las: three days, on account Of
what appeared to be an effort 10 burn the
place, ended yesterday in the arrest Of
James Lane, proprietor OF the Beach House.
and Edward Lsue, bis brother, on the
charge Of arson.
The people Of Tybee are wrought up over
the affair, and there was strong talk Of
lynching while the excitement was at its
highth.
A party consisting Of Mayor Ulmer, Chief
Lightbody and the special officers left the
city on u special train Tuesday night, as
announced in yesterdays MORNING NEWS,
reaching Tybee about l o'clock yesterday
morning. They found nearly everybody
on the island awake and watching for tho
next manifestation Of the fire bugs work.
In fact. many Of the residents did not 20 to
bed at all Tuesday night.
IN CHARGE OF THE POLICE.
On hearing the complaints of the join
ing property owners Mayor Uimer at once
placed the police in charge OF the Beach
house, with instructions TO keep a strict
watch for any attempt to fire the place.
Mayor Ulmer returned 10 the city on the
early train and left for Tybee again on the
1880 O'clock train, accompanied by Alder
men John g. Butler aud r. =. Lowell, and
Nj (fEurua ESQ rs1nueni for the
poration of Tybee. They arrived
shortly before Il o'clock aud an
investigation yves at once begun.
A number of witnesses were examined.
The evidence showed that there had been
seven attempts to burn Lanes Beach house
between Monday morning and Tuesday
night.
WHERE THE FIRES OCCURRED.
The first fire was discovered in the oil
house, a small building near the main
building, but not connected with it. This
was discovered about daylight and WINS ex-
tinguished without much damage being
done.
The second fire occurred in anNouthouse
near the bar below che pavilion about
O'Clock in the afternoon. The alarm was
given and the residents turned out and ex-
tinguished the flames. Before they got
away from the place fire broke out in the
dining room on the ground floor The Ere
was underneath the house aud burned
through the floor.
The fourth fire occurred Fly Tuesday
morning in a bedroom on the top door of
the house. The fire was between some mat
tresses on top Of the bed. There wero three
mattresses on the bed. A hole was also
burned in the mating under the bed.
ANOTHER FIRE AMONG BEDDING.
The fifth fire broke out in some mattresses
and pillows in another bedroom on the same
floor. Parties from outside saw the smoke
aGd rushed in and threw the burning mat
tresses and pillows out of the window. Very
little damage was done.
About 80 o'clock in che afternoon the
Waterman at the Ocean house saw smoke
issuing from the roof of the Beach house
and ran over to the house aud upstairs. He
met James Lane in the room, who said that
he could not find where the fire was. There
wa round hole cut IN the wooden ceiling
for the purpose OF ventilation.
The Waterman jumped upon the bed and
looking through this bole saw q blazing
pine knot lying upon the ceiling. He
reached in and secured the knot and threw
IL out.
About dark there was blaze on the top
floor Of the hotel which was quickly extin.
gulshed IL was seen by Mrs Graham, who
rang the fire bell and gave the alarm to the
neig bornood.
OCCUPANTS OF THE HOTEL.
The Investigation brought out the facts
That there was no one living in the Beach
house besides James Lane. his brother, Ed
ward Lane, in whose name the title to the
property stands, James Lanes children and
the colored boy and girl employed about
tne house. Tbs testimony went to show
that there was no one else in or around the
hnn h. r.a
the parties named, and that no
one was seen to run away from
the place when the fires
we're discovered and that no suspicious
characters had been seen around the place
Strict watch was kept upon the place by
the neighbors after the first two fires.
The hre where the burning pine Knot was
found In the roof was regarded naturally
as the most suspicious Of all.
THE EVIDENCE AGAINST THE LANES.
It was stated that when parties from the
outside shouted to Lane Your house is on
ire" be put his head out OF the window and
shouted back. There is no fire here.n Par
ties also swore that Lane was seen with a
candle in this room shortly before the fire
was discovered. Another very suspicious
circumstance was that outsiders we're al
ways the first to discover the fires and In
every case were the first to reach the scene
and extinguish them.
Edward Lane was examined He said he
could give no explanation of the fires. He
thought they must have occurred from
sparks from Ioshach's pavilion fire When
he was asked if he thought the sparks had
gotten in between the mattresses of the
bedrooms and under the house he said he
thought it must have been from spontaneous
combustion.
When asked il he thought the burning
pine knot in the roof was the result Of
spontaneous combustion he could give no
explanation.
James Lane refused to make any state
ment.
HELD UNDER WARRANTS.
At the conclusion of the investigation
Mayor Ulmer issued warrants for James
and Edward Lane, charging them with ar
son. and they were arrested by Chief Light
body.
James Mcbride of Savannah was present
as friend of the Lanes and offered himself
as bondsman but was refused by Mayor
Ulmer.
The Lanes were brought to Savannah aud
the warrants were turned over TO Solicitor
General Fraser. They gave bond and were
released.
The insurance carried by Lane upon the
Beach house was about $4,000, $4,000 on
the hotel and $4,000 on furniture, VIII icb
was Cancelled by the agents yesterday
Suit was recently instituted by Hon. j. J.
McDonough to foreolose O mortgage of
$4,000 upon the Beach house.
Lane Is reported to have said that a bar
n nd n NaNrfff swn Ill = -.