San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-14
ANOTHER FIRE.
A Store and Saloon Building Badly
BurRed-GoOd Work OF the
Chemical Ep0ina

A Store and Saloon Building Badly
Burned-Good Work OF the
Chemical Engine.
This morning at about LIS O'Clock
an alarm from box 213, corner of Bur.
nett and Walnut streets and one
from box 2l7, corner of Nacogdoches
and Walnut streets, called out the
department to extinguish fire situs.
ted In the saloon and store building
of Mr.. VIM. Hiley. which is situated
on the corner of Nolan and Walnut
streets. The chemical engine and
Sunset hose company were soon on
the spot, but when they arrived the
building were all in flames. The
chemical had its hose unreeled in
short order and was playing on the
f1re. In almost less than a minute
the fire was gotten under control and
in thirty minutes it was completely
extinguished. The chemical worked
like charm and the people standing
about gazed at it with wonder,
amounting almost to superstition.
The fire was first seen by Mr.. f.
Bellinger, who lives just across the
track from the place. He shouted the
alarm at the top of his voice and it was
taken up by the engines standing
near which blew un til the bells COM
menced to ring. Mr.. Bellinger stated
that when he first saw the fire he
ran tor the place to see what he
could DO. On reaching the building
ne found the saloon room burning all
inside and the grocery department
also burning. He also saw Mr.. Hiley
AfohnIn0 M n his follal T.
breast, In the yard, When asked If
anything could be saved he replied
that it was impossible. AS Mr.. Bel
linger passed the little switch shanty
outside, going into the yard, he dis
covered pile of burning kindling up
against 1t and the shanty itself was
on nre. The kindling he kicked away
Nno bringing bucket of water from
Hiley's shanty saved the house.
MI. Hiley stated that he went to
bed at 10 O'Clock and was awak en- ed
by the hre, which, when he got out,
had gained sufficient b eadway to rem.
der It impossible for him to en- ter. He
said the place was empty, with the
exception of few bar fixtures in the
saloon. He also stated that he valued
the building and contents at s., 100,
for which amount he 10 insured.
The people around there are greatly
1ncensed over the affair, and some
grave charges have been whispered.
The fre, oil course, was incendiary.
LATER, CHARGED WITH ARSON.
This morning at 6 O'Clock Captain
hughes went up TO the scene OF last
nights fire and commenced nosing
around in quest of a man named
Frank Merritt, who rents from Hiley.
and who he heard knew something
about the origin of the blaze.
After some time the Captain met
a friend whom he dispatched to tell
Merritt that he was wanted at the DO.
lice station for which place the officer
then started. He had not been in his
office long when Merritt came in.
Upon being Intercepted Merritt gave
out that he was at his window, which
is in the same yard, awake at about
one O'Clock, when he saw Hiley
and his wife moving about
in the yard. SuspectlDg something
was wrong he watched them and
coon Hiley went in to the saloon with
a can, that looked like IL
might contain kerosene, in his hand
and soon after to come out of the sa-
loon and 60 into the house. 1t was
not three minutes before the fire
started. The captain, ON learning
this took Merritt over to JUS
tics Adams court, where an aft.
davit was sworn out against Hiley
charging him with arson. Hiley was
arrested by the Captain at about 9
O'Clock. He claims that he was in bed
asleep when the fire started.
Last night q lady stated that she
had heard Mrs. Hiley say that she
would burn the place If there was in
surance enough.
Last night, while explaining how it
caught, Mr.. Hiley laid considerable
stress on the fact that tramps and
boys were always hanging about the
switch shanty and acted in q very
suspicious manner. The reason that
the shanty was fired can be easily ex-
planned if the man is guilty. For,
had it had time to burn up before
anyone had arrived all suspicion
would be thrown from Mr.. Hiley, as
1t would appear that some one had
maliciously fred the shanty and that
the saloon had caught from Ii. But
If such an intention had existed it
was frustrated by the fire being dis