The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-09
Suit to Recover Insurance Leads
to Startling Allegations.
DEFENSE CHARGES ARSON.
Two Prominent Millmen Are In
vOlved in the Case.
The Odd Fellows' Encampment Grand
Lodge in Session 1T Olympia-Deputy
Collector Poole. OF Mary Island, Dis
missed-Jones Msndamused.

TACOMA, May Especial. IA big sensa-
tion promises to be the outcome of a suit
instituted today by Smell e. johnson on
behalf of George E. Hart. to recover
$40 900 for insurance on the Hart sawmill,
which was burned q few months ago. The
insurance companies have refused to
pay the insurance, and when
Crowley & Sullivan, representing
them, file their answer to Hart,
the charge that Hart fired the
mill. Mr.. Sullivan says, will be one of the
citations. But the charge of arson. if
made as Mr.. Sullivan says it will be, is
only the beginning of the sensations
which seem bound to develop.
Shortly after the mill burned. Mr.. Hart
was all ready to leave for San Francisco
on business of importance, when he was
actually arrested and detained for some
time. at the point of a revolver. it is said.
tention were prompt by the be-
lief that Mr.. Hart was about
to flee and become an absconder.
A member of the police force and a de-
tective acting together caused the arrest,
and for their pains they have been threat
ened with suit charging them with black
mail. They told Mr.. Hart of their sus-
picions. and an order for $500 from him
on the $40, 600 insurance due the mill prop
erty was taken before he was released and
allowed to proceed to San Francisco. Mr..
Hart subsequently asserted that this
order was secured forcibly from him. and
his friends have assumed that it was moth
ing short of robbery to have compelled
him to sign the order for the So, 500.
OF course those securing the order held
the same. it is claimed, as a sort of secur-
ity for Hart's person. Besides, it is held
that Mr.. Hart gave the order, or at least
wanted to give it. in order to have the
officers hush the matter up. At any rate.
the order was taken, but the men who
took it have not been made defendants in
a blackmailing suit, as was promised.
This action, however, is one of the several
sensational things which are looked for.
The mill was burned early in the even
ing, almost in the afternoon. If 1T was
set on fire the firebug did n OF choose de-
slrable hour for his work. Again, Mr..
Hart was in this city at the time. and had
to be taken out to the burning mill in the
mill locomotive. 1t is said that only a
few months before the mill burned he
increased his insurance from $1,000
to $4,000. That is true, but at
the time the increase was made, a partner,
Herman Jewell. was taken into the busi-
ness. and it is said that he insisted on
having the mill insured to its full value
before he would become interested and
would put 81, 900 in the business.
Witnesses. if they have not left the
country. will be called to testify that
Overtures had been made to fire the prop
erty; also that man was seen setting fire
to the property; that the night watchman
quit because he feared that when the
property was fired he would be charged
with being firebug; that there are in ex-
istence stenogIaphic notes describing an
interview between Mr.. Hart and another,
in which the former made q proposition to
burn the mill, etc.
Mr.. Hart is at Everett. where he has
considerable property interests. The COM
panies sued and the amounts sued for are !:
Hamburg Bremen. $1,000: Providence, of
Washington. s.. 1000; Niagara, S, 900; Phe-
nix (Brooklyn) 81 500; Connecticut, 81, 500; (;
New Hampshire, $1,000: American,
$1,000. The Pacific Insurance union
sent man here to investigate.
ohA ouoSCJuCutby thC dttOTutvS WeI0
notified that it would not pay insurance.
That decision was reached some two
months ago. George f. Hart is brother
Of John +. Hart, protector of the Tacoma
Eastern railroad, which is known as the
Hart road. Both are among the best
known business men in the city.
1t is claimed that the mill fore
man, one Carey, of Seattle, was to
have burned the mill on THANKSGIVING
evening for $500. but that the fire was put
out by Mrs. Hurlburt and others wit
Messing the same. The mill was burned
on November so. On one occasion, it is
alleged, cans of coal oil had been placed
convenient for use; that the KEY to the
oil safe had been given to the mill
foreman by one Of the interested parties.
and it is assumed that if there had been
any incendiary suspicious then the fact
that the key was found on the foreman
would have lodged the crime on him.
Jewell became interested in the mill Octo-
her II, and at the same time assumed a
third interest in the s., coo mortgage held
by the Pacific National bank on the mill
property. This mortgage was to be covered
to its face value by $1,000 insurance. and
II is said that when the insurance was re-
fused, the bank, in order to protect itself,
would have had 10 take up the case even il
Mr.. Hart did not. In order to secure re-
lease during the night lie was detained. i,
is said Mr.. Hart made various overtures
10 his captors to gives notes for
Si,po, and at another time 70,
5000 in addition to the order on
insurance for So, 500 in the first instance
and s., 600 in the latter instance, and also
TO secure the notes with stock in the Sum-
ner Excelsior Company. The arrest oc-
Cured on the night of January ii, when
ne was about to leave by the Portland
train, although it is claimed he had agreed
not 10 leave the city.
In an affidavit made by one of the prin
cipal witnesses Hart is put in the light ol
having been anxious 10 arrange for burn
ing the property. and the man making
this affidavit brings Kerry into the case
Kerry now has charge of uart's mill al
Seattle. Smell & Johnson say it will be
shown that an attempt was made
blackmail Hart; that be was detained and
arrested while en- route TO San francisco
To arrange for the sale of the Tacoma
Eastern railroad 10 the Southern Pacific
There IS evidence that the officer, who
IS not now a member OF the police
force, who arrested Hart, did MOI
insist on throwing him into the
city jail. but allowed him to remain al
night in the Office of the McNaughton de
first both