The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-04
IT LOOKS LIKE ARSON.
Suspicious Fire in Basement Of
a Boarding House.
TRUNKS SOAKED WITH COAL OIL
Basement Of the Carr House Full Of
Gmoulderfng Baggage - Robbery
Does Not Explain the Fire.

A fire, which has all the appearance of
having been incendiary was discovered at
$40 O'Clock yesterday morning in the
basement of the boarding house kept by
Mrs. Anna G. Carr at 1905 and 1907 Seventh
street. It was extinguished just In time
to prevent serious contiagration. Mrs.
Carr has not been seen since shortly after
the discovery of the fire.
About 4:40 o'clock Mrs. r. r. Albertson,
who boards in the house with her hus-
band, was awakened by the smell of
smoke. and Immediately aroused her hus-
band. The latter found the house filling
rapidly with smoke and aroused the other
boarders, and sent an alarm to fire depart
ment headquarters by telephone. DIR. G.
81. Horton, who also boards there, went
personally to headquarters, and chemical
engine No. was soon on the scene and
put out the flames.
An examination Of the basement re-
vealed strong evidence of an attempt to
burn the building, which is two houses
thrown into one. In the south part Of the
basement was five-gallon can of coal oil
with hole punched in it, covered with
burning clothing. This was almost burned
away and the can was so hot that in few
minutes it would have exploded and scat
tered the flames in all directions. In the
trunk room in the north basement was
can of coal oil of the same size with hole
in the top. Around 1t were piled number
OF trunks. and on top of them were
lounge and a mattress and other bedding,
ali saturated with coal oil, in which the
fire had made some Roadway. Even the
contents of one of the trunks were soaked
with oil also, probably from an empty
glass oil jar found among the bonfire.
Feathers and excelsior were scattered over
the floor. Another trunk, belonging to
DIR. Horton, had a triangular hole cut in
the top and some OF the contents
had been taken out and strewn in the alley
behind the house, running north and south
parallel to Seventh street. In the north
half of the basement the debris was found
to contain a lot of books. some bank
checks partly burned and an old plaid
sack or apron, which several of the board
ers identified as having been worn by Mrs.
Carr. The checks referred to were drawn
on Minneapolis banks and were all signed
"Mrs. A. Carr" or "Mrs. A. c. Carr" The
evidences of incendiarism are, indeed. so
numerous and strong as to permit OF no
kind of doubt that the crime of arson had
been attempted.
III. A. Benson, who was living in the
house on a visit to his daughter, Mrs. q.
NJ. Horton, says that about twenty min
utes before the alarm was sounded he
heard Mrs. Carr's door, which is close to
his, open and come one go down stairs
Shortly afterward he heard some one come
back and go into Mrs. Carr's room. When
Mr.. Benson went to arouse Mrs. Carr he
found her already nearly dressed.
No doubt is entertained that the fire was
of incendiary origin and Detective Rob
erts, who spent good deal of time on the
case yesterday, thinks that the things were
strewn in the alley to create the impress
sion that the fire was started to conceal a
robbery. Nothing of value was, however,
found missing.
Mrs. Carr formerly ran boarding house
at the corner of Seventh and Hennepin
avenues, Minneapolis. From there she
came to the Coast and engaged in the same
business. She came 10 this city and
bought out Miss Sarah Robertson, who
was running the house on Seventh
street, having rented il from Mrs. T.. f.
Pratt The furniture was sold to Mrs.
Carr for 81 500 of which $500 was paid in
cash and the balance secured by chattel
mortgage to he paid in installments. This
debt has been gradually reduced to
$50. Miss Robertson had 5000
insurance. also covering some furniture
which she did not sell, and transferred it
to Mrs. Carr. The latter reduced 1t to
81 900. but on December IA took out an ad-
ditionai policy OF $3.50 in the Imperial, of
London, with the w. l.. Gazzam company.
The building is fully insured. as are
most Of the hoarders' effects. The loss
will not amount to much over So
Mrs. Carr locked herself III her room
after the iiremen had left the house and
did not serve any breakfast or any other
meal yesterday leaving the boarders to 90
out to restaurants. She has not since
been seen.
Among the boarders in the house besides
those already mentioned are Mr.. and Mrs.
i. 4. Bell. Rev. ". q. Eliot. IT. and several
other well-known people. Several of them
sought other quarters last night.