The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-15
CHARGEDWITHARSON
Insurance Companies Accuse
Hart of Burning His Mill
SENSATIONAL CASE At TACOMA.
Lsfs Insurance. Company Aaks That
the sndsmens on xhsmss Hsuderson
Beyd's Pelfey Re ses Aside.

TAeoMs, Sept. is-fspecial. lin an an
sser died today regarding the burning Of
the Hart sawmill, south of the city, las.
fail the following allegation Is made:
For further and separate answer and
defense the defendant AYERS that 10 Is fr1-
formed and believes and upon such infor-
nation and belief alleges the fact 20 be
that the fire By which the properly men
TONED IN the complaint was destroyed
upon the said 30.h day of November, lsa2.
was kindled or caused TO be kindied by
the plaintiff, Hart, intentionally. with the
unlawful purpose BY thereby procuring
from the defendant and his other insurers
the indemnity by them stipulated TO be
paid under terms and conditions Of their
said policies
George z. Hart is the man referred TO.
and while the complaint TO which this is
part Of the answer was begun in the name
OF Mr.. Hart. Hiram Jewell and the Pacific
National bank, il 10 stated that Mr.. Jewell
Is not in any manner chargeable with the
allegations Of arson. The Pacific National
bank held chatseI mortgage for some
s2.D0 on the mill machinery. aud as the
complaint was In fact q suit to recover on
insurance policies. which il held as seeur-
ity. IL was jointly cited in bringing the
suit
Several months ago when the Tacoma
bureau of the Posr-ISTELLTeEscER an
nonnced the alleged facts upon which the
answer filed today 10 primarily based it
created sensation and brought out de-
NAL of the truth Of the charges from Mr..
Hart He has besn prominent In business
circles here. at Seattle and Everett.
Some Of the evidence cited by the Posr-
1sTELLIssscER was to the effect that ID. G..
MeNaughton, manager of McNaughton's
detective service, and City Detective
Frank A. Wilson had arrested Mr.. Hart a
couple of months previous. when he was
about TO leave the city after. as was al
legged, he had promised not to do so. He
was quietly detained all night in the Office
of the McNaughton detective service, on c
street. aud upon security in the sum OF
about 81, 600 tor his Whereabouts being ac-
counted for being given TO the detectives.
charges of hlackmail were strongly limited
at
When first taken in charge il was the
intention TO hold Mr. Hart until warrant
could be secured. He was being Swallowed
by detectives at the time. During the
night Mr.. McNaughton alleges Mr.. Hart
made several propositions. on condition
of which he wsA to be released. He was
not allowed 10 20 until the officers were
satisfied he would not attempt to leave the
country.
Mr.. Hart claims he had no idea Of run
ming away, and 1t is said he was bound for
California TO consult with the Southern
Pacific railroad people about the sale OF
the Hart railroad. which is operated a few
milss south from this city, and that there
fore the detention was a great injustice
and damaging 10 him.
Every point was thoroughly investi.
gated before reference was made TO the
charges In the PosT-fsrESIeEscrR. and
not until it was known. in fact. that the
Pacific Insurance Union would refuse to
pay the premiums, aggregating sii,ooo
and that one of the paragraphs 10 be cited
In its answer would be that Mr.. Hart fred
the mill.
At the time there was in existence an
affidavit detailing stenographic copy
OF a conversation between Mr.. Hart and
another, in which the scheme TO burn the
mill was discussed. At least one unsuc
cessful attempt, 1t Is claimed, was made Il
burn the mill before 1t was finally de
stroyed.
Nearly all the leading fire insurance
companies are represented in the defense
The answer Ii, however. filed in the nam,
of the Providence Washington Insursnc,
Company, Of Providence, r. I.
The sgsnt of the Pacific Insurance Unior
has been here TO investigate the charges.
The defendants also aIlegs that the mil
Was on leased site contrary TO stipula
ton in the policy. This 10 one of the many
minor allegations.