The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-06-30
RECHERCHE ON FIRE.
The Former House of All Ma
tons" Damaged $4,000.
Costly Tapestries and Furniture
Burned Like finder.
Watchmen Have Lived in the House
Since the Police Closed 1t.

The Hotel Recherche, formerly known
as The House OF All Nations" mag
nifcently appointed house, opened by
Nine Emma Charles. and closed in a
very short time by the police. was dam
aged to the extent of $4,000 by fire early
this morning.
The hotel consists of four houses
numbered III to l2I West Thirty-second
street. They are three-story brick build
ings. Besides these. there are three
other three-story buildings in the rear
of No. III, that extend back to Thirty
third street.
Since the house was closed threei
months ago, by Capt. Schmittberger. IL
Is said to have been unoccupied. Will
lam Davis and Charles Guy, private
watchmen. have been alone in the place.
watching the beautiful paintings. the
marvellous mirrors. the wondrous bed
steads and all the other gorgeous trap
pings
Just after 3 o'clock this morning,
Thomas Wharton. n Waterman for the
New York Cab Company, which Is
across the street from the hotel. saw a
puff OF white smoke ascending from the
roof of the building. At the same time
he caught the odor of burning cloth.
He ran across the street and hammered
Davis, who was asleep there.
Both men tried. but could not locate
the fire, although the house was filled
with smoke. So Wharton turned in an
alarm.
The fremen located the flames In the
basement of No ~ The house at 40
West Thirty-third street is separated
and the two houses are connected by u
covered passageway.
When the tiremen arrived the flames
to the basement and ground floor Of the
rear house.
There was considerable trouble in get
ting line OF hose strung, for since the
fittings Of the front house have been
packed together and covered with can
yas: They occupied nearly all the space
In the front rooms
working order the flames had gained
considerable Roadway In the basement.
the antique oak-finished halls and the
Enthusiastically designed paper-maehe cell
ings burning like finder. To add to the
labors of the firemen. the walls of these
lower rooms were set with marble and
Mexican onyx, that becoming red hot
burst and flew around in showers.
The upper stories were flooded, and the
white and gold enamelled furniture. the
bric-a.brac and the antique chandeliers
melted like wax.
dangerous location OF the fre. and Its
possible extent. he sent out a second
alarm.
energy for an hour. and succeeded in
combining the flames to the rear of
the house where they started.
Fire Patrol No. 9, with Can't. Raffer-
@ent tov With ta ipe h'u'e ana 0'"A
II is supposed that the fire was caused
by the crossing OF the electric light
wires in the basement. The decora-
lions of the house are OF such a deli
cate nature that mere spark was all
that was necessary to set them afire.
and 1t was almost a miracle that ali
The watchmen say that Mrs. Charles
has not been near the hotel for weeks,
The houses are owned by Al Adams.
says that Mrs. Adams called and went
since then no one has been near It,
Some time ago the houses were en-,
the Hotel Recherche by Mrs, Emma
Charles. 1t Is SAID that the interior
decorations and the furniture cost her
So. oOO
The previous reputat ton of the house
berger. considering that the Bohemian
days of the Tenderloin were at an end,
ordered the place to be closed.
The last days OF the old house we're
marked by adversely. Notwithstanding
its elegance.
AS soon as It was learned the police
had set their heavy hand upon 1t. the
judgments began to pour In. There
were judgments for unpaid gas fixtures,
for, carpets, for, lace and silk curtains
and half a hundred other things
4 Sheriff's sale was advertised to
take place on Feb |, but Mrs. Charles
called on Sheriff Clancy the day before
with a certified check and satisfied most
of the judgments against her.
Nine. Charles was sued in tho City
Court to-day by Buchanan Brothers,
coal dealers, to recover s2S7. 10 for fuel
furnished between April n, 1892, and Jan.
II. 1894.
Edward Mccarton attempted to serve
her with the summons and complaint at
her house, ~ West Thirty-second street,
there that she WASH In.
Judge Van Wyck granted an order Of
substituted service to-day, and a process
server will probably tack 1t on the
madsms door