Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-28
HAS RELEASED
> -,.s,...- - :. = - 80
No Proof Showing Harris Set the Building
. on Fire. -
-. e.
Clearing Away the Ruins of the
Knox COnhaxrrti6n-
= = In the Builsliug. .. =. = b..

William T. Harris. the inventor, who was
placed under arrest two days ago on sus-
picion Of being responsible for the destruc-
ton by fire of Knox's stables and storage
building, has been in the Emergency Hos
pital since he was arrested under treat
n.ent for his burned arm, and Detective
Gala her has been detailed at the hospital
to see that he did not leave. This morning
Inspector Hollinberger saw District AT
torney Birney about the matter. The evil
dsnce in the case wasH discussed, and Mr..
Birney decided that there was no proof
against Harris
Inspector Hollinberger is confident that il
the gasoline wagon caused the fire 1t was
purely an accident
Later in the day Harris was released from
custody. He rested well last night, and his
early recovery is assured
/ Clearing the Ruins.
There was still some fire in the Knox
building ruins today but not enough to dc
any damage. Here and there small puffs
Of smoke could be seen, but no attempt
was made to put them ont. In the building
where the workmen were engaged in clear
ing out the dead horses it was found neces-
sary several times to turn on the hose to
allow the men to handle the hot. brick
Nothing was done toward removing the
debris in the main building, wlIes'e All OF
the stored goods were kept. The owners
OF the property were no, disposed to med
dfeuwith THE matter until after the. in sur
ande companies bad adjusted msIers. -.
1t, is betsved thai considerable may be
saved Under the Debris, But until the in
stirance is all arranged no steps will be
taken To find out. -. ~'l".. D
One hour after the Commission ers ordered
Contractor Albert Gleason to take charge
OF the removal Of the dead horses l!0 msn
and Twenty-Five carts and wagons were on
the scene. All yesterday afternoon and
Ia 81. night they worked. and this morning
had nearly completed this work. Mr.. Giea-
son>and his partner, Dir. 4Unn, have super
intended this WORK in PERSON all the time.
and the workmen have mdde wondcrf,
progress. 1t Is expected that before nl,h'
the entire building where Gthe horses were
stabbed will be cleaned Our.
n" PermissiYn Granted.
Fire Marshal Drew Maid 10 a Star reporter
his afternoon that If thdee was any quan-
tty Of gasoline stordd iht Knox's buildinr
at the time of the fire. either in Harris
wagon or in any other wRy. an application
should have been made. In advance to the
fire marshal In point of fact no such APP
plication was made nor was any such per-
Mission granted. Marshal Drew said that he
vas not even sure that there was any gas
oline there at the time.
Il had examined that wagon of Harris
some time ago" said Mr.. Drew. 1.-The tank
in which he carried The gasoline when it was
in use was not unlike one of these tanks
for holding soda water. and was quite ms
tight and strong. 1 don't see how it could
ever have exploded or leaked, and, looking
a. the fire from all sides and taking in,d
consideration all she particulars of 1t.
can't quite how the fire could have
originated in that way at ALL Assistant
CT ief Lowe was at the scene before III,
apparatus arrived, and even then the fir,
har no fha
stored. Yet there must have been an eX
p.csion of some sort. or else how could Har
ris have been burned so badly? / think
there may be some developments in the
matter within the next few days that may
throw more light on this Interesting ques
tiCn."