The morning call., 1894-06-06
LIVES IN PERIL.
InCendiary Fires in a
Lodging=EfOuse.
THREE ATTEMPTS FOILED.
Rooms and Old LathS Soaked
With Coal Oil.
THREE ATTEMPTS FOILE
A BLIND LODGER'S DISCOVERY,
Richard Wilson, the Proprietor, and
His Sister Mary, Arrested and
Charged With Arson.

Richard Wilson, a teamster, and bis
sister Mary, have been arrested Oh the
grave charge Of arson. and there are cir
cumstances connected with the charge
which show that they were prepared to
sacrifice the lives of innocent children and
babes for the sake of filthy lucre.
The arson occurred in a cheap lodging
house, 541 Fourth street. The building is
a frame one of three stories. The first
story is occupied as stores. and the two
upper floors as a clearinghouse containing
tweuty-four rooms. The building is owned
by Thomas Knight, 154 Golden Gate ave-
nue.. Wilson is the proprietor of the iodg-
ing-hOuse and it is managed by his sister
About dozen families occupy the rooms,
and among them are several small Chill
dren and two infants.
At 12:23 yesterday morning au alarm
was rung in from box 6S. corner of Fourth
and Brannan streets, for a fire In the
clearinghouse. When the iremen arrived
they found a fire in the kitchen on the
second story, but it had not got much
Roadway and was quickly eXtinguished.
The firemen returned TO their respective
stations, but al / 10 O'Clock they were
again summoned by call from the same
box for q fire in the same house. This
time the fire had broken out in Wilson's
bedroom, on the second story. and had
cTept up 10 the third story, where 1t had
burst out. The alarm was given by ore
of the dodgers, blind man, who had gone
to a closet IN his room, on the third floor,
for some clothing, and had accidental lily
placed his hands on the wall. He found it
so hot that he suspected the house was on
fire and sounded the alarm.
The fire worked its way through the
walls TO the adjoining two-StOry frame
building, owned by II. p. Goecken and oc-
cupied as a stable. dwelling and fruit
store, but the flames were eXtinguished
befnre much damage was done 10 either OF
the buildings.
The dodgers were fran tic with fear when
the second alarm was given. They had all
been awakened from their slumbers by the
first alarm, and most of them had rushed
from their rooms into the street scantily
clad. After the fire was put out they re-
turned TO their rooms, and when the blind
mans voice was heard yelling fire" they
again made hasty exit The hremeD, as
they rushed up the stairs, were besieged
by mothers who implored them to save
their children, and soon the little ones
were carried out and placed in the care OF
their parents.
The odor of coal oil was so marked in
the kitchen and also in Wilson's bedroom
that Assistant Chief Dougherty telephOned
TO Fire Marshal lowe that he suspected
incendarism.
When the Fire Marshal arrived be i'm
mediately began an Investigation. The
parlOr was locked and Mary Wilson had
the key. He got it from her and on open
ing the door he saw enough to convince
him that deli berate attempts had been
made to burn down the house. Near the
CRATE had been piled q quantity of old
laths which had been saturated with coal
oil. The pile had been almost consumed
and the window curtains and a portion of
the carpet had also been burnt The car
pet was soaked with coal oil. The room
had been set on fire in several places and
the door locked by the incendiary. This
providentially shu. off all drsughts and
the fire smoldered and died out
There was an exceptionally strong Odor
of coal oil in Mary Wilson's bedroom, and
an apron which she had worn was found
hands Oh the apron. Her clothing also
smelsd strongly of The oil. In the cellar
was found large quantity of old laths
from which the pile in the parlor had been
taken.
The Fire Marshal Immediately went in
search Of Wilson and found him 10 another
sisters house a. 2l2 Ritch street about 4
o'clock yesterday morning. He placed
him under arrest and took him to the City
Prison, Mary was arrested about noon
yesterday, and both were booked on the
charge of arson. They both denied the
charge and could give no explanation of
who put the old latns in the parlor and
saturated the room with coal oil.
The furniture in the lodging-house is in
sured for S17J0. Mr.. lowe declares that 1t
is not worth more than 500, and the ap-
praiser yesterday after looking over the
place expressed the opinion that it was OF
worth $3.50 Is it was very scantily and
poorly furnished, but be will hand In his
detailed report to-day. The building was
damaged 10 the extent of ahnnt SQ5n