The morning call., 1894-10-16
THAT ARSON CASE.
1t Continues to Excite
Interest.
NEW DISCOVERY YESTERDAY.
Four of the Supports of the
Building Weakened.
NEW DISCOVERY YESTERDAY.
CHOPPED IN TWO WITH AN AK.
Fire Marshal TOWe and Detective
Handiey Keeping Up an Active
Investigation.

The more the elaborate design Cor burn
lug down the residence Of w. wilkins de
WlntoD, 1141 Dolores street, is studied, the
more establishment is created that the
artistic incendiary was so foolish as to
close all the doors and windows before
starting the fire in tie cellar.
LII any of the windows In the top Hat
and the cellar door had been left open the
draught wouid have caused the flames to
spread So rapidly that the building would
have been in ashes before many minutes.
Yesterday morning Fire Marshal Towe
and Detective Handey paid ant other visit
10 the building. They carefully examined
every room, but found nothing new. In
the cellar they were more fortunate. While
following the trail OF twisted newspapers
on the floor they had Ia remove quantity
of blocks of kindlng wood from the bot
tom of one of the studs that support the
building. To their amaZement they found
that the stud had been chopped apart with
an ak. They pursued their investigation
and discovered that altogether four studs
were in similar condition, each stud at
the chopped part having pile of kindling
wood built around il so that it could not be
seen.
The object In chopping these studs apart
was apparent to the experienced miud of
the Fire Marshal. 1t was in line with
the other carefully arranged and in
genious plans detailed in yesterdays CALL.
AS soon as the fire got any headway the
building, owing to The supports being
weakened by the severed studs. would col
lapse and the evidences OF arson would be
oblierated.
Whoever had a motive for destroying
the building by fire must have given the
matter considerable thought, and 1t must
have taken him day or TWO OF hard and
steady work to fix things in such clever
and elaborate style.
Several insurance men visited the build
ing yesterday and all expressed their won
der and admiration at the ingenuity dis
played by the fire bug. They all said it
beat the record. Among the Insurance
men were the two who have the risks on
the house and furniture. They said thew
could not imagine that De Winton would
be guilty of setting his house on fire, but
they were completely at a loss TO account
for a motive on the part of any other
person.
terday morning. He went out to the honse
and was seen by the Fire Marshal. He
still denies knowing anything whatever of
the lncendlarv traps in the building and
sticks % his former statement that he was
away from the mouse from O'Clock Satur-
day afternoon till he drove home in a hack
from the Baldwin Hotel at twenty minutes
past O'Clock Sunday morning. He says
his reputation has BEEN ruined by the pub
licity given 10 the matter.
1t was learned yesterday that De Win
ton is erecting q summer residence at
Santa Cruz. and he has been negotiating
for risk upon II.
The Fire Marshal and Detective Hand
ley were working on the case all yester-
day, but they are reticent as to what they
have discovered.
"We do not think it advisable" said the
Fire Marshal, 80 give publicity to what
we are doing. 1t Will all come out at the
proper time. You may rest assured that
we will Leave no stone uniurned to fix the
blame upon the guilty party. and when we
are in that position, whoever 1t is will be
promptly arrested and charged with ar
son."
The Fire Marshal has special watch
man AT The building and no one, except
the owner, is permitted to enter it unless
having his authority to do so.
The case is exciting considerable interest
in the Mission and the building has become
an object Of curiosity TO hundreds of
peopl- who are eager to get admission to
the cellar. Insurance me n are also taking
a keen interest IN the matter and are
watching for developments.
William Wilkins de Wiuton stated last
night that the house cost him $500 net,
was built bv days labor and no contractor
had the job. The furniture, library and
clothing was worth much more than $1,000
lie sail:
Il have been in San Francisco eighteen
years, and have conducted myself 10 bus-
| ness so that no man has had one word 10
! say against my character, either for indus
| try OF integrity. My associations have not
been limited to few, but have been with
many prominent business men. l can re-
| fer to all of these for subs:antiation of the
| fact that my character has never been oues-
toned before. What inducement | could
have to burn property worth very much
more than what IL was insured for, and at
the same time not being in debt nor in
want of money. and being in receipt OF a
continual salary. l cannot understand"