Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-31
Arson and Murder Attempted Early
This Morning.
NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH
Coal Oil Poured in an F Street
Building.
T III e ATCH LIED

There was a bold attempt at arson and
murder made this morning at No. 91O F
street northwest, and the police are now
looking for the criminal. Persons in the
building narrowly escaped being burned to
death or crushed to death by jumping
from the upper stories. The quick work
OF the police and firemen, 1t Is thought,
prevented a fatality. 1t was just five min
utes before o'clock when an alarm of fire
was sounded from box 131. and in a short
while several fire companies were in op-
Grafton.
The building in which the fire occurred Is
occupied as an office building and there
are also number of persons living there.
n room on the second floor is occupied by
John Saum. former clerk in the Interior
Department. while on the third floor Mr..
Minter p. Key. the real estate agent, and
his sister occupy rooms.
Mr. Saum was awakened by the smell
of smoke. and. thinking 1t came from the
room of one Of the other occupants. he
drew the bedding carelessly over his head
and waited for the smoke to clear away.
But instead of the smoke clearing away
there was the sound made by the fire eat
ing It's way through the door.
Door I'm Flames.
Uncovering his head Mr.. Saum was sur
prsed to see the door a solid mass of fire,
and his only avenue of escape had been
cut off. There were two windows in the
room. but to jump from them meant al
most certain death, and just what to do
he did not know. With chair he smash
ed the windows to let out the smoke, and
then he called loudly for assistance His
call was not in vain for assista ice reached
him. and the firs alarm was sounded.
While waiting for some one to come Mr..
Saum made rope OF his bedding and
suspended himself out the window. but
the rope was not long enough and there
he hung until policeman opened the
window under him and assisted him from
his perilous position
Others Cut on.
In the meantime. Mr.. Key and his sister
had been aroused. and they. too. had been
cut off from the lower floor by the flames,
which had eaten their way up the steps
to the third floor. He happened to have a
rope handy, and he constructed a fire es-
CAPE to be used as the last resort, but the
quick and effective work of the fremen
rendered this unnecessary. for the flames
were cleared away and the occupants or
thrd-floor rooms were able to get out.
Miss Key having to be carried out by the
firemen.
There was a strong odor Of coal Oil and
turpentine IN the house during the time
the fire was In progress, and this made
it apparent that 1T was the work or an
incendiary. When the flames had been ex-
tinguished ii was discovered that the coal
oil had been poured over the floors in the
hall from top to bottom, and near the
door of Mr. Saum's room had been a can
of turpentine. which the incendiary evil
IDENTIFY thought would explode or do dam
age.
OIL Used.
1t appeared that the oil had been poured
beneath the door into Mr.. Saum's room,
and lighted there by the incendiary. who
then left the building. Near the front door
the police found pair of rubbers, and
these were filled with coal Oil.
Soon after daybreak Mr.. Key started an
investigation. and is assisting the Dolce
in their efforts to aIprehend the guilty
party or parties. He was at headquarters
with Lieut.. Amiss and had conference
with Inspector Hollinberger about the mat
ter, explaining the whole affair. and tell
ing his ideas and suspicious.
The officers think they may find the
guilty party. The rubber shoes may play
an important part in the investigation.