The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-23
SOAKED WITH OIL
An Attempt TO Burn a Sailors
Lodging House.
MANY LIVES IN DANGER
The Alleged Ffreoug Arrested Kero-
and n Five-Gallon Can Running.

Police oHscer G.. A. Taor, Is snvsstiras-
INK what appears 20 have been aeliber-
ate attempt 10 bGra the Unian house. at
the corner 81 FIRST avenue south and
Weller street.
F'rstx Herberg a sailor. who IS said TO
Be employed Oh tho earksntine Griffith. 10
in the city 5aa. ard II Prosecuting At
torney HASTE decides that there Is q case
a complaint wil probably be issued today.
The Tnian house IS q tw0-story frame
building faclag on First avenue south.
Next close un 70 II. ls another wooden
building. In fact. the lieek extending from
Weller street norJh 80 Kiag street On TIE
east side Of First avenue south. Is flled
with wooden buildings that would hura
rapidly II a are once got well started
William Ehea8er is proprietor or the Union
house. and ne also conducts the saloon
which Il on the ground floor The house
has a good business. especially among
union sailovs.
Early sunday morning Mr.. Chead.r
heard some men. evidently somewhat pn-
der the influence % liquor. talking On the
sidewalk. One OF Thorn smashed in a win
dow 20 The saloon. Mr.. Cncadsr thinks
about his house and then mention the
word "scah." Now AIR. Cheader's honse 10
patronized by union men, 50 he could not
understand why anyone should talk Ike
that unless they had Erudge against him.
4 little while after this Mr.. Cheaaer
heard footsteps in the hall. which IL reach
ed by a fight Of stairs direct from First
avenue south. He wondered what was 60
Ing on. and his suspicious were mora
keenlv aroused when a little dog owned
by Mrs, cheader commenced to bark.
Roth Mr.. and Mrs. Chesder arose hastily
and rushed into tire hail. As they came
out man threw a bucket down the stairs
"a "a n
he could. The ball floor was partially COW
cred with coal oil. and while Mrs. Cheader
shut of the flow from five-galloa can OF
oil. her husband went down stairs 10 in-
ssrvxUw the intruder. The man stood near
the notion OF the stairs without any hat.
having lost that article in his hssty exit.
What made you tIy 10 burn me out~'
asked Mr.. Cheader. and then he hauled
on and struck the man. who moved to-
ward tho corner OF the street cheadsr
followed and hit him again, and this time
the man fell against fire plug. The man
managed to get Away from CSheafer. who
is lame. and was not picked ap until several
hours later by Officer Thorn. who had
heard the story from Cheader and had
gone out looking for the alleged hrebur.
The condition OF things in the house left
no doubt that an attempt was made TO
set the building on fire. The hall was sat-
urated with oil. which worked its way
through into a room on the south side
and also downward into the saloon below.
Rsgs were strewn around the han. and
over tho haiustrade was a sheet. The
bucket that the man threw down stairs
had been filed partially with coal oil. A
tool chest In the hsIl was also saturated.
Mr.. Cheader identified Herberg as the
man who was IN the house. and as Her
berg had lost ssis hat another link In the
chain is established.
When Herberg was arraiEned in the mu-
nicipal court yesterday afternoon on tho
charge OF intoxlcstion. City Attorney
Ragson askei that he be rernardei pend
ing an investigation by the prosecuting
attorney for another charge. When the
city attorney was asked what there was
behind the case he said that he aid not
know anything more than the records
showed. namely. drunk The matter
on being run down developed the story
given above.
The policemen who know OF che case are
considerably stirred M. az they believe .
few more minutes time at the Union
house would have resulted in another West
street hotel horror. The Union house
rooms are always occupied 80 there would
have been twenty Eve or thirty people at
least in danger.