Evening star., 1896-03-02
MY YSTErRlOUS FIR e
Ilcendiary Blaze in House on O
9 Street.
1t Wa. SET Aafre in a Dozen Different
PLheks-No One in the
N n Place.

Fire at an early hour this morning COM
pletely wrecked the interior of house 1870
street northwest. and for time threat
ened to completely wipe out a row OF new
brick structures and an adjoining wood
yard. Interest is added to the fire by
the fact that 1t was of incendiary origin and
because of other peculiar circumstances.
The fire caused considerable excitement
among the residents of the locality.
The house was occupied and conducted
by Camille Dumas as resort Of i'll fame.
The structure, which is comparatively new.
was rented in September last by Camille
Dumas, whose real name Is said to be
Searles. and was handsomely furnished by
her. 500 worth OF furniture being placed
therein.
About haTf-past o'clock this morning
Foreman NJ. j. INLAND Of truck c heard
some one approaching the truck house,
l4th street and Ohio avenue. at run. ihe
foreman was in bed at the time, but he
was notified by one Of his hostlers that
there was fire on street.
The nan who notified the ffremen of the
existence of fire got away during the ex-
citeinent Of the moment before his name
could be learned or even whether he was
white OR colored. When Foreman inland
reached the house it was ablaze on the
first and second floors. and no one was in
side. Forcing an entrance through par
loI window, the foreman found a portion
OF the parlor and the dining room In
flames, as we'll as the center Of the stair
case. Upstairs things were more interest
Ing. In center room on the second floor
fire had been built directly beneath a
hedsteAd. and the interior was mass Of
flames. The contents of the other rooms
on this floor were also fast being eaten up
by fdmes 1t was significant fact that
In each Of the rooms the fire was distinct,
having no connection with the other rooms.
The same condition was also noticed
flames being confined
to the center of the case.
Evidently Incendfary.
By o'clock the fire was extinguished.
very little damage resulting from water.
Two cans of coal oil and two bottles of
the same fluid were founi, and in the rear
room on the second floor a large pastebOard
box had been soaked with cil Star re-
porter, who made an examination of the
house this morning. saw at glance that
the 1lre could not nave been the result OF
accident. The flames had been started in
at least a dozen places principally about
the portieres and other draperies, with the
exception OF The room on the second floor,
where fire had been built beneath the
bed. The damage estimated by the
owner Of the bull ling, and the representa-
tive of he Insurance company. the North
western National Of Milwaukee, approx
The greater portion of the furniture and
fixings is rendered utterly worthless al
though that on the third floor of the build
Ing was not damaged. except by smoke.
The house has been without inmates,
with the exception of the proprietress and
a colcred servant. for about two weeks,
and Tuesday last Miss Dumas left this
city for New York. She is expected to re-
riod mentioned the house has been in
charge Of the servant, Mary Brooks whose
home is at 81 H street southwest. This
girl was found by Star reporter this
mHrGtn0 Qho f0uivr Da1 To, h, fcya jtv-
norance of the cause Of the fire. 81: Ak
planned to the reporter that at the 'ec-
ton of Miss Dumas she mas remained at
the mousse all day and each evening until
II o'clock.
The Servants Story.
Il left the house as usual at 12 o'clock
last night" said the girl. land left dim
light burning in the hall gas jet, which was
.he only light in the house There has been
no nre In me house, not even in the kitchen
range, since last Saturday. 1 am the only
one who has been within since Miss Dumas
went away. l didn't know a thing about
the fire until just now
Mary Brooks added that stree opening
the house Miss Dumas has paid several
visits to New York, but never before left
her entirely alone with the house. She took
only one trunk with her on the present
trip.
There were very few articles of wearing
apparel and the like in the house. although
trunkful of property said to belong to the
proprietress was found in a woodshed in
the rear.
The furniture has been paid for only in
part, and, therefore. was the property of
the merchants from whom 1t was secured
However 1t is stated. the same was in
stirred by Miss Dumas, and those who know
her decry the proposition that she was con-
cerned in the firing Of the house. adding
that the woman at all times had plentiful
supply of money. with an unlimited source
to draw from, and there seemed to be no
plausible reason why she should desire to
destroy the house and its contents
No reason why other parties should set
hre to the property could be learned The
police this afternoon set out in search of
the servant. Mary Brooks, who seems to
have been the last one in the house, and she
ton. as 1t Is thought she knows more
! about the origin of the fire than she ad-
mitted this morning
Later in the day Mary Brooks was placed
Under arrest aud detained at the first pre-
cinct station. Policemen Williams, Kilmar-
tin and Sutton are investigating the mat
ter.