The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-04
He Is Outrun by Lee John,
a Chinese Incen-
diary.
Police and C items Jcin in the
Chase, but Without
Success.
The Chinese Set Fire 10 a Lodging
House Where he Lived, at
GIG Cay Stree.

1t is seldom that Chinese can be ac-
cused of incendisrism but Fire Marshal
Towe has on hand a case at present and
Yesterday he chased and nearly captured
the tirebug.
Friday night, shortly before 10 O'Clock,
there was still. alarm for fire in two
story frame building, 919 Clay street.
owned by the Luning estate, and occupied
by Urnin Husson as a lodging house.
Mrs. Husson was the first to discover the
fire. being awakened from her sleep by the
smoke. 1t was in room occupied by
John Lee, alias Lee John. alias Lee Law,
Chinese, and his wife. She told her hus-
band, and he succeeded in extinguishing
the flames.
A lot of empty boxes had been piled in
a corner of the room and saturated with
coal oil, and a gallon can of oil with the
top off had been placed on top Of the
boxes, which had been set on fire.
The case was reported to the Fire Mar
shall yesterday morning, and on going to
the house he learned that Lee had insured
the clothing and furniture in the room on
A pril for $500. The furniture belonged
to tn g landlord and last Tuesday Lee g
wife took away all the clothing, Lee tell
ing the landlady that his wife was goin g
away on a visit to the country. All that
was left was two hats and an empty
trunk.
Lee continued to sleep there, and as he
owed So for months rent, the landlady,
Friday evening, asked him for the money,
and he gave her 81 on account. As soon
as the family retired to bed, Lee, it is sup
posed. piled up the boxes, saturated them
with coal oil, set fire TO the pile and then
quietly slipped ont. He did not return to
the house.
The landlady was not insured and tn e
Fire Marshal estimates her loss at SIS and
the loss to the building at $50. If the fire
had not been discovered in time the prob
ability is that three grown-up persons
and baby who were asleep in the upper
story might have persisted, as the fl ames
from Lees room would have cut off the
only m cans Of escape by the stairs.
The Fire Marshal went to the insurance
company and arranged with them that il
Lee called to present his claim they were
to tell him to go to the house at l O'Clock.
to the house, where the Fire Marshal was
waiting for him.
The Fire Marshal questioned him and
be gave evasive answers. Finally he ran
downs tairs and the Fire Marshalstarted
after him. Lee bolted down Clay street,
hotly pursued by the Fire Marshal, and a
crowd quickly gathered and Joined in the
chase. Some one blew police whistle
and policemen came running from diff
ferent directions and also joined in the
chase.
When Lee reached the corner of Dupont
street he lodged into a doorway and ran
swiftly upstairs. The Fire Marshal and
police followed but although they
searched the building from top to bot
tom Lee could not be found. 1t was sup
posed he had got on to the roof through a
skylight and had disappeared into en-
other building.
Lee is well known in Chinatown, and
the police say it is only question of
time when he will be captured. He and
his wife claimed to belong to the Chine Sc
Methodist mission on Washington street,
and they worked that for all it was worth.
He was arrested about month ago for
selling lottery tickets. but the case was
dismissed.