The herald., 1897-12-06
SET THE JAIL ON FIRE
AND MET HIS DEATH IN THE
FLAMES
Fred r. Haskin Of Sierra Madre Jailed
for Drunkenness at Monrovia.
His Last Sensation

MONROVIA. Dec. 5.-(Regular Cor
respondence.) By the accidental burn
ing of the Monrovia Jail, Fred r. Has
kin, proprietor of the Sierra Madre hotel,
met a most horrible death.
The circumstances are as follows:
Two young men coming home from Pas
adena Saturday evening about o'clock
saw a drunken man lying in buggy by
the roadside. The drunken man had
driven the horse between tree and the
fence, where the vehicle was made fast
The young men unhitched the horse and
were preparing to make the man more
comfortable when two other men came
along and advised them to take the
drunken man to Monrovia. None of
them knew who he was, but they
thought he should be cared for. Upon
arriving here the drunken man was
turned over to the marshal, who con-
sidered the best thing possible to do was
to lock him up in the small wooden Jail
or lookup. He was recognized by one
or two parties as Fred r. Haskin, pro-
prietor of the Sierra Madre hotel, a
young man who had gained considerable
notoriety of late by his drunken esca-
lpades.
At about 10 o'clock the Marshal went
to the lookup to see if Haskin was suf-
flciently sober to be taken home, but
he was not. He was searched, and the
marshal supposed he obtained all the
matches about his clothes, but 1t must
have been that some Of them were over
looked.
About 1 o'clock the next morning Mrs.
Densmore, who lives in the nearest
building, heard considerable noise, but
supposed some drunken men to be in
the neighborhood and for time paid no
attention, but after a while awoke her
husband, who upon going out ON the
back porch saw smoke issuing from the
lookup and at once gave the alarm
There was no fire from the outside. At
tempts were made to get the door open
but it was impossible until the fire had
been partially extinguished by water.
The cries had ceased before Densmore
reached the lookup. When the door was
opened and the fire put out the remains
of Haskin were found lying on the bunk
burned beyond recognition. His hands
had apparently been held in front Of his
face, as IL to protect himself from the
fire. He was undoubtedly suffocated by
the smoke before being burned.
Coroner Campbell was notified and
held an inquest this afternoon. the jury
rendering a verdict in accordance with
the facts as stated.
A number Of business cards and to-
bacco and cigarette paper were found in
a pocket of his coat, and 1t Is supposed
that the unfortunate man had attempted
to light a cigarette and set the building
on fire.
1t was a most unfortunate affair." but
no blame can be attached to the city
marshal nor to anyone else except the
unfortunate victim himself.
| Haskins' father and wife were noti-
fed soon after, but at late hour had
not visited the body. The elder Haskins
is proprietor Of tourist hotel at Sierra
Madre. He is about so years Of age and
suffers with palsy.
Haskins' story is that of a young man
who seemed determined to debauch
himself despite all efforts Of his highly
respected family to save him. He was
| 80 y ySeeA q "a oSC oAio OWuCo q part lllGI-
est in his fathers hotel. Last summer
he was arrested for adultery with a
chambermaid in the hotel, Ola Fischer
of Los Angeles. Haskins and the Fischer
woman spent three days together in the
Los Angeles house in Pasadena, regis
tering as Mr.. Mar and wife Of Los An
geles. They were arrested and Haskins
was tried for adultery, the jury failing
| to agree. After a second trial had been
set, but before the time had arrived for
the trial, Haskins, in company with
Murray, negro, and j. s. Vosburgh, a
| white man, and the Fischer woman,
participated in a debauch with whisky
and revolvers in the Sierra Madre ho-
| tel, for which the three men were after
| ward arrested. Murray and Vosburgh
were fined. Haskins was tried twice for
disturbing the peace in this case and
was finally let off with $40 fine. The
charge Of adultery against him was dis
missed.
Yesterday Hardy Fowler and Ar
chic Scott, both of Duarte, started
on their wheels for Los Angeles. When
near the school house here large dog
ran out after the boys. Hardy reached
out one foot to kick the brute away from
the wheel, and lost his balance He fell
upon his face on the hard ground and
bruised the skin quite severely. 1t was
several hours before he realized that he
had been injured, and cannot yet tell just
how the accident happened.
The Saturday afternoon club met with
Mrs. T. r. Crandall. Program: Shakes
peare, Mrs. Carpenter; Bacon, Mrs
Nae; Shakespeare or Bacon, Mrs
Wheeler.
r. N. Fisher was married to Miss Nelly
Kelly at San Diego Thursday. Miss
Kelly comes from the same state as Mr..
er-Michigan-and has bc IN visit
ing with friends in San Diego.
| Mrs. A. Z. Chess, of Cassopolis, Mich,
Is visiting with the family of her son, w.
| A. Chess, Of the First National bank.
She may remain here permanently.
Nathan Elliott returned last week
from a five weeks visit to San Jose, Paso
Robles, and the country thereabouts.
]. M. Livesay of Illinois is spending
the winter with the family of w. A. Rule,
of Duarte.
| The youngest son of w. H. Payne was
playing in the basement of a neighbor-
ing house when he fell and broke both
homes of one Of his arms.
The division Of the state was the SUBJ
ject under discussion at the debating