Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-03-03

the room from where the sleeping people
were lying. The fact then remains that
some outside party started the flames. >
there are Unmistakable evidences Of kero-
senc OH having been
POURED on THE FLOOR
at the foot Of the Henderson's bed. A
considerable amount OF the fluid had been
poured on the floor as the wood was
strongly saturated with the oil. the fumes
Of which were strongly prevalent. \ Reg
lister reporter examined the room and
premises last night, and. although it was
nearly twenty-four hours after the fire
had occurred. the floor at the foot Of the
bed was greasy and smelled strongly Of
oil. Several pieces of wood were cut from
the floor at the foot Of the bed and sub
mitted TO experts who unhesitatingly
declared that the pieces Of wood had been
saturated with carbon oil What lends
additional FEASIBILITY to the theory that
the fire was started by an incendiary and
by the use OF oil. is because OF the fact
that Yesterday morning the oil can. which
had been left on the back porch. was
found TO be nearly dlied with water
and OIL The landlady OF the boarding
house states that the evening before she
had filled five lamps with the carbon
on, leaving the can about half full.
The fact Of finding the can filed with
water shows that the incendiary had
used some OF the oil and had thought Of
ALLAYING SUSPICION
10y replacing what oil he had taken with
water.
Mrs. Farrell was seen last night by
reporter ard asked for further details
concerning the fire. She said that neither
Henderson nor his son had gone out Of
the house ~ any time during the evening
previous 20 going TO bed. that they had
remained down stairs talking with the
family for short time after supper. and
early i'm the evening retired 10 their room
on the second floor. which is Immediately
at the top Of the stairway. Here they
spent the balance of the evening. and re-
tired about ten o'clock. Mrs. Farrell
stated that Henderson was in no degree
under the Influence OF liquor. nor had he
any TO his room. He was a man Of quiet
and
TEMPERATE HABITS.
and very mild hammered. She could not
imagine him having an enemy in town
nor could suggest no motive why any
person could have evil designs against
him. She also said that the door Of the
bed room and the rear door of the house
on the first floor had been left unlocked.
IL would have been an easy matter for
any person TO have crept into the house
and upstairs without being heard. No
person had been heard 10 come in the
house
Brady. the third victim. stated that he
had been reused from his sleep by the
flames searching his face. He leaped from
the bed and was almost overpOwered by
the smoke. He called out Fire and
ran out OF the bed room through a door
into an adjoining room. and from there
rushed down stairs and
GAVE THE ALARM.
lie supposed that Henderson had fol-
lowed but not hearing or seeing him.
Brady rushed back and pushed the door
open into the burning bed room He saw
Henderson. with his son clasped in his
arms. struggling towards the doorway OF
The adjoining room. Brady succeeded in
pulling both out OF further reach OF the
flames.
The fire department soon put out the
flames by the aid Of chemical fluid. As
stated before. the greatest damage was
done at and near the doorway entering
from the bed room into the hallway. The
door and door frame. the floor, and the
balustrade I'm the hall were burned almost
10 ciDders. II seemed rs II the incendiary
must have opened the door AZ the top OF
the stairway. poured the oil on the ioor
q the foot Of the bed.
APPLIED THE MATCH.
pulled the door 20 and fed
There was much comment and Conjec-
ture yesterday as TO who had performed
this tiendish deed. One person was sus-
| pected OF being guilty OF firing both this
house and the Weisgerber premises. but
I there was no evidence that would justify
the crime being laid at his door. Parties
ailege that an individual was seen prowl-
ing suspiciously about the Farrell resi-
dence after dark on the night Of the fire.
The idea was advanced last night that the
same person had been guilty Of causing
both this and the Weisgerber fires. as the
I methods seemed TO be about similar At
the Weisgerber residence. holes were
bored i'm the doors. through which the oil
had been poured by the incendiary. In
this case this was unnecessary. as the door
was always kept unlocked.
The county Coroner did not hold an in
quest yesterday, because. as he stated.
TWO physicians had been present with tha
victims for several hours before their
death and an inquest was unnecessary.
and would only entail unreasonable ex-
pe1se.
Or. ]. r. Maniey stated that he had tel
egraphed to Henderson's brother, at Bal
timore. and that the bodies
WOULD NOT BE BURIED
until his arrival. In the doctors opinion
the case was one Of the most lamentable
I'M an his experience.
Henderson was a man about A. years OF
age. He was an Engllshman by birth
but had resided in this country for
twenty-eight years. He worked IN the
pottery trade at Trenton. y j.. and moved
10 Wheeling with his wife and boy about
seven years ago His wife died about
three years ago and is buried at Green
wood cemetery. Henderson's only living
relative in this country is his brother at
Baltimore. He has been employed az mold
making at the La Belle pottery. His son
did not work with him. as stated. as he
Possessed a very delicate constitution.
Both bodies will be buried Thursday at
Greenwood.
-O-
TIM MURPHY.
Tim Murphy pleased a good crowd at
the Opera House last night Murphy