The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-03-04

1
his son, Percy, who were fatally
burned in their bed. in Farrell's board
lnE house. on South Chapllne street,
early Tuesday morning, viii occur this
afternoon at . o'clock. Services will be
held at the ChaplIne street NJ, Il.
church, and the interment takes place
at Greenwood.
The intelligencer's theory regarding
the origin OF the fire. has proved to be
correct. The fire originated from the
lnVe,erAte habit OF smoking possessed
By the Hendersons. father and son, and
c2rclessness finally resulted In their
death. The wild statements OF both u
morning and evening paper Hnent in-
cendIarlsm, were ridIculed by all per-
sons converSRnt with the facts, but the
reporters, endeHvoring to get sensa-
tional scare heads" for their sheets,
fell an easy prey to the FIRE fend bait.
There was no evidence to justify the
publication OF such sensational articles.
The advocate OF the inceudlarism
theory. young Farrell, has been
wrought up to a high pitch OF excite
ment since the fire, and his excited Ut.
| teranceS were not seriously considered
| by Coroner SchultZe, OF Prosecuting
SAtkOlAlEb NlNANIt VI NllVilA AlG NIlAHAAAA'N
a criminal investigation He merely
imagined that the room was set on fire,
and refused to believe otherwise. He
found the reporters easy picking
and fllled them up with oil cans, full OF
oil, and full OF water. etc.
Origin Of the Fire.
As was stated In yesterdays Intclli-
Gencer. the true origin OF the fire could
DO charged to smoking. An Investiga-
ton yesterday further Corroborated
the statement. MIR. Frank Albinger,
who keeps a saloon at S3OS Jacob street,
and with whom Henderson first stop
ped when he came 20 Wheeling from
Baltimore, waS seen and gave the III
teIuEencer reporter some important In
formation concerning the Hendersons
James Brady, the third victim OF the
Are, was also interviewed. and he
stated that the fire was accidental.
II ts rather a delicate matter 10 re.
feet on the habits OF the HenderSons,
who met with such horrible fate; but
to get at the true facts OF the case, the
reader can form his own opinion OF
the origin OF the fire after reading the
statement OF Air. Frank AlbInger.
Henderson boarded with Albtnger,
and left him finally for being sharply
AlhlnGcr produced HIS account book,
and disclosed the dates when Eender.
son came to his house. and left said
Mr.. Albinger:
John Henderson came to Wheeling
from Baltimore on July l6, 1882, and
procuring board whit me, ate his first
meal in this city at my place He Sc
cured work az the Wheeling pottery
and stayed with me four months. at
the expiration OF which his wife and
boy came from Baltimore. The three
stayed with me for three days, and
then they went TO housekeeping. HIS
wife died in February, 1895. and then
Henderson and his son kept bach.
until May !. when they came to board
with me. staying until October 5, 1882
going from my place TO Mrs FarrelTs
Their Peculiar Habit.
During their say in my house. was
always afraid OF their setting fire to
the bed. Both the father and son. who
was then eleven years old. were ex-
ceSslVe smokers, and often have seen
the father lying sound asleep on the
bed with his hands clasped above ms
head. and n cigar In his fingers. Every
night, before closing up. l visited their
room to see II anything was wrong, Tor
feared Are would result from their
smoking, Sometimes both would be
aSleep on the bed, and I've picked their
pipes off the floor where they had rolled
from the bed. The father used over
500 matches in a week, and he always
had a chair beside his bed for tobacco
and matches"
In reply TO questions about Hender-
sons drinking, Mr.. AlbinGer said'
John Henderson drank on an aver
ave five glasses OF beer every day. He
never missed day and he made good
wages, so that he was always able 10
Get his drinks. He was as honest a
man us l ever knew. II has been told
me that his wife died from hard
drinking. But Henderson never got
drunk unless friends Joined him In his
| room, for on these occasions he would
| order beer by the bottle. His peculiar
habit OF smoking at all times always
puzzled me. When he came from
work at noon. he would order a glass
Cf beer. and while l poured out his
glass, he filled his pipe. He would
smoke and drink leisurely and often
we have had dinner delayed on his ac-
count. My mother often cenSured
Henderson and his son for smoking In
bed. and as he did not like to be dc
tated to. he left US just because we
were always alarmed while he was so
| CARELESS about smoking.
Brady COrrObOrates.
Mr.. AlbInger said he was positive in
his convictions that Henderson and his
son met death from their careless
habit OF smoking in bed. the thing he
mad 30 often cautioned them against
doing in his house. Mr.. Albinger's
/ views carry weight, as he knew Hen
dcrgou. probably, better than any
other man In Wheeling, But the state
ment OF James Brady Is enough TO do
away with the cock and bull'' story
Of a man pouring coal oil around the
he'd and then setting fire to 1t. Mr..
Brady occupied a bed a few feet
awav from the Hendersous in the same
room. RoomInR with them and part
sufferer in the fire, and first witness OF
II, what he says must be conclusive
evidence OF the fire being accidental.
SAYS Mr. Brady: "a
II went TO bed shortly after 10
o'clock Monday night, and John Hen
dcrsou was sitting in front OF the CRATE
! ...I.irr lilo toJl,pl TO me some while