The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-22
HAS WEASIELL ENEMIES !?
Two Attemps Made to Burn
His Barn and All His
Milk Inspected.

Two attempts were made last nlgnt 10
burn down the stable and home OF John
Weastal, milk dealer of No. 1ol Month
cello avenue. Mr.. Weastelps store Is in
a frame building. three stories high. The
store is on the ground floor. On the floor
Immediately above it are the apartments
occupiedb Y Mr.. Weastell and his fam
lily. The top floor is rented to enants.
To the south of the building is a drive
way leading to the stable, which is set
back from Monticello avenue, about thirty
feet. A wagon shed partially covers the
driveway. 1t begins at the street line n
extends back to the stable. Back of the
house is a boiler room and the carriage
shed, the boiler room being located be-
tween the carriage shed and tn STAPLE
Entrance to both the boiler room and
the carriage shed is obtained either by
way of the driveway or through the store.
Mr.. Weastell was at the Wanser Club
rooms last night. He returned home at
midnight. Louis Stubenvoll accompanied
him to his door.
Before going to his room Mr.. Weastell
tok a look around the tab and the rear
of the house to see that everything wa
all right. He saw a light burning in the
carriage shed. He could not account Tor
it. Thinking that it might be held by
someone who was robbing the place he
called upstairs to Mrs. Weastell 10 bring
him a lighted lamp while he watched the
place. She gave him the lamp and he
went to investigate. In the rear OF the
carriage shed against the wall una near
the boiler room he found a pile of cotton
waste blazing. He called fire. ana fire.
men from No. Is engine house, the back
of which is directly in the rear of the
stable. came to his assistance ana quickly
put it out. 1t was found that the waste
was saturated with kerosene oil. Mrs.
Weastell in telling the story of what fol
lowed to a reporter for THE News
said
Il told my husband that the thing look
ed suspicious. 1t appeared as. if the
place had been deliberately fired. He said
he guessed it was merely an accident,
and that the waste came from the boiler
room. 7 insisted on informing the police.
He did not think II necessary, but l went
out and found PatrOlman Salmon and told
him what had occurred. He and Fireman
Walters, who put out the fire. thought
the circumstances suspicious and decided
to watch the place. Patrolman Salmon
watched the front of the building while
the fireman watched the back.
Just as we were going TO bed after the
fire, my husband called my attention to
the noise of someone lighting a match.
w did not pay much attention TO it, how
ever and went to bed. Later | heard sew
eral matches scratched down by the sta
BILE. Mr.. Weastell investigated and found
moro waste burning in the stable in the
stall of one of the horses. He put out the
fire. 1t had not done much damage, and
had not injured the horse. The firemen
old him to leave the charred waste where
it was until an Investigation had been
made. Up stairs. in the way loft, more
cotton waste was found but it had not
been ignited. If the fires had not been
discovered the stable and the house as
We'll as the extension over the carriage
in which n of the men lives, would
have been burned down.
One of the men about the place ex-'
planned that the door of the hay loft was
open. 1t is within a few inches of the
wagon shed.
He believes that the incendiary hid in
the stable, climbing through a window,
and that after firing the place he escaped
by the hay loft door or opening through
which the hay is received, and reached
the adjoining yard by way of the wagon
shed.
Mr.. Weasten has enemies. Yesterday
morning the State Dairy inspectors visited
his place and examined every can of
milk he had taking samples for analysis.
He believes that the visit was inspired
by his enemies. The police are Investigate
ing the fires.