Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-26
INCENDIARISM SUSPECTED
HOME OF ROBERT TAYLOR SERIOUS
LY DAMAGED BY FIRE.
Members of the Family Narrowly Es-
cape SufOcatiOn-The Blaze Dis
covered by Neighbour.

Inc home of Robert Taylor, colored, No.
1927 18th street northwest, was seriously
damaged by fire about 4:4O o'clock this
morning, and four members of Taylor 8
family narrowly escaped suffocation. An
investigation to the origin of the fire
was made and the police are of the opinion
that it the work of an incend1ary. NO
motive for the commission of the deed can
be assigned, the officers say, unless it was
to destroy the house, but they also say that
the perpetrator may have had the purpose
also of causing the death of the inmates
The fire started on the second floor in a
room that was occupied by Annie Barnes,
middle-aged colored woman. She was
not in the room having gone out before
the fire was discovered. and when Mr.. Tay-
lor was aroused he found that trunk and
other effects belonging to the woman men
toned had been thrown out of the window.
He believes this was done before the blaze
started. The windows of the woman's
room had been nailed down and the door
securely fastened. The police went in
search of Mrs. Barnes.
Mr.. Taylor thinks he heard Mrs. Barnes
leave the house about o'clock in the
morning. After her departure he discov-
cred that there was a lighted lamp in the
parlor. At first he was inclined to believe
it had been placed there by one of the chill
dren. Later he became convinced that it
was left by Mrs. Barnes when on her way
out of the house.
Mr.. Taylor and his wife were sleeping in
the middle room the first floor and four
children occupied the rear room the
second floor. There was only a narrow
paSSageway between their room and the
room in which the fire occurred. Had the
flames made there way through the door
into the paSSageway there would have been
considerable difficulty in getting the chill
dren out.
NeiGhbor Makes Discovery.
Mr.. L. E Brooks, who occupies the adj
joining house. discovered the blaze The
wall between the houses became hot and
he got out of bed to make an investigation.
He soon located the fire Mrs. Brooks
rushed downstairs with her husband, and
they together pounded on the door of Tay-
lors house and pulled the bell, at the same
time shouting fire" Mr.. and Mrs. Taylor
We're soon aroused. and realizing the dan
ger. they proceeded to rescue the children
before paying much attention to anything
else. This DONE Mr.. Taylor and his neigh
bCrS worked hard to eXtinguiSh the flames
1t was with considerable trouble that they
succeeded in breaking down the door to the
room mentioned, and the firemen after
ward had trouble in breaking out the WIN
dow sash. The flames had burned through
the floor and scorched the wall and ceiling
The hremen soon put out the fire. and the
policemen set about an investigation Of the
AFFAIR AS already stated, the trunk and
other effects of Mrs. Barnes were found on
the parking beneath the window. The mat
tress and pillow had been torn open and
the shucks and feathers appeared TO have
been piled on the floor and match APP
piled to them. The bed and number of
other articles in the room were destroyed.
Well Liked by Family
Mrs. Barnes had lived in the Taylor house
for two months. Her rent was due today
Yesterday he OF
day. She complained of being i'll. The
TaylOrs do not know where she was en-
ployed. During her residence in their house
the members of the Taylor family found
her a quiet woman, who seemed to be in
dustrious, and. she was so well liked by
them that they looked upon her as mem
Der of their family.
Arrest Ordered.
message was sent from police head
quarters TO the several police stations di-
recting the officers to arrest Annie Barnes
on charge of arson The woman is
known to some of her friends as Annie
Powers. Her age is given as thirty-fve
years She was last seen about 3 O'Clock
this morning walking south on Sth street
northwest near the corner of NJ street. At
that time she had a bundle of clothing I'M
der her arm