Evening star., 1901-04-10
A HOTEL DESTROYED
Valuable Property at Seat Pleasant
Burned Last Night.
THE BUILDING Was UNOCCUPIED
Fire Supposed to Have Been
Started by Tramps.
WAS INSURED FOR $1,000

The hotel building at Seat Pleasant,
Prince Georges county, Md, about mile
beyond Chesapeake Junction was destroy
ed by fire between and o'clock last
night This morning there was nothing
left except a pile of ashes and the brick
foundation. Mrs. Fry. wife of James H.
Fry. a retired butter merchant of this city.
who is now living at Gunston. Va.,- owns
the property. An insurance of 5000. it is
stated. was carried on the building, which
cost $4,000 when 1T was constructed less
than ten years ago. The building was I'M
occupied. and there was nothing in it ex-
cept some bar fixtures, several tables and
a few other articles of furniture.
While the cause of the fire is not known,
it Is generally believed 1t was started by
tramps. Mr.. W. A. Lusby, who keeps the
Seat Pleasant store. several hundred yards
distant from the hotel property. was the
first one to see the blaze, he having about
five minutes before o'clock noticed
light in the building. The light was in the
kitchen, and knowing the place was not
occupied. Mr.. Lusby Investigated. He was
about to retire for the night but the
sight of the light in the vacant building
excited his curiosity. and he went out on
the porch In front of his house to make
more careful observation. About the time
light in the house seemed brighter, and in
a few seconds he smoke coming from
the cellar 1t was plain to him then that the
building was burning, and after informing
his wife of the fact, he went in the di-
rectiOn of the hotel. Thinking incendiaries
might have been at work and that they
would probably come In the direction of
his house to reach the railroad track (or
Central avenue}, Mr.. Lusby watched for
them. but they did not appear.
In the meantime Mr.. P. c. Thompson and
others who live to the south of the Fry
property came to the scene from their
homes. but none of them saw a stranger In
the neighborhood, There was a high wind
blowing at the time and sparks well as
burning pieces of wood were blown some
distance from the fire. Several times grass
at remote points from the house caught
fire. but each time the flames were extin-
guished befo-a they had time to spread.
Farmers Aroused.
At several farm houses the occupants
filled tubs. buckets and vessels of every de-
scription with water to use in the event OF
sparks setting fire to their houses. but for
tunately the use of the water did not be-
come necessary.
A few minutes after the fire started a
dozen or more residents of the neighbor-
hood. in an effort to save the property, gath
cred about the burning building. among
them Wallace Rollins, who was first to
reach there. He was on his way home from
the post Office and not far from the
hotel property when the fire started. Upon
discovering the flames he shouted Fire at
the top OF his voice and called for help. but
in a few minutes the flames had gained so
much headway that even a weil-eduipped
fire department with ample supply Of water
could hardly have extinguished them.
Destroyed Within an Hour.
The flames 1t is believed, started In the
cellar beneath the kitchen. The few people
who gathered about the building remained
there and watched the flames go from one
point to another until the last of the
twenty-one rooms was attacked. Plaster
fell from the ceilings from time to time.
and finally the chimney fell with a crash.
In Just about one hour from the time Mr..
Lusby discovered the fire the flames had
destroyed the entire structure. A small
outbui1ding that had been used as a corn
house was also destroyed.
Residents of the neighborhood who dis
cussed the affair were satisfied that in
cendiaries had been at work or that the
building had been accidentally fred by
tramps. 1t is stated that the cellar door
was left open, and in this way tramps
were able to gain access to the entire
house. and 1t was reported that one of the
young men OF the community had seen evil
denceS of a fire having been built In the
cellar few days ago.
Saturday night, it is stated. neghbors
saw lantern On the front porch of the
house. but this. It was conceded might
have belonged TO resident of the neigh
borhood. who had merely stopped there to
Test. So far as could lie ascertained none
OF the neghbors saw any tramps or
strange men about the vicinity of Seat
Pleasant yesterday or last night An in
vestigation is likely to be made by the
county officers.
The bright light of tire fire was plainly
visible from this city, and e. number of
people who saw the blaze started for the
scene. only to find 1t vas too far away to
be conveniently reached.
Mr pink
dent of Prince Georges county built the
hotel and sold II to Hr. Allison Wemper
Who subsequently disposed of 1t to Mrs
Sarah Drown of Connecticut. who kept a
summer boarding house there several sea-
sons.
Scene of AtrOciOus Crime.
1t was while she occupied the house four
years ago that the building was the scene
OF one of the most Atrocious crimes ever
committed in Prince Georges county.
Miss Marguerite Drown a niece of the
proprietress of the boarding house. was
murdered by James Smith. colored, who
was employed as a domestic In the house.
smith was arrested In this city at house
on East Capitol street. Because of the
feeling against him In Prince George q
county he was taken to the Baltimore Jail
Tor safe keeping. He was tried and was
hanged at Marlboro
Mrs. Drown subsequently, disuosed of tbe
property to Mrs. Fry who purchased Il
about three years ago A little more than
two years later the house was remodeled
and fitted up for hotel and road house.
and was conducted by Frank Mace He
surrendered possession of the property last
fall, and shortly afterward there was a
sheriffs sale of the crops on the place The
house has not been occupied since Mace
moved away. Mrs Fry was In the city
yesterday. returning to her home at Gum
stOn late in the afternoon.
Dynamiting of Fish to He stopped.
As result of fishing by means Of dyna-
mite In the vicinity of Old Proprietor
Lodge. of Grand Manap. n. B.. by both
Canadian and United States fishing yes-
sells. 1t has been deemed necessary by the
governor general of Canada. according to
note to the State Department from the
British embassy in this CITY, to take meas
ures necessary to prevent this Illegal