The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-01-17

Fire Destroys Beautiful
Residence Before
Daylight.

| The total destruction by fire of the
| residence Of George Robertson at Pu-
naheu yesterday morning between I'VE
and six o'clock, is believed to have been
the work of an incendiary, and sus-
picion rests upon Japanese now held
at the police station.
/ That the incendiary did not add hon-
icide TO the crime OF arson, is due only
TO one OF the inmates of the house hay-
| ing risen shortly after the fire began.
| calling the sleeping members of the
| family. who had just time to escape
| from the burning structure in their
| sleeping clothes. Two children were
partly suffocated by the smoke before
they rose from their beds.
| The beautiful home of the Robert
sons, known throughout the Islands as
| The Palms is now but a heap of
| Eva, occupied by Mr.. North of Brewer
& Co, was partially consumed by fire
and completely flooded with water.
| Shortly after FIVE O'Clock yesterday
| morning Mrs Robertson arose and
| glancing out of the window saw a Jap
anese yardboy who had been discharg-
! last -hOIQdSs waning 4dpAQiy HUM
| the rear of the house. She went at
once to the kitchen and at that moment
| flames burst through from underneath.
| The flames spread with much rapidly.
Mrs. Robertson screamed and ran to
| the front portion Of the house calling
| for her son-in-law. James Dougherty.
who with Mrs. Dougherty occupied
| apartments in the second story. Her
and the children upon awaking found
| smoke in their hrst-1oor room, which
they had been breathing.
Dougherty ran down stairs and to the
| back of the house. Underneath the
kitchen he saw piles of rubbish and
kerosene boxes which had evidently
| been placed there by the incendiary
| and these had started the blaze which
was now rushing through the frame
structure. He ran to the front just in
| time to catch the discharged Japanese,
| whose name is Nomua. He turned
| him over to neighbor, who. however.
let him escape in the excitement. The
fellow was later caught by Deputy
Sheriff Chillingworth and taken to Jail.
A still alarm was turned in and the
| Makiki department responded. The
only hydrant to which the hremen
could attach a hose was on Punahou
street near Dowsett's. The engine
sucked water from pond near an
artesian we'll. While this was being
done the Robertson house was a roar
ing mass of flames. The women folks
were frantic and Mr.. Dougherty after
vainly trying to save some of their
valuables, confined his attention to
calming his relatives and preventing
them running into the house. They
were compelled to stand idly by while
everything in the building went up in
smoke. A high wind made matters
worse carrying the flames with rush
through the dry building. The trees
across the street We're burned and
scared. Soon the North residence next
door was on fire and the department
put all its attention to quenching the
fire there. The Norths were assisted
in removing their valuables to the
Weldon barn, but the destruction in
this house was great.
The Robertson home was filled with
valuables and the Observation-Disclosures
son wedding presents, quite numerous
and valuable, were totally destroyed
There We're many things reminiscent of
the monarchy, highly priced for their
associations, if not for their intrinsic
value, which went in the common ruin. |
Those in the house at the time the |
fire began were Mrs. George Robertson, |
Mr. and Mrs. James Dougherty, Miss |
Robertson and another child.
The house was insured for $4,000 and |
the furniture for $1,000, distributed as
follows: Caledonian Insurance Com |
pany, z. Faxon Bishop, agent, $500; |
National Fire Insurance Co, c. Bolte, |
agent, s1,500; Imperial Insurance Co, |
Bruce Cartwright, agent, $500.
Mr. Robertson is at present on Ha- |
wall 4 wireless message acquainting !
him with his loss, was sent during the |
forenoon and it is expected that he will |
return to Honolulu at the very first |
opportunity. He had a fall recently |
on the big island and is yet quite lame. |
Mrs. Robertson was Frustrated over |
the deplorable event and DR.. Day was |
summoned to attend her.
Chief Thurston of the Fire Depart
ment states that the hydrant service |
does not extend beyond Punahou street. |
He said that a year ago he endeavored |
to have the artesian wells connected |
up with the hydrants but was unsuc- |
cessful He recommended some time
ago the extension of the fire hydrant !
service beyond the present limits.
The Japanese told the police that he |
had merely visited his friend, the cook, |
and the fire was merely a coincidence. |
Further than this he refused to say
anything.