The San Francisco call., 1909-02-22
SCHOOL HEAD IS
JAILED PENDING
INVESTIGATION
lncendiary Attempt to Burn
Shorthand College Leads to
Managers Arrest
Fremen Discover Remains of
Five Separate BIazes in
Different Rooms
Mysterious Attempt to Destroy
Building Results in Rigid
Police Inquiry

: AS the result OF an incendiary blaze
In the building occupied b. the Thirty
Day shorthand college at IS Third
street early yesterday afternoon. which
. was extinguished so promptly by the
IRE department that the remains of five
separate fires IN different rooms are
plainly visible. S. A Scott. manager of
night pending an investigation into
the affair Fire Marsnal Charles Towe
expressed the belief that deliberate
and well planned plot was formed to
fire the building. The only question
in his mind is as to the identity Of the
: incendiaries.
- Scott says he left two painters work
. ing in the rooms occupied by the col
lege more than an hour before the
blaze was discovered, and declares that
the whole affair is a mystery to him.
Detectives are at work on the case.
TIRE Is DISCOVERED
The ere was discovered burning on
the third floor. occupied exclusively by
the college. by Mrs. Samuel Lesser, who
lives on the second floor The woman
heard the sound of cracking flames
shortly after l O'Clock yesterday after
noon and rushed 10 the sidewalk. i'm
ploring the aid of . passerby. Z. Y.
clark o. the Hotel Alta who turned in
an alarm.
The hremen found fires burning in
four rooms on the third floor and in the
hallway. and discovered that the doors
To the rooms were locked. Turpentine
had been thrown about the rooms and
on the floors and furniture by using a
. large garden sprinkliag pot. and this
made the roaring flames harder to ex-
tirSuish. Even the typewriters, desks
and bedding. in the rooms we-e soaked
with turpcntine.
Fire Marshal Towe found the last
report OF the state fire commissioner
on Scotts desk in the Office. with one
page In the pamphlet-that relating to
The proper methods to pursue in the
collection Of insurance-turned down.
He has not yet discovered how great is
" the insurance on the college furnish
ings
Associated with Scott in the man
aEement OF the college is Miss C D.
Williams. its principal, who has not yet
been located by the police. Miss viii
liams occupied the building with Scott
but he declares that she has not lived
there during the last two nights.
MANY FIRES STARTED
Fires were lighted in the closets of
two Of the seven main rooms occupied
by the business school. and also in
washrOom. q bathroom and the hall.
They evidently had been lighted by
huge wax tapers, and standing in one
or the rooms was the garden sprinkling
pot. with quantity OF turpentine re-
naming in the bottom. In the office
the chairs were piled upon a couch as
though to form good bed for a fire,
and over the desk and in its drawers
turpentine was poured.
Mrs. Lesser said she heard some one
whistle from downstairs about 10 min
utes before she heard the crackle of
the fire, and that the whistle was fol-
lowed by the descent OF some one, evil
IDENTIFY man, judging by his heavy
footsteps. Scott declares that he left
the college before u o'clock, and left
two painters at work there. Daubs of
paint We're upon the floors of all the
rooms, and thick layer of turpentine
covered the paint.
While on the way to the fire hook
and ladder truck No. was overturned
while rounding the corner of Howard
and Third streets by careening against
the car tracks. The truck was righted
without injury TO any OF the fremen