The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-06-30
George Keber Suspect in
Blaze in Which John
Keber Died.
HAS SERVED REFORMATORY
TERM ON ARSON CHARGE
Heroic Attempts at Rescue
When Flames Razed Down.
Plum Paper Box Factory.

George Keber. 10 years old, who hnG
served time for arson, was arrested to-
day on suspicion of having set fire to
the Downturn Paper Box Board Cons
pany's plant at Blanchard street ana
the Morris canal, which was destroyed
by fire early today. causing a loss of
s125,o0o. according to the first estimafe
Of one Of the firm.
While Keber was being arraigned =
the Third Precinct Police Court he wao
told that the body Of his youneup
brother, John. Is years. sole victim e
the flames. had been found In tfo
charred ruins Of the building. Geores
Keber is being held for Investigation.
The Keber family lives at % Joseph
street.
While the fire was raging policemm
and firemen made every possible encoo
to md John Keber. as he was know
to be the only one OF alI the men en-
ployed In the building at night W.
was missing. His body was found u
day In the northeast corner Of ~
building, two feet from a rear door>
way. 1t was apparent that the lad han
almost gained the safety for which he
was lighting when he was overcome by
the smoke.
John Skontoski. 20 years old, who
said he lived in Bowery street, one of
the employees who escaped with his
comrades. was found this morntae
wandering about In the vicinity OF the
ruins In dazed condition. He had
been severely burned about the lands
and face and was taken to st. James's
Hospital It was found there that his
condition was not serious.
William Manning. IS years cid. of 1s1z
Lister avenue, companion of John
Keber. was also badly burned, but was
able to be in court this morning when
Captain Christie, of the Third Pre-
cinct, quizzed George Keber.
Foreman First ssw Flames.
The blaze. which completely destroyed
the plant. was discovered short.
iy before 1879 a. nj. today. when the
first alarm was turned in. When
the firemen arrived on the
scene the fire had spread to all
parts of the structure. and although
every effort was made to reach young
Keber 1t was not until $40 o'clock that
the firemen could venture safely in-
side the building.
The flames were first seen by wiu-
which Keber was employed Together
with number of workmen. Dowd was
working on the roof repairing a defect
in the water supply. Dowd left the
roof for a few moments and entered
the rail- to get his tobacco. While re-
attracted by a glare in the direction
of the office. and shouting a warning
cry to his companions he ran across
the street and turned in an alarm from
the box of the New Jersey Glue Com-
pany Engine Co. No. 1s was the first
to arrive on the scene and few MIN
utes later a third alarm brought ten
other engine companies and three
trucks to the building.
Dowd Goes Into Building.
That section of the structure facing
on Blanchard street was two stories in
height, the first story being constructs
ed OF brick and the second of wood
Although the building was 500 feet in
depth the flames were seen shooting
from the extreme western end. as well
as from that part containing the of
fees, and this leads to the belief that
the fire was of incendiary origin It
was seen from the first that the factory
was doomed to destruction, and all the
efforts of the firenen were directed
toward extinguishing the flames IN the
rear. where it was known that young
Keber lay.
A few moments after the fire had
started William Manning. an 1S-year-
old youth. who had been working with
Kebcr when the alarm was FIRST given.
staggered out of the rear door. near
the Central railroad tracks. and aftsr
he had partially recovered from the
smoke which had nearly suirocatel
him. hs shouted TO powd. the foremGn