The Detroit times., 1911-05-17
BATES ST. BUILDING
IS WRECKED BY
EXPLOSION
Police Think Leaking Gas the Cause
But Company Says Supply Was
Shut off-six People Injured,
>0ne Seriously.
Police Lieut.. Walpole Falls Dead
From 0ver-Exertion After Rescu-
ing Tenants of Building.

The police investigation into the
the building at Nos l37-139 Bates-st.,
at Las o'clock Wednesday morning,
las developed considerable mystery.
Lieut.. OF Police Henry Walpole, one
OF the veteran officers OF the Central
precinct, sacrificed his life in effect
ing the rescue OF occupants OF the
burning structure. half-dozen per-
sons were injured, one seriously.
A terrific roar that rocked adjoin-
ing buildings aud shook police head
quarters building across the street,
brought swarm OF officers TO the
three-story building, where the explo-
sion occurred
The explosion took place in the
rooms occupied by the Fraternal Or
der OF Rangers, one OF the many so
cial drinking clubs that sprang UP fol-
lowing Police Commissioner CrouPs
rigid enforcement OF the Warner
Cramton liquor laws. These rooms
we're wrecked. all that remained OF
them being a chaotic mass of beer and
whisky bottles, plaster and lath.
On the ground floor Is the Modern
Print Shop, f. E. Munger, proprietor.
This place also Is in ruins. Mr.. Mum
ger says his loss will easily total s5,-
600. The saloon OF Herman Wayne
also Is badly damaged.
Lieut.. OF Detectives Eli Baker made
a complete investigation OF the explo-
sion and gave II as his opinion that 1t
was caused by gas. He bases his opin-
Ion mainly on the statement OF Jesse
Gore, who was just leaving the Rang
ers' club when the explosion took
place. Gore says he used a gas plate
upon which to heat water shortly be-
tore the explosion occurred.
James McManus, foreman OF the gas
company shops, says there could be
no gas in the place, because the pipes
were disconnected and the meter seal
ed up on May 13. Investigation is be-
ing conducted TO see II gas could not
have been procured through by-pipe,
OF which the company had no knowl-
edge. The place was lighted by cleo
tricity.
A strong odor Of gasoline could be
detected In the rooms OF the wrecked
building. and there Is strong belief
that the explosion came from that
cause
Jesse Gore, No 400 Monroe-ave.,
was leaving the place at 1:45 We'd
nesday morning About 20 minutes
before that, there had been a dozen
men In the place drinking. Gore
lighted a cigarette and threw the
burning match on the floor There
was a binding fash OF light and a
terrific roar.
Gore fell to the floor and crawled
on his hands and knees. He says he
remembers crawling TO the doorway
leading to the street below. He rolled
head over heels down the stairs and
then, he says, he remembers no more.
Citizens stopped him two blocks away.
He had started to run blindly down
Bates-st. An auto patrol took him to
ST. Mary's hospital He is bruised
and cut and both eyes are closed.
Archie Steele and Walter Becker,
members OF the Rangers club, were
lust going into the place. Steele had
already inserted his key into the lock.
The force blew the key ring of the
key. The index finger of Steele's
right hand was almost severed. Both
he and Becker were stunned and
bruised
Through the heroic efforts OF Lieut..
Walpole, the tenants on the third floor
of the building, got out in safety, al
though one OF the stairways leading
to the third floor was blown out.
Mrs. Herman Wayne, wife OF the
saloonkeeper at No. 1877 aBtes-st., who
Is In delicate health, became hysteri-
cal and attempted to leap from the
burning building. She was stopped
by the shouts OF those below. Both
OF Wayne's feet were cut by glass and
George Merrill roomer, was also
cut and bruised.
The occupants Of the place all came
Continued en- Page Ten.)