The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1918-01-02
Police and Naval Authorities Round
Up Suspicious Persons and
Arrest Suspects.
THREE PERISH IN FLAMES
Two Blocks in Heart of City De-
stroyed; Damages Estimated
Over S2,00O,0OO.

Norfolk, Jan. 1.-Ncarly two blocks
in the heart of Norfolk's business dis
trict, including the Monticello Hotel,
were destroyed, three men were killed
and scroe more injured in Il series
of explosions and fires today, which
both the police and naval authorities
believe here were inccndiary. The fire
had been checked tonight, but still
was burning fierccly in the ruins. The
loss is roughly estimated at more
than $2,0OO,O0O.
Three distinct explosions in as
many buildings, one after the fire
once vii tually had been brought under
control, led to the general belief that
enemy agents we've at work. Mayor
Mayo practically placed the city un-
der martial law by turning the situa-
ton over to naval officers, and some
$500 marines and bluejackcts from
nearby naval stations assisted the
police and home guards in maintain
ing order and preventing vandalism.
Suspects Rounded Up.
Naval patrols rounded up suspi-
cious persons throughout The after.
noon while five men were arrested as
suspects. Two of these, Hugo
Schmidt and H. K. Lessng, said to
be Germans, were turned over to De-
partmcnt Of Justice agents. Tonight
there were reports that two Germans
had been shot by sailors during the
day, but neither the police nor naval
authorities would confirm them. The
fire started before dawn in the old
CRANKY Theater, on CRANKY street,
and gained rapid headway, IS the fire.
men were handicapped by frozen fire
hydrants, low water pressure and
near zero temperature. 1t quickly
spread to the Monticello Hotel and
other nearby buildings in the block.
1t was brought under control late in
the day, but broke out anew early
tonight, lcaped across CRANKY street
and leveled half Of the block there
before being checked.
The Death Toll.
Failing floors and walls took toll
of firemen and naval guards. One
fireman, Charles Mccoy, was killed
and several others hurt in the COL
lapse of an opper floor Of the Monti-
cello Hotel in the day and tonight
two firemen and several sailors were
caught in a falling wall of the Lcnox
building. Thee were brought out
a h,,r hut ~, 81
in the debris.
FiTemen Of Norfolk, Portsmouth,
and Suffolk with organized sailor fire
brigades fought hcroically amid ice
and binding smoke and bluejackets
led the rescue work when the fighters
were trapped. Several of the firemcn
caught in the hotel were brought out
alive through the daring of score
of jack tars.
Number of Explosions.
Reports as to the number Of explo-
sions vary. 1t was first said that the
fire in the CRANKY Theater had follow
ed an explosion, but Fire Chief Nc
Loughlin and naval Investigators an
nounced tonight that this was not the
case. They said there were three
separate and distinct explosions. The
first was in cloak and hat shop near
the Monticello. The second was on
the sixth floor Of that hotel after the
first fire was practically under con-
troll and the third in the Lenox build
ing, which later was destroyed.
Guests from the Monticello, who