The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-11-15
3 CLEWS POINT
TO F|REBUG IN
HOTEL DEATHS
Chemical Stain on Clothes
Similar to Ingredient
Used in Other Cases.
TEST CHARRED BARREL
Coroner Hears Testimony
of GrayStone Tenants
and JanitorS.


spurred investigators as the posi-
bility grew that the fire which
killed eight persons in the Gray
stone Apartment Hotel Sunday was
planned by firebug and started by
human hands.
Story of Miss Rose Knust, living
in Apt. 231, that she saw q man in
his shirt sleeves running down the
alley in back of the apartment
shortly after she saw smoke; discoy-
cry of stains believed from a COM
buStible substance like that recently
used to start arson fires in southern
Indiana, on clothing in one of the
third floor apartments and discovery
that the fire started in barrel on
the elevator at the first floor, were
three developments.
Find Stains on Clothes
Although the man seen running
by Miss Knust might have been
from one of the other buildings
opening on the alley, there has been
no evidence found to support this
according to George E. Coogan,
Deputy State fire marshal.
Mrs. Gene Clarke, Apt. 321, di-
Tected Coogan'S attention to the
stains, greenish in color, on cloth
ing, towels and paper in her apart
rn ed To-
to those Of chemical, known as
''alcohol slack" which we're used to
start fires he investigated In south
ern Indiana, Coogan said.
A stained towel from Mrs. CIarke's
apartment has been given to State
Chemist Frank Koehne for anaIysfs.
Coogan investigated other parts Of
the building this afternoon for other
traces Of the highly combustible
chemical, which might have been
carried to the upper stories by the
smoke.
Started In Barrel
It has been established definitely,
Coogan said, that the fire started
in a twenty gallon barrel among
cans of rubbish on the elevator.
. Charred fragments of the barrel
were found late Monday by Fire
Captain Harry Gould and Investi-
gator Bernard Lynch of the fire de-
partment, who are working with
Coogan and city detectives.
State Chemist Koehne anaIyzed
the fragments, but found no traces
Of coal tai or petroleum combus-
tibles.
On receipt of an anonymous let
ter, Coroner G. H. Keever this after
noon sought for questioning the
janitor of another apartment which
the letter said had visited the
Graystone janitors Friday and
warned them that the rubbish
about the elevator shaft was dam
gerous.
Construction Tested
Coroner's Investigator Ed Schu-
bert also asked Police Chief Wor-
ley for two police carpenters, to
check testimony Of witnesses at the
coroner's investigation that inside
walls on the third floor wing were
made of wall board.
Building Commissioner w. A. Os-
bon might be recalled to state why
such inf1ammable' material was per-
mitted, if it was, it was said.
Manager There at HAS
Osbon testified this morning that
the Graystone was a third-class
building in good shape, but that its
construction would not be permitted
under the present building code. He
said if the elevator shaft had had
steel doors the fire would have been
confined to the shaft.
B. Eleanor Welding, building
manager, described her rounds be-
tween 1870 and AS p. m. and how
she found elevator doors on the
second and third floors locked. ALI
was in order when she left the
building for the night to visit with
friends, she said. The first fire
alarm was at 1901.
w. H. Torbett, building inspector,
said he inspected the building Oct.
5 and found it in order.
Miss Knust, other firemen and
building residents also testified.
In the meantime detectives ques-
toned Clarence Mead, 33, Negro, 915
N. Senate Ave, discharged as jani-
tor of the Graystone two weeks
ago.