He Thinks It Was Set Afire

A Bad Blaze at George Werner's House.

Says Colored Man Did It

Kicked Him off the Porch and Man Threatened to Get Even with Him.

The fire department was called out about 4 o'clock Sunday morning to put out a dangerous blaze at the house 528 Packard st and occupied by George Werner. The firemen did good work responding quickly and extinguishing the fire before it had gained too much headway to cause a total loss.

The origin of the fire, as told by Mr. Werner to an Argus reporter, is as follows: "Saturday night I was awakened three or four times by a colored man ringing my door bell. Each time I went to the door he would say that he wanted 'Jones.' I told him I knew no such man in the neighborhood, and ordered him away. About 3 o'clock Sunday morning he came again. This time I kicked him off the porch. "I'll get even with you, you — — — — , before morning,' he shouted at me.

"Then I returned to bed, and about 4 o'clock woke up, hearing the cracking sound of fire. I sleep in the bedroom in the back part of the house, and it was all ablaze. I did not have time to save my clothes, but ran to the front door hollering 'fire.' Mr. Butterfield turned in the alarm by telephone. This morning I found a strange oil can near the place where the fire started, and I think that the colored man whom I drove away set the house on fire. I would know him again if I saw him."

"Was there any fire in the stoves in the house?" inquired the reporter.

"No, my wife and child are away on a visit, and there has not been a fire in the stoves tor 24 hours. I blew out the lamp when I went to bed, and I am sure the house was set afire."

The loss to Mr. Werner's furniture by smoke and water is about $300, covered by an insurance of $700. The house belongs to a man in California, and was damaged $200.