The New York herald., 1872-12-22
THE FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL FIRE.
The Proceedings at the COr0ner's
Inquest Last Evening.
THE INVESTIGATION A SEARCHING ONE.
Further Adjournment Un-
til Monday.

Hotci. iu4urlOus room was provided by the
proprietors for the accommodation OF the spec
tators, and the Investigation was conducted
under more comfortable circumstances than
1t had previously been at the Coroners' ONCE
at the City Hail. large number OF witnesses
were examined, but. as the Coroner had previously
done. by his directions the more important ones
were hustled OF before they had sufficient time to
testify. Many important questions were squelched
in this way by the undue haste of the Coroner.
There was quite q large number OF persons
present last night and considerable interest
was evinced In the proceedings. One of the
female servants who was examined gave very in
teligent evidence, and her story had q favorable
erect for the hotel. Some Of the jurors were per-
sistent In their endeavors to find out the truth,
particularly General Spinola and Mr.. Gardiner.
The investigation has been further adjourned until
tomorrow night.
Frank Burke, Assistant Foreman Of Engine 16,
was the first witness examined. He detailed how
he got up the hose to the upper part OF the house
when he got to the top he turned the light on,
and saw two bodies in a room; | then saw
several more, lying near the window; did
then until the Chief Engineer came up; there
were remnants OF charred bedsteads in the
was the r nrst VINO
discovered the bodies there was little smoke;
two OF the bodies were under the bed
bodies sufficiently to be sure they were dead?
witness-oh my God! yes; they were cooled OF.
CHARLES w. GRIswoLD
was the next witness. He testified as follows IL
am one Of the proprietors OF the hotel; was in
ten minutes past eleven; I came out and ascer-
tanned that the fire was burning aercely on the
office down the grand staircase on nv
way down met Mr.. Evans, who belongs
r to the and told him 70 give the alarm to the
office told the clerks to keep cool and quiet;
then went up stairs again; encountered when
reached the fourth floor Mr.. Dermott, a servant,
TO GIVE THE ALARM;
to hurry on In the direction of the fire; in few
minutes after the 6remen arrived; / remained in
the house all the night; cannot positively say
how long it was after the fire broke out until the
With the house since 1885, 0een doSt eGoW
who caused the new screens to be put
uponlthe windows; they were on when first came;
1t never occurred to me that they would be danger
GUS in case of fire, as thought the means of es-
cape numerous enough.
Gen. Spinola-Had the man to whom you gave
the word to alarm the guests any opportunity to
reach the servants apartments?
Mr.. Griswold-Yes; we mad direct communities
ttOn with the apartments and could easily reach
them; my order was q general one; there was
door separating the mems atticS from the wOmens:
the instructions OF the night watchmen were gen.
era; In the event fire breaking out 1t is
their duty to alarm the ofice at once; there is
superintendent in charge OF the watchmen; have
no knowledge OF what force 1t would require TO
PUSH ONE OF THE SCREENS OFF;
did not that night visit the rooms in which the
bodies were found.
fOllOws:-I am connected with the HERALD was
In the hotel the night OF the fire; about six minutes
asked man connected with the hotel was there a
fire, and he said there was little fire in the laun-
dry; Il then EN- went n to the he telegraph otfice re.
there was dense smoke and l noticed three or
four OF the employees of the hotel running about in
neard screams in the direction or the girls attic;
again ask about the FIRE; went up to the desk
and inquired again; they told me that there was a
small fire in the laundry but there was no use in
! could learn. had given an alarm for
the Fire Department; the iremen did
eleven, and Judging from their usual promptness
in getting to fires after receiving an alarm, /
should think they had not been alarmed more than
the last time went up stairs noticed that efforts
were being made to extinguish the fire by the
house fremen.
James McDermott was the next witness called.
The following is his testimony:-Iam am head fireman
at the house; l was asleep in bed the night OF the
the alarm Of fire was given; occupy room 5s4; /
got up and put on my clothes and ran to the pump;
turned on the steam valve, as the
pump was not working; l put them
In good order and went up stairs again; met Mr..
Grswod on the stairs and he told me to knock at
all the doors and give the alarm did not go up to
the girls attic, as thought
THE YELLING
there was would have sufficiently alarmed them;
went out upon the roof and met Mr.. Darling; there
was q line OF hose upon the roof; Mr.. Darling
thought there was not sufficient pressure upon the
hose hos and sent me down to have more put on; after
the fire was out | went up to the girls room and
saw some OF the bodies; the bodies were rolled in
blankets and sheets and We're lowered down.
TO juror-l did not think it necessary to go up
to the girls attic; went up as far as the fifth
floor and knocked at as many doors as could; it
did not take me many minutes until had pot the
house apparatus to work; cannot exactly saw on on
what floor met Mr. Griswold there were q great
many people rushing about; they seemed scared;
impression that the orders received were TO
ALARM THE GUESTS, NOT THE SERVANTS;
It was after eleven O'Clock when woke up; when
It did not occur to that 1t was my duty to 20 to
the assistance OF the girls heard screaming;
Felix McGinty was the next witness sworn-i
am watchman at the hotel; am stationed down
sta near tn the M laundry the first heard q the
waiter waite told told me, and / ran to the laundry, and
asked she STmns %as evepg Gyt oas U Hs down
they said yes; thought there might be some one
inside, and took an axe.and broke down the door
separating the mems rooms from the wOmen's;
the door gave way after two or three blows; this
was about ten minutes alter heard OF the fire;
don't know how the door was secured; made an
opening sufficient to 60 in the smoke was very
dense and ! could not go far, as was
AFRAID TO DE sUFFOCATED;
the door was not entirely demolished; had been
told OF this door by the clerks and what was to
do IN case or fire; had other Instructions as to
my duty about other parts Of the house; for in.
stance, the wine cellar.
John Webb testifed-I am night clerk OF the
hotel; my instructions to the watchmen are that
they shall examine every place in the house and
see that the buckets are full OF water, and to do
this every time they make the round have spoken
to them about what considered the most danger
ous parts OF the house; they were also in.
structed to open the door leading to
the girls attic every time they passed 1t
and to see that there was fire, and in case
fire did occur, which would make 1t dangerous for
the girls to break the door down; l considered
that this was dangerous part OF the house in the
event OF fire; l was in bed the time OF the fire;
when awoke could not tell where the fire was;
asked o watcbman had the people been called,
and he said he did not knOw;I
TOLD HIM TO CALI. EVERY ONE,
and he started to do SO; don't know whethe er he
went to the girls attic or not; the Fifth Avenue
Hotel is Of the safest hotels for servants and
guests have ever been connected with.
General Spinola-As an hotel expert. do you