New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-12-16
A PRETENDRR UNMARKED.
THE FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL FIRE.

CLOSE OF THE FIRE MARsHALs INVESTIGATION
BURIAL OF THE VICTIMS.
The inquiry relative to the fire in the Fifth
Avenue Hotel was closed on saturday Fire Marshal
Mcspedon. by his thorough investigation has greatly
cleared path OF Coroner Sehlrmer who Will hold an
INQUEST upon the bodies OF the IL victims Of the fire ON
Wednesday next The witnesses examined were J. W.
Evans receiver OF provisions for the hotel; James Nc
Dermott the headfreman sCharles W. Griswold one OF
the prODrietoTs; John Webb night-cerk, and Michael
Crukshanks Waterman the sixth hOor and the Fire
Marshal declared that, his opinion the fire originated
in room No sos between the second and third hOors and
was probably caused by the igntDg OF a match.
The testimony OF the first two witnesses was unlm-
portant Mr.. Griswold gave substantially the same
account OF the fire that he did TO TRIBUNE reporter
last MT Webb. the nightclerk, testified, In part
IA follows: ..
WAS aroused by Mrs Ellis who told me the house
hre; opened the door. and found the hall full
Of smoke ran at once TO the guest stairway on tne
thirdst. side and found could get down stairs
without difficulty; then back TO the sixth floor
and coupled the hose at the F1fthaye main; passed
hose 10 bear directly on the head of the stairway in the
attic; after getting this stream went back TO the
light ran M TO the private attic to see II the stop
cock all right there; found that all right; came
Z the T. then SAW saw ne f IRE To6t on IN th n
dinne-room building and they put stream directly In
al the attic windows the head OF the stairs; have
repeatedly instructed the watchmen in case OF re 0c-
curing that would be likely endanger the lives OF the
servants the attic, to break open The doors leading
their attic to the private attic; MeGlny one OF
the wstchmen seeing the danger ran up 20 ts Pvate
attic. and with an AK, broke open the door dividing IL
from the girls attic and let the girls out
Cruikshanks, the watchman testified, in part,
that gave the Office turned the water
for the hose remained at the stairway as long as was
safe and shouted to alarm the servants In the attic
Fire Marshal Mcspedon read all the testimony taken
during the investigation, and then rendered the follow
ing opinion;
After careful personal examination, and having eI
hsusted the testimony OF every available witness that
the Fifth Avenue Hotel the 10th inst and by which
eleven lives were lost, have arrived at tne'foowing
doubt that the originated Room No sos, occupied
servants hall between the second and third floors Of the
hotel 1.-TWO stories in the servants quarters were but one
500 by the bed standing the east side
OF the room and an elevator passing through the south
basement 10 the top floor Of the house. through rooms
similar to No sos Through some unfortunate accident
getting INTO bed the clothing OF the occupant of the
room took fire; the fire smOldered after
fell asleep. when the flames burst forth the draught
through the elevator carried both fire and smoke
heat became sufficiently intense to wake the sleeping
woman she awoke her face was badly burned hut
tected then all in flames; she ran from it,
leaving her door open into the corridor OF the main
hotel 10y this time fully Statistic that the dormlto-
S sSna and ssme carried througS the Elevator to
that pOnt opinion is that the sufferers were SUMO
from the hallway through the partition wall Into
their rooms beforehitl could reach their bodies which
would prObsby some Is minutes; the dOrmit0-
naturally led with smoke and fire fret, and as the
upper stories hed the flames and smoke were backed
down and then showed the stories below; this ac-
counts tire being discovered almost simultane'
Ously all the oors the OF the girls In the dor
mitOrics heard Immediately on the discovery OF
the fire below
he burial services Of eight Of the women burned TO
death the the Fifth Avenue Hotel Tuesday
night held In st. Francis Xavers Church. on Sat
urday The bodies taken early in the morning from
the TO the church. Broad bands OF black cloth
covered Of the church gallery and the altar and
chsnoe shrOuded In Grape. In the central aisle
were the light collins, each bearing upon It's I'D silver
crOss with the Of the dead within, fol-
lows:
Mary Conway, Mary Webb. Honora Ward, Margaret
ConDOr. Mary Mcdonnell, Kate Cushing Elizabeth Mo-
ran. Deiia Cummings.
Low mass was celebrated and the Rev. Father Isadore
Daubresse then briefly addressed the congregation.
Father Danbresse, walking slowly around the collins
sprinked holy water them and the rite OF absOiu
On ended with prayers for the OF the souls OF
the dead The bodies then taken from the church.
the funeral procession consisting Of the hearses and
carriages, hurried to Calvary Cemetery.
Several OF the Roman Catholic societies have offered 70
provide u suitable tombstone for each grave none OF
the bodies are claimed by relatives.