The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-04-17
THE ST. LOUIS FIRE.
The cOroner's Inquest into the
Southern Hotel Disaster
Commenced.

Commenced.
ST. LOUIS, April lG.-The Coroner,s
inquest into the Southern Hotel fire case
began to-day. The jury was sworn over
the body Of Kate Nolan, one Of tho ser.
wants in the house, which has been kept
in the cooling room Of the Morgue for
that purpose. They then repaired to
the grand jury room in the -Four Courts
building, and had long discussion on
the question whether their sessions
shonld be private or public. II was
finally decided 10 admit one reporter
from each paper in the city and the AS
sociated Press, one representative each
OF the Fire Department, the insurance
companies, Breslin, Darling &Co., pro-
prietors Of the hotel, and Robert Camp
bell, owner Of the property. The jury
then proceeded to business.
STATEMENT OF JOS. ruLIrsER.
The first witness was Joseph Pulitser,
a boarder in the house. Roomed on the
fifth floor; was awakened at half.past one
o'clock by the Hhrieks Of women; Jumped
up and rushed into the hall, which was
full of smoke; assisted some ladies to
the parlor floor; met George Darling,
one Of the proprictors, who was telling
the ladies on the parlor floor that there
was no danger, it was only smoke, and
that they could 60 back to their rooms.
Witness then returned to his room, fin.
ished dressing and left the house. So far
rs he knew no alarm was sounded in the
house; only heard the screams Of the
women; believed their cries saved hun
dreds OF lives; had been in many hotels,
but
NEVER SAW so MANY APPLIANCES
for prevention Of fire as in the Southern.
There were no engines on the ground
when he left his room at o'clock, but
they were arriving when he reached the |
street.
RUSSELL REPEATs HIS FORMER STATE.
MENT,
j. L. Russell, Chief Engineer, substan-
TALLY repeated his statement already tel.
egraphed: He slept on the fifth floor;
was aroused by smoke and screams OF |
the women; made his way to the engine
room as fast rs possible; found the fire in
the store room; efforts had been made to
subdue it by his fireman, Thomas Haley,
and other employees. The attempt to put
out the fire was continued after he arr
rived, but it gained on them 30 fast that
in eight minutes he and the others were
forced to leave the basement to
save their lives; threw water in the
store room with hose attached to the
pumps run by the engine; when he left
the basement he looked up and saw the
upper stories Of the hotel were burning;
there was no special watchman on the
basement floor but there was one on the
Office floor, whose duty it was to watch
the whole house. Capt. Warmers order
to the witness was to discharge any en-
ploye caught smoking in the basement.
1t was twenty minutes past one by his
watch when he reached the engine room;
stayed or 10 minutes; when he entered
the engine room the fire had gained such
headway that no number Of engines could
have put it out.
NO FIRE DEPARTMENT
in the world could have subdued it.
Thomas Haley, fireman; Walter MUIR
ply, coal carrier; Fred. Wagner, steam
pipe filter, and one or two other employees
testified to having assisted in the efforts
10 quench the fire in the store room, and
corroborated RusselPs testimony as to
the condition OF things.
Thomas Haley stated, in addition to
other testimony, that at 8 o'clock in the
evening he saw n man, pot washer in
the hotel, whose name he did not know,
go to the store room with burning pa.
per in his hand. He seemed 10 be search
ing for the keyhole in the door. Suppos.
ing he had right there, he did not inter-
fere with him..
Adjourned.
THE JURY.
The jury is composed OF six well.known
and substantial, citizens, to.wit: Gen.
John McNeill Qoreman), Sylvester II.
Latin, George Baine, Walter 9. Carr,
Charles W. Irwin and Jacob Tamm.
Coroner Auler conducted the examina-
ton OF witnesses, and both he and the
jurymen express their intention to go
to the bottom OF the matter and bring
out every fact possible regarding the orr
gin of the fire, its management by the
Fire Department, and the conduct OF the
proprietors Of the hotel.
NO MORE BODIES FOUND.
The search for dead bodies in the ruins
was continued to-day with unabated
vigor, but none were found. Considera.
bic more propcrty.of various descriptions
was discovered in badly damaged con-
dition, The safe OF the hotel was nearly
unearthed. 1t will no doubt be taken
out tomorrow.