Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-03-26
NUMBER 81.
DEATH IN TBE FLAMES
Five Lives Lost in Chicago Ho.
tel Fire.
A Gallant Rescue and a WOman's
Marvellous Escape.

AZ dDOut elgnb p. NJ, the o6her day, flames
were discovered issuing from the I.anrham
hotel, Chicago, and in short time Che build
ing was mass Of fire. The flames originated
In one Of the lower rooms from a lamp, which
was accidentally overturned AT tile time
the restaurant. OF the house contained 100
guests at supper and as many more were In
the rooms Those in the restaurant had no
trouble in getting out, but several persons f1
upper rooms had a very narrow escape. Tha
fire spread with marvellous rapidity, and be-
fore second alarm was turned in, flames
were bursting through the roof.
Mrs. Belknap, an elderly lady, was killed
by jumping from the fourth story into an
alley. subsequently cry was raised That
the walls were falling, and that BullwinkIs's
fire insurance patrolmen were inside the
building. A portion of the south wall WINS
seen 70 totter and then it came down with
crash.
A search in the ruins revealed the dead
bodies Of John Walsh and Frederick Jones.
Of the fire patrol, and John Hennessev. Al
clerk in the hotel William Bean, another
hotel employe, was taken out alive, but died
in the hospital Captain James Shepherd
and james Boyd, OF the fire patrol, were S.
riously injured.
Soon after the walls fell the wreck took
fire and the fremen turned several streams
on the blazing mass to save their comrades
from being roasted to death, though at The
imminent risk Of drowning them. The water
was ice cold and drenched the poor, impris-
oned fellows, chilling them to the marrow.
Mr.. and Mrs E. Hoole, of Cincinnati had
most remarkable experience. Both are
cripples, Mrs. Hoole having been paraIvzed
some years ago, while her husband has lost
No1 1N 80 N~ww~O 1sn~.t-
along with crutches with some difficulty. but
she IS wholly without the power Of Iocomo-
ton They occupied room on the fourth
floor. Mr.. Hoole arrived from Cincinnati
recently and Mr.. G. d. Martindale,
cashier Of his Chicago house called
to have business talk with
him. The door leading from the room into
the hall was closed They gradually became
oppressed with sense of sutfocation Open-
ing the door, they found the hall filed with
smoke. Mrs Hoole uttered an exclamation
Of horror as she buried her face in her hands
and fell back upon the pillow as il she had
calculated her chances and lost all hope. mr..
Hoole was almost frenZied.
Save my wifel" he exclaimed, turning to
Martindale sand let me go. We cannot all
escape. Save her; for Gods sake, don
Come along, said Mr.. Martindale; t'III
save You both. Don't be frightened.
With this he lifted the invalid woman from
the bed with one arm, and seizing Mr. Hoole
with the other started for the elevator No
body responded to the call for the car. but IL
was almost opposite the floor and the door
stood open. Depositing his charges on the
seat, Mr.. Martindale seized the rope and
started the car toward the ground In rbe
haste and excitement he had not considered
that he was lowering the party into the midst
OF the flames. This soon became apparenE
from the intense heat. Tongues OF fire seemed
to be bursting up the sides Of the flue
Reversing the lever, Martindale drove the
car up to the third floor and sought to escaDe
there The door was closed and fastened IN
the outside. People above and below were
calling for the elevator. Some one on the
second floor had espied it as it went up and
had begged him to stop. The door stood
hard and firm, and no hand appeared
on the outside to turn tbe
latch. The flames were roaring
below and the elevator was as hotas an oven,
1t was a perilouS moment Calming thcsa
who were with him. MartiRdale threw him
self against the door with all his might from
the other side Of the car, and the panel was
broken. Only hole was made in it. and the
door would not slide He thrust his com
panions through and followed them. He then
seized them as before, and bidding them take
courage and be calm, made his way through
the sufocating smoke to the rear stairs The
way seemed clear, and without pausing Tor
breath he proceeded to descend. He was not
oeAOAS StAOusn ~ buo GuUlrb Duluens
but helds5he two firmly under his arms, drag
ging their legs after him. In this way they
descended the three flights OF stairs and es-
capped into the pure air.
The escape Of Mrs. J. A. Murray and her
child was SO marvellous as to be almost in
credible, The lady, with her husband and
child, occupied rooms on the fifth
floor. The husband was out Of the
city. Mrs. Murray was not aware of the
danger 70 herself and child until the halls
were filled with smoke. Awakening the
child, she ran with him to q window near
the fire escape. Bidding the infant to clasp
her tightly about the neck, she began the
descent. At each story there was an iron
grating, with hole in the centre too small To
admit of the passage through of herself and
child. She was therefore compelled four times
during the descent to seat the child upon the
grating, lower herself over the edge Of it to the
rounds to the escape below and reach up for
her boy. She reached the ground without
assistance, and when seen a quarter Of an
hour later she had wholly recovered from the
effects OF her terrible experience
The total loss, including the hotel, furniture
and guests possessions, and on the adjoining
buildings and contents is estimated at $780,
900; nearly covered by insurance.