Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-20
THIEVES AT A FIRE
Get Away With Thousands Of Dol
lars Worth of Valuables.
DIAMONDS AND JEWELRY STOLEN
From Rooms Of Hotel Guests Who Were
Fleeing From the Flames.
SENSATIONAL SCENES AT THE HosTELRY
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH.

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ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE pIsPArcH.l
LONG BRANCH, N. j. July 10-The 200
guests of the Atlantic Hotel, on Ocean ave-
nue., were startled from their slumbers at
800 o'clock this morning by the terrible
cry Of fire. The cry came from the north
wing of the house, and almost Immediately
flames burst out of the windows and from
the roof of the wing, while the rest Of the
house rapidly filled with smoke.
Shortly after the first cry another alarm
was sounded from the west wing. This
alarm was in a woman's voice, and her
shrill tones aroused the entire house. The
doors of rooms in the main building and the
wings were thrown open, and women and
children in all stages of undress dashed out
into the corridors, yelling, screaming and
waving their hands frant:cally in the air.
There was only little smoke in the main
building at this time, but the flames were
| rapidly consuming the north wing, which is
occupied by the servants, and the corridors,
along which the guests rooms are ranged,
were gradually becoming SO black that the
excited people could scarcely see three feet
away.
Cottagers Take Care OF the Guests.
There were but few men in the house.
The women were unmanageable and ran
wildly through the hall, some with children
in their arms and others dragging little
ones along behind them. Sympathetic COT
tagers took most of the guests in, but some
in their excitement dashed back into the
hotel, looking for jewelry and money lett
in their rooms
During all this time no alarm had been
sent out, and the fire was gaining headway
SO rapidly that it promised soon to consume
the entire building The first outsider to
discover the hotel was on fire was Samuel
Moses, the proprietor of the Shelburne
House, which is on Ocean avenue, nearly
mile away from the Atlantic. He at once
sounded an alarm. The first engine to reach
the scene was that of the West End Com
pany. They could do nothing with the
flames at first, but when reinforcements ar
rived the fire was soon gotten under con-
troll.
During this time, however, the most ter
rible scenes were being enacted within the
house Only half the guests had gotten out
in the first place, and most of these had re-
turned hoping to save some of their valu-
ables. When they got to their rooms, how
ever, they found them occupied BY men
who were helping themselves to everything
they could lay their hands on.
Disgraceful Scenes ut the Fire.
Women and children were knocked down
and assaulted when they protested against
the robberies. The thieves had everything
their own way, and it is estimated that
something like $40. 600 worth of diamonds
and other jewelry, as well as 81. 600 in
money, and dresses and other clothing, the
value of which cannot be estimated, were
stolen.
The robberies are all the more disgrace
full from the fact that most of the thieves
department of Long Branch, or toughs mas
querading as such. The Atlantic Hotel is
patronized mainly by wealthy New York |
Hebrews, and among the guests were Judge |
Goldfogle and his invalid mother. who is u |
years old and . victim OF paralysis Judge |
Goldfogle had quite an exciting time ct the |
fire. He not only carried his aged mother,
out but also saved three or four children |
who had become separated from their parents |
in the excitement To a DISPATCH re-
porter the Judge told the following story:
The Story OF the Proprietor.
II was among the first to awake when the
alarm was given. My first thought was for
my mother, who occupied an adjoining
room with her maid, a plucky girl, Lena
Biel. My mother Is old and invalid, but
other guests Of the house knew the place
was on fire. When returned to the hotel
the halls were full of half dressed women
and children rushing around like crazy peo-
pie. Some women had shoes in their hands,
others were dressed, but none seemed to
know what they were doing. I got q few
little children out on the lawn.
'The halls and rooms were filled with
strange men, paying no attention to the
women, but plundering the
rooms at great rate. I've heard of num-
Der of LOSSES, and they aggregate away up
In the thousands, but the losers don't care
% get their names in print One or two of
he guests were robbed of everything and
had to borrow wrappers from cottacers.
The fire itself did not do so much damage,
out thieves did plenty, and something
ought to be done Immediately"
The Baker Started the Fire.
The fire originated in the bake shop. The
baker got up at 2 O'Clock, and after build
ng his fires, settled down for nap. It is
hought that spark flew up the chimney,
odged on a beam, and set it afre
Moses Lustig, the proprietor, was one of
he maddest and at the same time saddest |
men in Long Branch when reporter saw
lin this afternoon. ''It is a shame, dis
race, " he said, "that such things as went
N at that fire should be allowed in a civil
lied community. ! saw the thieves 1t |
york, myself I saw five well-dressed men.
heir hands full Of money, drinking wine
rom bottles. Ny silverware protruded
rom their pockets I knocked one drunken
oafer down, and as he fell dozen spoons,
.nives and forks fell from his pockets. >,
The DISPATCH reporter made . canvass
as many Of the guests as he could find,
nd got the names of several of the heaviest
osers. Mrs Goldfogle lost about 81, 800 in
iamonds, money and clothing. Charles
ulzberger and his daughter, with Miss {
arab Sulzberger, lost between them about {
:, 200 worth Of diamonds and clothing.
Some More of tho Guests Losses. I
Mrs. DR.. Feldman lost about 81 900 worth
/ jewelrv, while her husband mourns the
,ss of beautiful peasgreen bathing suit, :
il which, he told the writer, he paid 81 30 '
esterday. The three Misses Schlesinger j
'st everything they had, jewelry, clothing s
nd money. They will be taken care of by q
,ttagers until assistance arrives from their
lends
There was an exciting scene on the lawn
hen Mrs Rosa Friedman ran out Of the
otel with her diamonds and money In one
and and dress In the other. A big losfer
,rang upon her right before the eyes of the
owd, and, before she could defend herself d
rested the money and jewelry from her Il
md. Three or tour men saw the deed and, ;
bringing upon the thief, made him give up | r
Is booty.
The owners loss on the building will be .
,out 900. Mr.. Lustig's loss amounts to :
'out ZOO. y
MARRIED TWO PIrTssuRa a1RLs. .