Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-03-25
NEW Y0RE'S HOTEL Fire
Windsor Hotel Destroyed and Many
Lives Sacrificed.
KNOWN DEAD NUMBER EIGHTEEN.

But 1t Is believed There Are Bodies
Buried Beneath the Ruins, Where
Gangs of Mon Arc Now Mt Work.
Abncr NTcKlnley's Family Escapes.
New York. March 2O-The Windsor
hotel. at Forty-sevcnth street and Fifth
avenue. was totally destroyed by hre
on Friday afternoon last The hre was
discovered while the st. Patrlcks DAY
parade was passing. and the WINDOWS Oh
the hotel were crowded with people view
ing the parade. The fire was started, 1t
is said, by the carelesSneSS Of guest,
who lit cigarette and throw the match,
still blazing. into the folds of lace cur
tain. The discovery Of the fire, which
spread with frightful rapidity. caused
a terrible panic. and q number of women
jumped from fifth and sixth story win
dows. Most OF these were killed ct once
or died soon after. There were many
heroic rescues by the iiremcn. who were
cheered by the thousands who witneSsc
the confagration from beyond the hre
lines.
Evidence has been discovered that
while the patrons of the hotel were flee
ing in panic to places of safety, leaving
everything behind them. thieves entered
the building and looted apartments, re-
CARELESS Of the fact that women and
children were periShing for lack OF as
sistance. One man was arrested by de-
tectives as he was leaving the hotel with
a bundle of booty W. Il. Smith. Donald
MnckeyS valet. said three men entered
Mr.. Mackcy'S rooms while he was trying
to save what he could and helped them
selves to what they coulu lay their hands
on. 4. 4. Minis, who had visited the
hotel TO make Il call, SAW another man
on the third floor stufling valuableS into
His pockets 1t is probable that the per
sonal losses of patrons. many OF whom
made the hotel their home. ut low es-
innate will exceed 100000. The build
ing. which was owned by Eldridge t.
Gerry. was insured for $4,000.
Among the guests OF the hotel were
Abner Mckinley, his wife and daughter
Mabel and Miss Helen Mckinley, the
presidents sister. Mr. Mckinley was
at his office. and the ladies escaped with
out injury.
No body has been found since o'clock
yesterday morning. when the workmen
came across the remains of two charrcd
bodies in the ruins. The first body taken
out was from the Forty-SiXth side, the
second from the Fifth avenue side, close
by what had been the main entrance OF
the hotel There We're merely fragments
of both bodies. neither having head,
feet or arms. These fragments were
taken to the morgue where they were
tickcted as bodies lone" and two and
placed in the section especially set aside
for the fire victims. These two bring the
total number of bodies so far recovered
I'D to y. Besides these there are at
least six persons who were seen to Jump
from the roof and windows while the
hotel was burning. and Of whose bodies
no trace has yet been come upon.
a button found in the segment of the
body known as body No. ,. and sup
IS TO 81 years of age. was made in this
city. 1t is common cloth button, and
is used only by manufacturers OF ready
made clothing. This fact. and the fact
that the kid gloves are of poor quality
lead to the belief that the woman was
not guest. but an emploXe of the hotel.
From time to time articles of more or
less value were found and turned over
to the police. They included jewelry,
watches, clocks canes. articles of cloth
ing, letters, keys, photographs. field and
opera glasses, silverware and toilet
articles. y necklace was found on the
Forty-sixth street side, near where the
baths were 1t was set with diamonds
and opals. and estimated to be worth
about $4,000. A gold and diamond
bracelet valued at $500 was found near
by. According to the lists of missing
property prepared by the police both be.
longed to Mrs. James R. Stokes. who
is missing. One Of Thomas P. Ochil-
trees trunks was found, the contents
quite uninjured.
Several of the persons hitherto re-
ported as missing were found to be safe
yesterday. The present list Of missing
numbers A. This, however, takes into
account but few of the 200 servants Of
the house.