Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-03-22
WINDSOR HOTEL FIRE
SCENES AND INCIDENTS OF THE
MEMORABLE ALTON.
A Heroic Rescue-Denth Of Mrs. Kirk
Miss Paterson's BODY F0und-
Colonel Tom Ochiltree's
Valet Loses yaluables.

From the New York Papers.
One of the most pathetic incidents OF the
fire was n deathbed parting In Bellevue
hospital OF a devoted mother and a loving
and heroic daughter. The mother. Mrs.
Nancy a. Kirk. feeble with seventy-six
years, and an invalid. was literally carried
from the burning hotel by her daughter.
Mrs. c. G.. Haskin. who bore her burden
down the smoke charged staircases from
the fourth floor.
Leaving her mother to the care Of two
iremen who carried the aged woman to
the street. Mrs. Haskin ran back to her
apartments 10 save some ~valuables. She
nearly lost her life. for the flames had
spread rapidly, and it was with difficulty
that she managed to lind her way through
the halls back to the lower floor. She
reached the street. where she sank half
Ing scorched. and her arms badly burned.
She gasped. Where is mother? Thank
God. l got her out alive!"
The two firemen who had carried Mrs.
Kirk to a place OF shelter had called an
ambulance surgeon to attend to the aged
woman who. for years a sufferer from
Mrs. Kirk was being placed in the ambu-
lance when her negro nurse, Sarah, who
had attended her for years and was devoted
to her. dashed across the street. She, 100.
had had a narrow escape from the doomed
hotel.
That lady is my good mistress" scream
ed the girl. Then as the driver was about
to drive off she cried. I'm so to the hos
pital with her."
Without further ceremony she clamored
into the seat beside him.
begged.
The driver lashed his horse. The maid
chung to his AIM. Mrs. Haskin followed in
a cab. Her mother. still unconscious, wa
carried at once to a cot in ward u. Mrs.
Haskin. who was suffering intense pain
from the burns on her arms. would not con-
mother.
But all of the medical kill of the hos
pitai could not save Mrs. Kirk. who even
then was dying, although the surgeons did
not tell the daughter so. Hypodermic in
lections. in the hope that the aged woman's
heart might be stimulated. We're admins
tered. but the smoke and the excitement
had done their work.
a few, minutes before she died Mrs. Kirk
resained consciousness. Her daughter
knelt at the bedside and took the mother
kirks gaze rested on her daughters face.
DO you know me. mother? 1 am Mary.
we are safe. mother. You are getting good
care and you will soon be on your feet
again."
The mother passed away with the daueh-
ters arms around her.
Colonel Ochiltree's Loss.
Colonel tom Ochfltree had rooms ON
the ground floor of the hotel, At the frs,
alarm of fire Colonel Ochiltree's Swedish
valet. Petersen by name, helped his master
out of the window. This accomplished. he
mounted and leaped into the room to gath
er up the colonei's valuables. While thus
employed a policeman entered the room,
gave PETERSEN a jab with his club. and
showed him out of the window. Such, at
least, is the story told at the Waldorf last
night; Colonel 0chiltree lost all his cloth
ing. 1ewelry and several thousand dollars
worth OF art treasures.
Miss PafersOn'a death
DR.. Gregory Cole. a young ambulance
surgeon from Roosevelt hospital, had made
his way through the dense crowd. followed
by three trained nurses he had brought
with him from the hospital. Smoke and
lame were pouring out of the hotel VIM
Forty-seventh street side. when a piece Of
burning timber fell from an upper story
OF the building. 1t just grazed DIR. Coles
shoulder and dropped at his feet. The flame
brushed his hand, scorching 1t.
The doctor and nurses halted and then
stepped over closer to the building. AS
nurses. discovered a woman clad in a beau
tiful gown. lying on the pavement in the
areaway fifteen feet below the level Of the
was blazing near her head. Miss Paterson
called to DR.. Cole. The young surgeon
quickly climbed down the ladder into the
The young woman's body lay in a pool of
blood. A burning fragment of timber had
already ignited her costly gown. The doc
tor tampe the blaze out. There was no
pulse. Or. Cole placed his ear to her
breast. The heart beat had stopped. Death
had apparently been instantaneous:
and large diamonds glittered In her ears.
DR.. Cole lifted the limp form to his Shout
ders and then climbed up the ladder to the
street.
A few minute later the walls fell. and
the spot where the woman's body had been
found was buried under tons of brick.