New-York tribune., 1902-02-10
FIRE TRAP GETS ELEVEN
EIGHT OTHERS DANGEROUSLY INJURED
WHILE ESCAPING FLAMES.

ST. Louis. Feb. 9-An early morning FIRE
which destroyed the Empire Hotel, large three
story lodging house. at Nos. 200 and 27O2
onve-st.. occupied by men exclusively caused
the death of eleven persons. ten men and one
woman, and the dangerous injury of eight
others. Others who had narrow escapes from
death in the fire were more or less injured by
being frost bitten. It is estimated that there
were between thirty-fve and forty persons in
the building last night, and it is believed all
nave been accounted for. 1t is thought that
$4,000 will cover the damage to building and
contents. which were totally destroyed.
THE DEAD.
M f %Rs s t the cut @ Tss. a F 5ms a
Chicago; burned a crisp
DAVIS Tobe. man about town; sunocated
e5 hD & e. father Of Of PePgy CITY % Ma5sa ,5l d sS
THOMPSON George. swItchman terminal yards;
HARRIS. Sarah, coored chan,bermaid; burned
"ooDLEY -ls B. F.. emplOye Hamilton Brown Shoe Com
M'MULLEN ]. A. carpenter. burned
oOhY: s. IT, teegrsph operator Merchants Terminal
MARLIN. Vance civa enginee, Indianapolis; burned,
ALIEN A j. sedalia. Mo, stone mason; burned
CANTRoUr' c F.; died at City Hospital from burns.
THE INJURED.
CLINE Harry meilcal student Marion III; hands badly
pany; hands burned, both legs broken, injured
ROBINSON Henry negro. night porter; badly burned.
iANE 5sS GsGrFe n medical student Rh H Mo ankle
SiI @ @hGEoN -. dental student; back sprained by jump
ing from second story window.
sprahed eF u@P6s o@ dse so5ond star
spned while eseapSr am Emp5s 5sdnF back badly
RYAN. Con; burned about face
About ten twelve others bruised
burned or suffering from exposure
few persons were abroad. and gained consider
able headwav before il was discovered. There
vas considerable delay in turning in an alarm.
and when the engines reached the scene the
whole front of the building In flames and
the interior was seething furnace. BX that
time all who escaped death had got out of the
building by jumping from the windows or climb
ing down ropes made of bedclothes. A few
escaped from the ground floor through the front
door. Some of the escapes were very narrow.
ALL SUFFER- FROM EXPOSURE.
Almost everybody who got out suffered some
injury or frostbitten. The guests barely
had time to get out when aroused the flames
had spread so rapidly. Some saved their cloth
ing. which they carried in their hands but
others were not so fortunate. losing everything.
After some delay nearby houses We're opened to
the unfortunates. and they were sheltered from
the biting cold weather. 1t Of the cold
est nights or the winter, and. the ground being
covered with ice and snow, every one suffered
from exposure. The sufferers were put in the
care of physicians.
After a short fight the firemen got the flames
under control, and. assisted by the police. made
a search OF the ruins. The first body found
that of John G. I.ueders who was killed by
jumping from the third story His head
crushed. The body of Lueders and those OF the
others found later taken to the morgue,
where friends and relatives identified them.
Sarah Harris found the first floor. The
bodies Of the other victims were found in their
rooms, where they had suffocated or burned.
J. J. Lally, who managed the house for his
brother-in-law. J. W. Gillian. had rooms on the
first floor. He said there were four rooms on
the first floor, nine the second and seven on
the third
ESCAPE QUICKLY CUT OFF.
II all the guests occupied their rooms. thirty
six persons. including the colored porter and
chambermaii. were in the building when IT
just how many persons in the house at the
time the fire broke out. Some of them were in
the habit of staying out late, and il is possible
that all were not there then. He was awakened
by hearing Con" Ryan, one of the roomers,
crying Fire.
and hurried into the hall, which ablaze,
and. without stopping to dress. rushed out
through the front door. Both stairways were
on fire, and he barely had time to get out. Lane,
Ryan and a man named Nicely escaped the
way. The only way for the OF hers to get
out alive was through the windows. the burning
stairways cutting off their escape that way.
Some jumped and sustained injuries more or
less serious. while others who took time to i'm
provise ropes from their bed clothing got down
safely.
III n ~