Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-05

hotel register he was taken TO the central
station, where he is being detained.
Mrs. sheppard's son was one Of the first
TO be awakened He awoke HIS mother and
both began screaming. Many persons we're
thus warned Of the danger and made their
escape. The woman was so panic-stricken
that she was not among the FIRST to at
tempt TO escape and she was making her
way into the most dangerous part Of the
building when q fireman seized her and her
son and conducted them TO the floor below,
where he dropped them out Of a window.
]. E. Herbert OF salineville, o., jumped
from the fourth floor, where he had been
sleeping. He struck on the roof Of No. us
Madison street. near where Mrs. Sheppard
fell. His right leg was broken and he
suffered internal injuries. He was taken
to the county hospital.
w. J. Thomas, a mail clerk of Cedar
Rapids. jumped through a window on the
fourth floor and in his blind haste narrowly
escaped falling to the street. He man
aged to make his way to the fire escape
and climbed to the ground. Previous TO
Thomas escape twenty-five to thirty per-
sons had climbed down the fire escape to
the street. All were in their night cloth
ing.
Makes n ferllOut EAchpes
Allen oldorf Of Milwaukee made a peril
GUS descent from the fourth floor by seal
ing the wall by means Of the iron shutters.
Oldorf stated that he had seen at least
a dozen persons on the top floor, vainly
endeavoring to make their way from the
building by means of the front stairway.
Many Of the bodies were in the beds in
the position Of slumber. Others were
found in the Railways, lying face down
ward, in positions that mutely portrayed
how they had vainly endeavored to save
their lives. Some we're balf-clad and 9th
ers wore nothing but night clothing.
IN was by means Of articles and letters
in the pockets of what little clothing
some Of the dead persons wore that many
identihcations were made.
F.. A. Smith, proprietor of the hotel, said:
1 am certainly not to blame for this awful
catastrophe. Three weeks ago the agents
of this building were notified to place a
stairway In the. rear Of the building, and
also to build a fire wall around the freight
elevator In the rear. The contractors came
and looked the building over, but nothing
was done. Last night our seventy, rooms
were all filled and l should Judge hat we
had about 125 to 80 guests.
From what l can learn the fire started
in the rear of the building. on the second
floor. This probably accounts for the es-
cape of guests who occupied front rooms on
the upper floors. They had an opportunity
to reach the stairway before the flames
reached that part of the building, but the
occupants of the rear rooms were cut of
Most of our guests last night were per-
sons who came to Chicago to visit the
stock show and knew little of the building.
Ink Rats in q Cage.
Chief Musham of the fire department said
that it was the worst FIRE he had attended
during his career as, a fireman, and that so
dense was the smoke that 1t was impossible
to reach the imprisoned guests, who died
like rats in a cage.
THE Building said the chief, was one
Of the worst fire traps / have ever seen.
The floors in places had cracks in them
large enough to drop a penny through, and
the smoke just sifted through and suffocated
the inmates of the rooms before they had
time to make their way into the Railways
OF the people injured 1t was necessary
to take only three to the hospital. The
others, suffering from slight cuts and
bruises or from the inhalation OF smoke.
were cared for at neighboring drug stores
and departed without their names being
reported to the police.
A coroner's Jury was empaneled this aft
ernoon and after viewing the bodies Of the
victims went to the Inflated hotel, where
an examination was made OF the various
rooms. The Jurors were then dismissed tC
meet for the inquest on, December IL.
Al the conclusion OF the inspection the
coroner said:
The fire was undoubtedly caused by tn,
explosion OF an oil stove in the rear of tn,
third floor. The building Is carelessly con.
strupted, the fre-escape is worthless, tn,
nothing short of a CRIME that such a build
ing should have been used as a housinl
place for human beings.