The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-05
Penned in byFIames Several
Leap From the
Windows.
OTHERS DIE IN FLAMES
Still Others Sirangled to Death by the Smoke
That Rolls in Dense Volumes Through
the Blazing Hotel Lincoln in
Chicago
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the ASSOcldItQ IIeSS.t
Chicago, Dec 4-Fourteen persons
among the scores crowded into the Lin
coin hotel, at 176 Madison street. met
death shortly before 6 O'Clock this MORN
ing in a fire which will pass into local
history as one of the most horrible
Chicago ever has experienced.
Death came suddenly to few, but
with awful slowness to others who were
penned in the death trap and suffocated
or burned to death. Some died in their
rooms, some chanced all in jumping and
lost, while others were found in the
Railways where they had expired with
their fingers dug into the cracks of the
floor. All of the bodies were recovered
as the hotel was not DESTROYED.
The identified:
NJ. M. HANDY, Janesville. Wis.
EDWARD TONER. Milwaukee.
H. K. WOOD, Lebanon, Ind.
B. F. BOSWELL, Chicago.
SAMUEL L. YOCUM Davenport, Iowa.
]. c. YOCUM. Davenport, Iowa.
F. L. EWING. Marietta, Ohio.
A. B. COON. Marengo, Ill.
T. v. SLOCUM. Waconda. Ill.
WARD LOWE. Minneapolis.
C. P. COWEN. st. Louis.
Il. w. CAREY. Bucyrus, Ohio.
Two others, including one who died
on the way to the hospital, have not
been identified.
The victims were taken to Roolstons'
Morgue, and all day the place was filed
with anxious people interested in the
dead or seeking to assure themselves of
the safety of friends or relatives.
The building was fre-trap Of the worst
kind, according to experts. There were
but two exits, narrow stairway lead
ing down the four floors of the build
ing, and an uncompleted fire escape in
the rear.
The fire started on the second floor,
presumably from a lighted ciga: dropped
on the carpet. Guests occupying upper
rooms in the front art of the hostelry
aroused by the screams of a woman
were able to escape from the stairway
and about thirty people reached safety
by means of the fire escape. To add to
the horror, however, this gave way
while others were attempting 10 escape,
and three men were dashed to death on
the pavement of the alley below.
For the people still in the rear rooms
there was now no escape save by Jump
Ing The stairway was in flames and the
IRE escape gone. rror-stricken faces
appeared at the windows and cried franti-
eaily for help. Firemen cried back to
them to wait until nets or mattresses
could be brought, and those who did in
most cases escaped with slight injuries
But some, crazed with fright, jumped to
the pavement and were either killed or
hfrrt
fire, although comparatively small one,
was subdued, but it was some time be-
fore rescuers could penetrate the dense
bank of smoke which filled the place. 1t
was an awful scene which met their eyes
The dead or unconscious were lying
stretched on the floor, or, in some cases,
on their beds Some had attempted to
slip on garment, before making for
the street, but had been overcome, but
most of them were in their night clothes
stores and other hotels in the vicinity
We're filled with men and women who had
escaped with only their night gowns, An
investigation will be made. A fire wall
around the elevator and other precaution-
ary alterations had been needed some
time ago, but the matter had been neg
lected.
Of the people injured it was necessary
to take only three to the hospital. 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 re-
ported to the police.
In one instance, a fireman of ENGINE
Company No. saved woman from run
ming to the rear of the building to cer
tain death on the fourth floor, only to
be forced to drop her from the third
floor TO the roof of the building at 17S
Madison street. The woman held her
Mrs. ]. Sheppard and her son is named
Frederick She was then carried from
the roof of the building to the Brevort
House where a physician was summoned
1t was found that their injuries were
slight
E. G. Weber, the night clerk. was one
of the first persons to discover smoke
on the second floor. 1t is believed that
the fire began in this section of the build
ing. Weber refused to make any state
ment and after he had secured posses
sion of the hotel register he was taken
to the Central Station. where he is being
detained
F. A. Smith, proprietor of the hotel.
saws:
i am certainly not to blame for this
awful catastrophe. Three weeks ago the
agents of this building were notified to