New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-07
SURE SPARKS STARTED 1T.
AN ARCHITECT SAW FIRE N AN UPPER
ROOM OF HOTEL.
he TELLS AT THE INQUEST HOW a MAN
WAS BURNED TO DEATH IN
PARK AVENUE ROOM THAT
HAD OPEN WINDOWS
HAD OPEN WINDOWS.

HAD OPEN WINDOWS
l. Edwards an architect, who guest q
the Park Avenue Hotel the night Of the FIRE. de-
clared in the inquest before Coroner Goldenkranz
yesterday that he sure FIRE was started in the
hotel by sparks from the armory.
When called the stand Mr.. Edwards told how
he and Martin Coyle went Room 595. the fifth
floor where they saw dense smoke coming from
the
we knocked At the door he continued. There
was no response We pushed the door open and
saw two men in there. They evidently trying
n dress. The fun Of smoke. woodwork
and hangings were burning. We told them 10 come
out but they slammed the door in our faces
IT told Coyle % break down the door, and he did
50 Coyle grappled with one Of the fellows. He
took him by the shoulder and pulled him out into
the corridor He told me that he took the man
down to the third floor. The other man could
not get out He lost his life. His body is now az
the MorCue, and his name Is Lee Connor-
SAYS SPARKS CAME THROUGH WINDOWS.
Now. II IS quite certain that these fellows had
their windows open. and that sparks had entered
the rom and ignited the hangings and furniture
That was surely where the fire started that caused
the loss Of human life. The fire in the elevator
shaft was a separate fire. I know Chief Croker
and know Chief Ross; they are both my friends
and very efficient hremen, but their theory about
this FIRE is all wrong. ! agree with the District
Attorney in his diagnosis Of the case The hre
was surely caused by the frebrands from the
burning arrnory."
Mr.. Edwards said he was sure that the pungent
smoke which stifed the patrons of the hotel and
prevented some from escaping. was from the
paints in the elevator shaft.
The first witness of the morning was George
Creenough. who was a guest at the hotel on the
night of the fire. Mr.. Greenough testified that he
occupied Room Dol. the fifth floor He said
that there no diagrams Of exits IN MS rooin'
and that he had seen no rope fire escapes.
Henry d. Turner a night clerk OF the hotel ties
hat he the fire the elevator
shaft.
o-when you saw the FIRE re-, in the the armory' what
did you DO? Al notified Mr. Reed; ,.,,7
No. sir: left all that to Mr.. Reed;
o-pid you tel guests VINO f a56eI them that they
would perfectly safe in COINS to their rooms ana
retiring.
DID NOT RING THE FIRE ALARMS.
A,r Sanford asked the witness if he rang the
FIRE alarms in the corridors of the upper floors
when he discovered the fire IN the elevator shaft.
Witness said he did not. for the simple reason that
there were connections between those alarms
and the Office the ground floor.
Martin Coyle a porter at the hotel. was then
called He testified that at the beginning of the
@ T SeG @ IF Fbee wa aed ANN nm DANGER that
he did know After the fire in the elevator
ana set the alarms ringing He and another porter
and Mr. Reed went for FIRE extinguishers. Witness
from Mr. SANFORD brought out that two of the
re TheY we're 9 BIND stars an and the DOORS iea s
ing to them were locked
Mrs Sarah s Sands a guest Of the hotel testi-
fed that. though her adjoined the elevator
shaft no one knocked at her door and warned her.
COVERS OF ELEVATOR SHAFTS.
Daniel Mahoney. an engineer Of the hotel. next
gave some testimony concerning the construction
OF the elevator shafts Some Of the shafts
uncovered One covered with old carpet
held in position with small marble slab The
marble slab and carpet were both placed in evil
dence- and Mr.. Sanford POINTED out that the slab
stained with smoke
Frederick a. Reed, the proprietor. testified the
afternoon session He said that the last hotel
building inspection made year ago last
January. He declared that there considerable
smoke in the OF the hotel before the discovery
81 the fire in the elevator shaft.
Rudolph p Miller, inspector. said that the
hotel compiled with the Law in regard TO exits.
The law did not require exterior fire escapes. The
Lullding was well proEided WIN exits