The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-01-19
a Brave Fireman's Sacrifice in
Effort to save Woman.
IA FATAL HOTEL FIRE.
Many Leaped to Thsir Death. Eight
Persons Killed and a Numb.r In.
iured While Fleeing From the
West Hotel In City of
Minneapolis.
Minneapolis.

AT Minneapolis, Mimi, eight per.
sons dead Of %suffocation or OF injuries
sustained In leaplng from a fire
proof hotel building, a score Of per.
sons Injured and a building damaged
$25, 900 by fire, smoke and water in
an epitome Of the revised ravages
caused by q disaster which befell the
West hotel, Hennepin avenue and
Fifth street, Wednesday, throwing
seven huadrea guests and employees
into a panic.
The dead:
Fire Captain John Berwln, fell from
the fourth floor to the Fifth street
sidewalk while atten ptlng to save a
woman's life.
w. G. N,ckels, Minneapolis, suffo.
Gated in his room on sixth floor.
Thomas Summerville, Spring field,
Mass, salesman for Atkins 81 Co.,
SUI Gated in his room on sixth
floor.
j. e. Wolfe, Northwestern agent for
Sperry & Alexander company of NV
York, sulfocated in room.
Clinton B. Lamme, New York.
travelling man; SuGocated in his
room
j. b. Peisntger, New York, travel.
ing man, jumped from the seventh
story.
Mrs. M. &c. Hodges, Minneapolis.
jumped from seventh story,
VIM. Black, New York, s~uffocated
In room.
The IRE was confined to the eleva
tor shaft and the two top floors In one
corner of the building, but a dense
smoke %pervaded everywhere and the
wild excitement which followed the
first alarm hurried people into halls
and out on window lodges In q frantic
attempt to save themselves, The fire
started In a packing room on the first
floor near the elevator. The wood In
the elevator shaft caught fire and
burned like finder. a sheet Of fine
20 feet wide mounted the shaft to the
seventh story, carrying an immense
VOLUME Of smoke which frightened the
NHuestS out Of their senses and started
a pSDic. The smoke spread to most
all parts OF the hotel, causing many
persons to lose their way in the son.
:. fusion. Five persons we're found SUI.
located In their rooms after the fire
was out.
Capt. John Berwin of a hook AND
q window ON the seventh floor which
he had reached by means OF q scaling
ladder; stumbled onto the body Of
Mrs. Emeline Barlow, an aged womer
He strapped the unconscious form tt
his back and started down the ladder
when midway between the seventh
and sixth stories, the strap broke
Bending over to balance the body fol
a moment, he then leaned at the rlsl
OF his life, and threw the to.
ward a projecting ledge on the foo
below. Apparently being revived BY
the fresh air or by the shock, the ageC
woman grasped the projection ant
held on. Later she was rescued. But
In throwing the woman to safety
Capt. Berwin lost his balance and fell
to the pavement. He vas instantly
killt d.
j. e. Wolfe, so years old, travelling
representative for Sperry s. Alexan.
der, wholesale hard ware merchants OF
New York, mat q horrible death. He
was burned in bis room and the con
dillon Of the furniture indicated that
he had fought the flames until the
\ last. All the clothing had been TORI
from the bed and it was apparent that
the man had sought to smother the
flames which eventually consumed
him.
The excitement was SO intense that
j.. Is. Peisniger OF New York and Mrs
M. E. Hodges Of Minneapolis, who
were on window lodges near an alloy,
not being encouraged by the corwd In
Fifth street, leaped from the seventh
floor TO the pavement. Peisriger's
clothes caught fire and he tumbled,
burning, through the air. He struck
q railing near the Hennepin avenue
side OF the hotel and was cut In two.
There were many thrilling reLcues
the top floor.