Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-01-15

Editor and Senator to Receive.
Several dramatic rescues were made dur
ing the progress Of the fire. ]. H. Stewart,
state senator from Sedgwick county, aided
by w. Y. Morgan editor of the Hutchinson
News, proved themselves to be heroes.
Senator Stewart had room on the fourth
floor of the hotel. When Senator Stewart
was awakened he ran into the hall and
found 1t full of smoke. He had hardly
opened the door when T. B. Murdock,
editor of the Eldorado Republican, ap-
peared. A few seconds later Mr.. and Mrs
w. Y. Morgan. whose room was opposite
Stewards room, appeared. All started
toward the fire escape, but they were cut
off by the flames in the hall.
Stewart rushed into a room and threw
open the window. Then he grabbed a mat
tress and threw It out There is two
story building on the south side of the
hotel and the mattress fell on the roof
of this building Then Senator Stewart held
T. B. Murdoch by the hands, something
like trapeze performers hold each other by
the hands and wrists in doing the leap
for life" stunt. Senator Stewart swung
Murdock out from the building and 10
one side and then let him drop to the mat
tress.
Mrs. Morgan and Mr.. Morgan were
dropped to the mattress in the same
way. Mrs. Morgan struck a timber on
the Roof and her leg was broken Then
| Senator Stewart jumped. All weer taken
from the roof by ladders
! e. b. Jewett, representative from Sedg-
wick county and formerly warden of the
state penitentiary. also helped several
| persons to escape and finally himself
resched the ground in safety. The
] i had
| Exit by way of the stairways had been
shut off, and Mr.. Jewett placed his wife
on thu fire escape and started her toward
the ground. Then he aided C. r. Matson
and Major A. NJ. Fuller and the latter's
wife and son down before descending
| himself.
List of Victims.
Dead
| I E LAMBERT, Emporia
The most seriously injured:
Mrs w 7. Morgan. wife of the editor
state printer, broken ankle.
W. G Murray. Kansas City. Kan, life
insurance agent broken ankle.
Thomas Benton Murdock, Eldorado.
"eli-k1own T Il,,i newspaper per editor slight
Partment commander Grand Army of the
Republic and once republican candidate
for governor. ankle broken.
II A. Rowland Mcpherson. three ribs
Mrs B. L. Thompson. Harrington. back
Representative s. c. westcott Cherokee
county. back and ankle wrenched.
H. G. Bone, State Board of Control,
@. w. Goodlander Fort Scott leg hurt
Paul Rich. Coolidge, back side and arm
W. A. Elstun. Moline. sprains and
H. c Bowman. Newton. ankle and back
Ex-senator G. H. Lamb, Yates Center
internal injuries and severely bruised.
]. W. Davis, Greensburg, overcome by
smoke
The loss is estimated at $4,000.
Flames Cut on stairway.
The Copeland hotel was of brick con-
struction four stories in height. 1t was
situated at the corner of Ninth and Kansas
avenues one block from the state capitol
and was one of the Oldest hotels in Kansas.
1t had roomy lobby and wide Railways.
and was plentifully supplied with fire
escapes. The main stairway, however, was
| built around the elevator, and the flames
shooting up. the shaft soon shut off this
means of escape. The fire started shortly
after o'clock in or near the kitchen, ap-
parently from escaping gas.
The flames had gained great headway
when discovered and when the fire appa-
ratus first arrived the rear stairway had
been cut off as a means of escape. Henry
Wills, the colored porter. was the first
, to learn of the fire. A moment later
William Jenkins, the night watchman, and
r Wills began a systematic trip through the
house. waking the guests. Men, women
and children scanty clad. were soon
crowding the upper halls. About half OF
/ the $50 guests managed TO get to the lower
floor and out through the front and side
doors before the stairway was cut off
Half a dozen were forced to jump from
! windows. while the others were rescued
by fiTemen from the windows of the hotel
! from tops Of adjoining buildings TO which
3 they had jumped. and from fire escape
/ laadings. But few of the guests had time
80 collect their personal belongings and
most of the guests got out of the building
Gnly in their night clothes. The grounC
I was covered with snow and the refugee.
9 tgamped bare-footed and scantily clad tc
the Young Mems Christian association
y building and nearby drug stores, wher,
: the injured were cared for
Within an hour after the fire started tn,
hotel was mass Of ruins. only The wall!
remaining.
Q Thrilling Eseape of smith.
There were many thrilling escapes Tn,
only one OF the guests whose condition Il
regarded as serious is A. w. Smith OF Nc
u PheTson, former department commands
Of the Grand Army Of the Republic 70
:, Kansas and once a candidate for governo
= on the republican ticket Smith and H. A
. Rowland. alss OF Mcpherson. were sleeping
!. in a room on the fourth floor, near tn
south side OF the building. There was littl
n chance for their receiving outside aid, s.
d the two made ladder Of their bed clothing
s and suspended It from the window. Eacl
d IN turn descended as far as possible OF
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