The Winchester news. [volume] (Winchester, Ky.) 1908-19??, 1909-01-07
H. T.EALS DIED IN FIRE At COURT
VIEW HOTEL THURSDAY MORNING
Young Mans Body Found In RuiEsNas EmpOe Of Burnley Tobacco
Society lOss on Hotel Was $4,000 on Furniture $780,

The first confagra ton that has ev-
er occurred in this city that has
caused the loss of life, occurred
Thursday morning when the Court,
View Hotel was completely Destroy
ed by fire together with its contents
entaihng loss of $27, 900 and caus--
ing the death Of Mr.. H. T. Eals, Of
Cynthiana, an employee of the BurIey
Tobacco Society.
Various Reports.
Various reports are in circulation
/ regarding the death of Mr.. Eals.
Some of the occupants of the hotel
say that he was seen during the fire
to come out of his room and then go
back presumably to get his clothes,
when he was overcome by the smoke
and heat and persisted In the flames.
Others who are more familiar with
him say that he was a sound sleeper
and re Of the opinion that he never
awoke during the fire.
Body is Found.
Most Of his friends and the mem
bers of the fire department were en-
pertaining hopes that the young man
had gone somewhere else to spend
the night and that he would show up
later but while fighting the fire this
morning about $50, his body was
found In the ruins. His parents were
notified at Cynthiana and were grief
stricken over the tragic death of their
son and left at once for this city to
take charge of his remains, arriv-
ing here in the morning. Mr.. Eals
had only been In the employ of the
society here about two months. He
was a young man of sterling quail
ties and of disposition that won him
the friendship of all whom he came
In contact with.
He was between % and 81 years
of age He is survived by his father
and mother and two sisters and one
brother.
Mr.. Eals will be remembered by a
number Of Winchester people who
visited Olympian Springs last sam-
mer as he was clerk there at that
time.
The fire started on the ground floor
near the kitchen and the entire bot
tom floor was roaring mass of
flames before it vas discovered. The
flames spread SO rapidly that before
the occupants could be awakened, the
only stairway leading from the sec
ond and third stories Of the building
was ablaze cutting off the only exit
from the upper floors and the oceu-
pants had to jump from the windows
of their rooms to save their lives.
Sustained Fatal Injuries.
James Donahue, Jr., who occupies
one of the extreme rear rooms on
the third floor, jumped from his win
dow to the ground, sustaining what
may prove to be fatal injuries. He
was picked up unconscious and taken
into the police court room, and later
removed to the residence of Mr..
George Hart, where medical aid was
given him by DR.. Clark. An examin-
: alton showed that there was no bones
broken, but it is feared that he is
hurt internally.
Leave in Night Clothes.
The women occupants of the build
ing as well as the men had to leave
their rooms barefooted and in their
night clothes. None Of the boarders
at the hotel secured any of their per-
sonal effects or clothes whatever, on
ly what they had on. The GOODNESS
and presence of mind that was dis
played by the women occupants of
the hotel in making their escape was
something seldom seen at fire, All
of them had to jump from their rooms
In their night clothes and it is moth
ing less than a miracle how they es-
capped without serious injury.
Badly Sprained Ankle.
Miss Halle Veal, of Lexington,
who was visiting Miss Mary Huls,
sustained very badly sprained an
kle In making her escape. She jump
ed from the window of her room to
the veranda In front of the office and
climbed down one of the iron pill
lars of the veranda. Mrs. Burndun
and her daughter, Miss Jessie, were
both slightly injured in making their
escape. Miss Lucy Henry, of Yer
sailles, escaped without any injuries
whatever.
Nothing is Saved.
None of the household goods or
fixtures of the hotel were saved. The
loss on the building will be $4,000,
only partly covered by insurance.