Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-01-14
MANY GUESTS were
HURT BY JUMPING
|. E. Lambert, Well Known Poll
tiCidn. Believed TO Have Been
Killed and Many Were In
jured In Escaping
Flames.

Topeka, Kan. Jan. 14.-The Cope
land hotel, Republican headquarters
in Kansas for thirty years, and the
center of things political in the state,
was burned to the ground early this
morning, the building being entirely
destroyed. l. Il. Lambert of Emporia,
one of the most prominent politicians
in the state, is missing and it is feared
that he was burned to death.
There were nearly 100 guests in the
hotel, but all the others escaped with
their lives, although several sustained
broken ankles and severe bruises as
the result of jumping from the win
, dows of upper foors ~ 3sie Ground.
The most seriously injured are:
Mrs. w. Y. Morgan. wife of the cd
itor of the Hutchinson News.
w. C. McNurry, life insurance
agent, Kansas City.
Bent Murdock, well known editor
Of Eldorado, Kan.
A. w. Smith, member of the legis-
lature from Mcpherson.
H. e. Rowland of Mcpherson, three
RIBS broken.
Mrs. b. l.. Thompson of Herring
ton, back injured.
Representative S. c. Wescott oi
Cherokee county, back and ankle
sprained.
H. c. Bone, member of state board
Of control, Topeka, back sprained.
G. w. Goodlander, Fort Scott, leg
hurt.
Paul Rich OF Coolidge, back, arm
and side injured
w. A. Elstun of Moline, sprains anC
bruises.
N. c. Bowman of Newton, ankle
and back sprained
Ex-senator G.. II. Lamb of Yate'
Center, internal injuries and severe
bruises.
Fire Chief Wilmarth, head cut.
j. w. Davis of Grecnsburg, over.
come by smoke.
The hotel was filled with politi
clans and m embers of the state legis
lature who are here attending thC
session of the state legislature. ThC
fire spread so quickly that very few
of the guests were able to save ever
their clothing and most of them rush
ed for safety i'm their night clothes.
The hotel was a four-story brick
structure and was plontifully sup
piled with fire escapes. The mair
stairway was built around the ele,
vator shaft, however, and the flame!
shot up this shaft, soon cutting Of
escape by the elevator and stairs
Within half an hour after the fire
started the building was a mass O.
ruins. The loss is about 500 900.
1t is believed that the fire started
from a defective electric light wire
| when discovered by an employe i
was already under good Roadway. Tn,
employees on duty Immediately alarm
ed as many guests as possible i'm reach
but few of them ESCAPED by way o
the stairs before the flames we
roaring up the elevator shaft and cut
ting Off the escape Of those on the up,
per floors.
The guests then began jumpins
| from windows 70 the pavement be
| low and most Of tn injured are
among those who sought escape II
| that way Many We're rescued b!
hremen with ladders and others wer,
| taken from the tops OF smaller build
| ngs adjoining. where they had jump
| cd from hotel windows. The grounC
was covered with snow and the ref
ugees trampcd. barefoot and scantill
clad, to the Y NJ. g. A. buildinl
nearby and to drug stores, where th'
| injured were cared for and clothinl
| was provided for those who had NJ
| time 10 dress when aroused by th'
alarm of fire.
A. w. Smith, the most seriously in
! jured is a former department com
| mander Of the G. A. r., and was a
Cne time candidate for governor OF
! the Republican ticket. Former Gov
| ernor G. w. Click was carried dowT
ladder fEom the third story and es
| capped unihjured. Bent Murdock, on,
of the pioneers Of the state. anC
famous as an editor, was slightly in
| jured.
It is believed that l. r. Lambert wal
the only one killed and 1t is though
that he was overcome by smoke in his