The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-15
ONE MAN BURNED ID
 DEATH IN HOTEL
Famous Hostelry Is Destroyed
 By Fire In Topeka
MANY NARROW ESCAPES
One Man Who Is Very Seriously Hurt Is A. w. Smith. Once Candidate for Governor on the Re
 publican Ticket

that Isaac E. Lambert, the Emporis at torney and politician. might have escaped E from the fire that destroyed the Cope land hotel here early today was given up this afternoon when his headless body was found. It is believed that he was sarfocated while trying 10 make his way down a small ire-filled hall and was burned to death. When last seen ne stood at an upper window urging the l fremen to save him. Finally he dis- appeared into the interior. It is likely that all of the IA injured guests will re- cover. Representative A. W. smith IS the most seriously hurt. but his condition late today was favorable to his ultimate recovery,
 The lower house of the legislature to- day passed & resolution of sympathy Tor Representative Smith and adopted a res olution providing the appointment of committee to investigate the fire
 The Copeland hotel. famous stopping place for legislators and politicians and situated at Ninth and Kansas avenues, one block from the state capital. was de- stroyed by fire that started shortly after 4 clock this morniog. Every room was occupied the guests numbering about loo. among them many persons of prominence throughout the state The flames burned with such remarkable rapidity that most of the occupants were forced to make their escape by way of the ire escapes. Many jumped to save their lives and re- ceived more or less serious injuries.
 Isaac E. Lambert, a prominent poli- tician of Emporia, was burned to death and dozen persons were injured, sui fering broken limbs and bruises.
 The injured include:
 Mrs W. I. Morgan. wife of the editor Of the Hutchinson News, and formerly state printer. broken ankle.
 W. c. Murray, Kansas. life insurance agent, broken ankle and bruises.
 Bert Murdock. Eldorado. Kan. well known editor. slight.
 A. ". Smith. McPherson. former re- publican candidate for governor. ankle broken.
 An Old Building.
 The Copeland hotel was of brick con- struction. four stories in height. It was one of the oldest hostelries in the state.
 It had a roomy lobby and wide halls and was amply supplied with fire escapes The main stairway. however, was built around the elevator and the flames, shoot ing up the shaft soon shut of this means of escape. Every room was occupied by the guests, being made up princi pally of members of the legislature, their families and other prominent persons in the state here to attend the opening of the 16th biennial session. The fire started in the lower part of the building a few minutes after o'clock from some cause as yet unknown. The flames shot up quickly and before an alarm could be turned in were fast making their way up the wide corridors and filling the open spaces with smoke. When the fire appa- ratus arrived it was apparent that the structure was doomed A dozen guests appeared at the upper windows, prepared to jump when pressed too hard by the flames, while others made their way through the halls and down to the street through the dense smoke or clambered down the fire escapes. The fremen were unable to make any headway in 1kAting the flames and presently guests appeared at the windows on all sides. Fortunate ly the ground was covered with snow and this partially broke their falls. But few were able to save their personal be- longings. Within an hour after the fire started the hotel was a complete loss, only the walls remaining
 First to Learn of Fire.
 Henry Wills. the colored porter, was the first to learn of the fire. A moment later William Jenkins, the night watchman. and Wills began systematic trip through the house awakening the guests. Men, women and children scantily clad were soon crowding the upper halls. About half of the 150 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 firemen from the windows of the hotel, from tops of adjoining buildings to which they had jumped and from fire escape landings. But few of the guests had time to collect their personal belong ings and most of the guests got out of the building only in their night clothes The ground was covered with snow and the refugees tramped barefoot and scantily clad to the Y. M. c. A. building and
 
 cared for. There were many thrilling. escapes The only one of the injured guests, who condition is regarded as seri- ous, is A. W. Smith of McPherson, form CT department commander of the Grand Army of the Republic and once candi- date for governor on the republican ticket. Smith and H. A. Rowland also of McPherson, were sleeping in a room on the fourth floor, near the south side of the building. There was little chance for their receiving outside aid, so the two made a ladder of their bed clothes and suspended 1t from the window. Each in turn descended as far as possible on the rope ladder and dropped to the ground. Smith crashed into an areaway, striking railing. He sustained a broken ankle and internal injuries Rowland followed Smith down the ladder and also fell. He was picked up unconscious and both were taken to the hospital There it was found that Smiths condition was serious Rowland suffered three ribs broken. Webb McNall of Smith county, former state superintendent of insurance, like wise made sensational escape. McNall was sleeping in a room on the third floor in the front part of the building. In the room with him was suit case con- taining s55,0OO of Kansas municipal bonds, the property of a fraternal organization, and just purchased for it by a committee of which McNall was member. Waited for Rescuers. McNall waited patiently in the front window of his room while the 1remen and spectators below were making frantic ef- forts to get a ladder up to the window. The first ladder was too short. A fireman had in the meantime reached a fire es- | ~o,,1 1O feet from the window 1edge There