The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-14

and threw up ladders and | went up. L
encouraged the man though the smoke
was pouring from the window and just
as I was almost opposite to the window
the fiery furnace disappeared
and I knew that the floor had given
away. The man fell back in the flames
and his body was carried to the base
men and whoever he was, he is lost. l
did not know Mr.. Lambert and If had
would have been unable to have recog-
nized him in the mass of smoke and
flames which poured from the window
of his ROOM
Keith Explores Ruins.
Coroner H. H. Keith made as COM
plete an examination of the portion OF
the ruins of the Copeland hotel just be-
fore noon as the circumstances would
permit. The floors of the building have
fallen into the basement. 1t viii take
a number of days to remove the debris
and other bodies besides that of Mr..
Lambert may be found in the ruins.
II do not see how there is chance
that Mr.. Lambert could have escaped, =
said Coroner Keith. for the portion OF
the building in which his room was To-
Gated was a seethfng furnace within
few minutes after the fire started. I
would not be surprised if other bodies
are found in the ruins after they are
cleared away and the fremen are sure
that they saw at least one man burned
to death before their eyes.
Sutton Saw Lambert Go to Bed.
Charles E. Sutton, of Lawrence, tells
the following story of his escape from
/ the COPELAND hotel during the fire this
morning: "I retired about 1:20 and was
awakened little after by the scream
| ing and noise of the fire apparatus in
the alley. 1 was in room 345, which was
on the fourth floor and the third room
north of the southeast corner of the
building. This was two rooms removed
| from the fire escape. found the room
filled with smoke as soon as 1 awoke,
and when I opened the door l was al
dad heat.
| / went to the window finding no fire es-
| cape. Then I went back and put on
| nv pants and shoes and packed my
satchel l took another look for the eS-
| cape and failing to find one yelled to a
fireman below asking if they were going
| to run up any ladders. Some one an
swered, saying Try to get into the eno
room and come down the fire escape
| wet a towel and placed it over my
mouth and nose and made rush for
the end room or at least what sup
posed was the end room got into the
wrong place and had to try again. L
reached the fire escape. and put on my
oVercoat and then reached in through
| the window and brought out my satch-
ed. 1 reached the ground in safety and
as soon as 1 got dressed. looked for
other friends who were on the same
| floor I found A. w. Smith badly in
jured and assisted in removing him to
Keith's hospital"
| Mr. Sutton saw Mr.. I. E. Lambert re-
tire at the hotel last night. He left a
call for O'Clock this morning
| Sorrowfully, sorrowfully the State
| Journal must state that it has traced
every rumor that Mr.. Lambert had been
! seen since the fire. but all without hope.
| His bruised and burned remains, with
! out doubt, lie in the hotel basement Gov
| cred by the debris from the fallen roof
| and floors. The firemen are at work
late this afternoon draining the base
Iment and removing the charred tim
bers in an effort to find all that is left
on earth of the lovable man who so sad
| ly lost his life in today's disaster.
Mrs l. E. Lambert, heartbroken
and in tears, arrived from Emporia at
| 1880 this afternoon and was driven
| to the home of Mrs. Frank P. Mac
| Lennan 1919 Topeka avenue. accom-
panied by Mr.. Lambert's son, /. E.
| lambert jr who arrived this morn
/ ing from Lawrence where he is a uni
versity student Mrs. Lambert is the
. second wife of I. E. Lambert and the