The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-21
PRAISE AND BLAME.
Continued irons Page one.)


his window. Mr.. Lambert, he was GER
tain, could have escaped on rope had
he been provided with one. Mr. Stahl
was a spectator of the fire at all its
different stages. He stated that he
had never seen the water reach above
the third story. He was worked up
at the time over the sIowness in
handling the aerial ladder and he
thought that Mr. Lambert could have
been rescued, eff the fremen in charge
had made little exertion.''
w. w. Webb's Story.
W. W. Webb, another of the Cope
lands regular roomers who was on
the witness stand. said he was awak-
ened by. the. smoke and then helped
spread the alarm. He also told of the
colored employees of the hotel spread
ing the alarm to various parts of the
building. Working under the orders
of Chief Wilmarth, Mr.. Webb told of
running the spectators out OF the lob
by of the hotel. Then he helped run
the aerial ladder up to Mr.. Lambert's
room, which he thought took three or
four minutes. Mr.. Webb described
the water pressure during the fire.
For twenty minutes after the steamer
had been connected Mr. Webb
thought the pressure remained fairly
strong. But for quite awhile follow
ing, there was very low pressure
and the water could scarcely be forced
above the second floor. He told of
the firemen complaining to him about
the low pressure. Mr.. Webb declared
that in his best Judgment the fire
from spreading, had the pressure been
better.
Miss Wells Experiences.
Miss Ruth Wells, a Christian
Science practitioner, who roomed at
the hotel, retold the story OF her
pluck displayed at the time of the
fire, when she sat in the window and
allowed all of the men around her to
be rescued first. She said that the
colored porters and Mr.. Webb had
spread the alarm on her floor which
was the second from the top She
knew of the escapes, but was unable
to reach any of them. Her room was
directly below the one occupied by
Mr.. Lambert, but she did not hear his
voice in the window, although she
heard men all around her, calling for
help. She spent fully five minutes in
the window, allowing others to be
rescued first, and was only taken
down the ladder in time to be saved
! from her room which was filled with
| a blazing fire at the time. Upon
reaching the ground Miss Wells first
thought was of the weakness of the
| water pressure and the slowness of
the firemen who seemed confused, and
apparently not knowing what to do.
| Negro Porter Who Alarmed Guests
A few other witnesses were exam
ined. William Jenkins one of the col
ored porters told of the fire and of
the escapes of some, of the guests, and
also related some Of his experiences
/ in spreading the alarm.
Tell of Fire Escapes.
| ]. c. Gordon, proprietor. and VIM.
l F. Rick, day clerk of the Copeland,
testified as to the number of fire es-
capes compared with the number OF
| guests the hotel could accommodate,
and it was found from their state
ments that the fire escapes on the
outside were sufficient to comply with
the law However, the attention of
the jury was called to the fact that
i the fire chief could, if he did not
think the fire escapes sufficient, in
sist that others be provided.
| County Attorney iJohn J. Schenck
| has not intimated that he would take
any actions aginst those who are
blamed by the limitations of the
jury's verdict. on the charges Of Grim
1 inaI negligence.