Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-14
LEGISLATORS IN FIRE
Copeland Hotel Is Burned at
Topeka, Kan.
Prominent MEN INJURED
Stairway Cut OFF and Guests Jump
From Windows.
FORMER POSTMASTER MISSING
Republican Candidate for Governor
Has Ankle Broken Sliding Down
Rope-Loss, 100000.
FORMER POSTMASTER MISSING

TOPEKA, Kan, January 14.-The Cope
land Hotel. famous stopping place for
legislators and politicians. situated a
| block from the state capitol. was destroy
ed by fire which started shortly after 4
| o'clock this morning. Every room was
| occupied, the guests numbering about $50.
among them many persons of prominence
throughout the state. The structure burn
ed with such rapidity that most OF the
occupants were forced to make their exit
by fire escapes. Many jumped to save
their lives and sustained more or less Sc
rious injuries.
A dozen or more persons suffered broken
| limbs and bruises. i. E. Lambert oe En-
poria. prominent politician. is missing.
and is believed to have perished.
A. w. Smith of Republic, former repub-
lican candidate for governor suffered a
broken ankle. The others injured are:
| III. A. Rowland, Mcpherson, three ribs
broken.
Mrs. B. l.. Thompson, Harrington,
| Representative S. c. Westcott. Cherokee
county, back and ankle wrenched.
| Fl. q. Bone, Topeka back sprained.
| G. w. Goodlander Fort Scott, leg hurt.
| Paul Rich. Coolidge. back. side and arm
| injured.
w. A. Elstun. Moline. sprains and
bruises.
B. c. Howman, Newton. ankle and back
sprained.
Ex-senator G.. II. Lamb. Yates Center,
Fire Chief Wilmsrth. Topeka, head cut.
j. W. Davis, Greensburg. overcome by
smoke.
Escaped by Rope.
The night watchman and porter made
frf, ln ,te
Men. women and children. scantily clad
were soon orowdng the halls. About
half of the guests managed to get to the
lower floor and out before the stairwa y
was cut off. Half dozen jumped from
windows and the others were rescued
by firemen from the windows of the ho-
tel. from tops OF adjoining buildings. To
which they had jumped. and from fire
escape landings. The only guest whose
Republic. and once republican candidate
for governor. Smith and H. a. Rowland
from Mcpherson. who had been sleeping
i'm room on the fourth floor. made a
rope OF their bed clothes and suspended
it from the window. Each in turn de-
scended on it as far as possible and then
dropped to the ground. Smith crashed
into areaway. striking on a railing.
He sust aimed broken ankle and internal
injuries Rowland suffered three broken
ribs.
l. l.. Lambert. who is believed TO have
been burned to death. was for eight
years postmaster OF Emporia. For four
years he was United States. district at
torney for the eastern district OF Kansas
Hotel Four Stories High.
The hotel was four stories in height
Ii had wide Railways and numerous es-
capes. The man stairway was built
around the elevator and the flames
shooting from the lower part of the builG-
ing up the shaft soon shut off this means
of escape. The fremen were unable to
make any headway in fighting the
flames. and presently guests began jump
ing from the windows on all sides. For
tunately, the ground was covered with
snow. and this partially broke their falls
But few were able to save their belong
ings. Within an hour only the walls re-
manned
The cause of the fire is not known
The loss is estimated at $4,000.