The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-08-10
HOTEL GUESTS
FLED UNCL0THED
London Hostelry Gutted by Flames
and Many Americana Had to
Run For Their
Lives.
Jameson Lee Flnney Burned to Death
In Bathroom While All Others
Made Their
Escape.


ruined the beautiful Hotel Carlton,
one Of London's show places, and the
resort Of the most fashionable Eng.
lish and American society. Three
floors practically were gutted by the
flames and the rest of the house, In.
Guiding the famous, restaurant, which
was opened by the late King Edward
VII was inundated.
The fire started about dinner time
last evening and 1t was thought until
late at night that there had been no
loss of life, but in the course of the
examination of the destroyed portion
Of the building body, charred al.
most beyond recognition, was found
in the bathroom on the sixth floor. 1t
was later identified as jameson Lee
Ffnney, the American actor The body
was found in the bathroom adjoining
the annex. Apparently Mr.. Finney had
gone into the bathroom to bathe be-
fore dressing and was asphyxiated.
The fire started In the pantry on
the second floor and is believed TO
have been caused by the blowing out
of a fuse in the food elevator. The
flames mushroomed from the shaft on
all floors above. At first the hotel fire.
men and servants thought they could
control the fire, but in few minutes
it was beyond their control and was
soon bursting out Of the wind dows or
n ~ H. mr. ,,1t
the roof. The fire engines arrived ir
rapid succession In response to a dis
trict call from all directions.
Meanwhile the cry Of Fire" had re
sounded through the passageways on
all the floors and startled women In
all stages of deshabille, men and ser
wants rushed terror-stricken out Of
their rooms. They were met by the
! firemen with lines Of hose in theil
hands. The firepen quickly saw the
seriousness of the situation and SEN
in the brigade call, which brought
twenty-five steamers and ESQ firemen
together with automatic ladders.
The building was then surrounded
by water towers and fire escapes. The
flames and smoke were SO fierce out
side that the fremen were hamperet
| for time. At first 1t looked as thougf
not only the Carlton, but His Males
ty's Theatre, which adjoins, would b.
destroyed, but the spread of thu
flames was checked before the.
| reached the theatre.
Many Americans who had beel
] staying at the Carlton sailed TO
home on the Olympic, but incomin'
steamers had brought new guests
i and majority Of the 200 in the hote
were Americans. Most of the guest
had returned to the hotel, after
round of sightseeing, to dress for dir
ner. The alarm caught them In ever,
condition of undress.
The alarm was sounded at Z ocloc
i while most of the guests were dress
Ing for dinner. The blaze started Il
4 the elevator shaft from the fusing Q
an electric wire, and roared SO threat
eningly that people poured out int
the streets, leaving all their baggage
Men in their underclothes, with ovel
: coats over them, and women, hal
dressed, their hair hanging down thel
: backs, fled from the building.
There were several exciting rescue
by firemen on ladders, while from tn
rear of the hotel, Vance Mccormick c
J Chicago said he saw two women calm
}, ly tie sheets together and thus d.
scend to the lower floors. Two invali
: women were wrapped in blankets an
, carried down fire escapes. r. W. Dal
iel, a Philadelphia banker, with
companion, an Englishman, was J
his room on the fifth floor. The Eni
Z lishman was overcome by smoke. Dai
J lei seized him and got him out OF tn
window and then descended on rop
: three stories with the Dnglishma
) tucked under his arm.