Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-10
In Burning Of The Hotel
Carlton, London, Eng.
J. |. Finnay, American Actor,
Identified as The Victim.
Other Americans Rave Exciting
Tine, but All Escape.

London. Aug. 9.-Jameson Lee Fin
ney, the American actor, Is believed to
have persisted tonight in fire which
destroyed a portion of The Carlton no
tel, where he was d guest. He has not
been seen since the fire and a roll call
of the hotel staff shows that none Of
its members are missing The body
was found in the bath room adjoining
Mr. Finney's room on the fifth floor of
the annex. The face was 50 badly
chaIred that the features were unrec-
equitable Apparently Mr. Finnev went
into the bath room to battle before
dressing and was Appreciated The
body was removed TO the morgue later
in the evening. Late tonight the po-
lice positively identified II as that of
Nr. HinHeE.
This death was the only one result
inG from the fire, which, however, was
.attsBded b exciting scenes ana con-
siderable loss 10 the building from fire
and water. y large number of Ameri-
can guests escaped from the hotel. but
lost their baggage.
The Carlton is one of London's most
fashionable resorts and many Ameri-
ems are among its guests OF the 200
persons stopping at the hotel when the
ffe broke out. many were from the
nited states. and while all of them
bad marrow escapes none. except pos
silly F'inney. suffered any injury.
The fire burned for two and a half
hours, but was confined mainly To that
end OF the hotel adjoining His Males
ty.s theatre and the fifth and sixth
floors. the interior Of which were cut
ted. Part of the roof also was DESTROY
ed. large body of firemen with hose
and axes worked strenuausly on the
roofs of tie hotel and theatre. and only
the hardest work saved both BUILDINGS
from destruction.
Lines Of hose were dragged up all
the stairways and, mani tors of water
from them and the other lines ON the
ladders were poured in the upper
rooms of the hotel. The damage from
water is greater than by fire Most
OF the interior of the building was
thoroughly soaked. Three ffremen
were overcome by the heat aud smoke
and taken t. hospitals. The manager
SAYS the hotel Is not badly damaged
and that business will be- resumed i'm
mediately,
The alarm vas sounded ut O'Clock
this evening, while most Of the guests
were dressing for dinner. and they
were caught in all styles of undress.
James +, Keen, the New York fin
aneier and horsemaH was one Of the
coolest victims OF the fire. lie was
sitting in his roonlr when the alarm
rang and calmly walked down stairs
lighting Il cigar and then stood on the
sidewalk and watched the flames. Att
erwards he went Ia the BerlIey hotel.
where he spoke OF his experience as
a mere incident He did not even en-
quire whether his baggage had been
saved.
John Wanamaher. Jr., Roland Hunt
er and j. z. McFadden, Jr., had Just
taken off their street. clothes and we're
sitting in Mr.. Wanamakers room
talking over the days experiences,
when rush of footsteps through the
Railways warned them of danger. They
escaped 10 the sidewalk in their pa
jamas Among other Americans who
We're in the hotel when the fire broke
out and lost all OF most OF their bag
gage was \. ". Preston, Of Boston.