The Detroit times., 1915-10-16
Edith Moore SuffOcated
in Blaze Which De-
strOys Resort
20 OTHERS JUMP
FROM WINDOWS
Incendiarism Is Sus-
pected; Loss Close
to $4,000

Edith Fishers notorious resort at
Nos. 1886 Lafayetteave. east
(Champlain-st was almost totally
destroyed by a sudden fire, which
swept the place at o'clock, Satur-
day morning, and one OF the in
mates of the place, Edith Moore,
of Cleveland, alias Helen Davis,
was trapped In her room and smoth,
cred TO death. while IL other women
inmates, four men and Mrs. Fisher
saved themselves only by plunging
20 feet to the ground from second
story windows of the place.
That the fire was of incendiary
origin is the firm belief of the
Fisher woman, who told Detectives
Hayes and Bolone that two months
ago an attempt had been made to
burn the place by some one who
poured oil around n rear window,
and set fire to II. That blaze was
extinguished by inmates of the
house, with small damaGe. and Mrs.
Fisher then took out insurance OF
$4,000 on the property. She values
the furnishings OF the house alone
at 100000, and the furniture is al
most a total loss.
Blanche Saullier, an inmate, was
awakened by the pungent odor OF
smoke at o'clock. and discovered
that flames and smoke were pour
ing mp both starways and filing
the upper rooms with suffocating
fumes. The woman aroused Mrs.
Fisher. and the other occupants oi
the house, and wild panic ensued
Attempts to find some means OF
escape were frustrated by the blaz-
ing stairways and halls. and the ter
rifled men and women rushed 20 the
windows and plunged to the ground
below.
Blanche Saullier, in her brave at
tempt to arouse the other unfortu-
mates, suffered painful burns, and
her hair was nearly all burned
from her head. When she finally
leaped from window she was bad
ly bruised about the body, and was
sent to the Detroit receiving hos
pltal
Adele Brooks, alias Adele Lowder.
was badly cut and bruised about
the body when she jumped, and was
also taken to the hospital.
Mrs. Fisher, proprietress, was
also injured In her leap for life,
but refused 10 GO to the hospital.
All OF the men who were trapped
in the place disappeared immedi.
ately after escaping from the win.
dows. One appeared TO be injured.
He was clad only in his underwear.
but made his way from the scene
Of the tragedy in wild haste.
When fremen and detectives
reached the room of Edith Moore
they found her dead body lying face
downward in six inches OF water,
the woman having fallen while
cropping her way through the smoke
to the window. Her head lay under
the dresser, and her feet under the
bed, indicating a desperate effort
TO drag herself to safety after she
fell, In stupor.
To the detectives, other inmatei
Of the place told a pitiful story o.
the dead woman. She was to have
been married. they said. in week
to a Wholesale butcher OF Cleve
land. her home city.
Three little children, to whom
she was foster mother, will mourn
her. knowing nothing OF the III
that she led. in order 10 take care
of the three little orphans left b,
her dead sister She had never
been married, according TO other in
mates OF the place, but had adopted
the three children. and they were
kept in Cleveland, In ignorance ot
their foster mothers lie.
Coroner Rotharher has the ad
dress of Mrs Mary Erwin, No. 10;
Hamilton-ave.. Cleveland, as the
person 10 be notified in case any
thing should happen to the Moore
woman.
Other inmates of tho place, who
escaped. were Hazel Mayors, Kit
tic Lloyd. Beatrice Belmont, Doro
thy King. Camille Clifton. Alice
Howard. Pearl White and Irene Nc
Coy. The Mccoy woman was sleep
ing downstairs when the fire swept
the place. and had a narrow escape
from death
Coroner Rothacher will mGke a
thorough investigation of the
tragedy.
The Fisher woman's resort held
uni1ue place In Detroit's under
world. Through Ill Of the changes
of administration and OF policy. the
Fisher woman managed TO keep her
place in operation, either openly or