The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1917-04-11
ONE IS VICTIM
Of HOTEL FIRE
Historic Capital Hotel Is
Destroyed BY Fire.
DAMAGE MORE THAN 100000
Lieut.. Gov. Black and Family
Rescued by Soldiers From
Company l..


known death and property loss of
. more than 100000 accompanied the
destruction by fire this afternoon of
the historic Capital Hotel, which
stands tonight mere shell of lime
stone, the interior a mass of tang
led debris.
!. Frank c. Dudley, of Paramount,
w. Va, newspaper man, was taken
cut of room 20 an hour after the fire
was discovered unconscious from in
haling smoke. Efforts to revive him
with a lung motor were unavailing.
While they were working with him
a long-distance call from Paramount
came Tor him, and Prison Commits
sioner F. Thomas Hatcher, of Pike
vile, who had identified him and
was sitting in the Frankfort Hotel
lobby. answered the call and gave
notice of his death. Fifteen years
ago Dudley ran a Republican news
paper at Pikeville.
~. Thrilling Rescucs.
Thrilling escapes were numerous
and while a dense volume of smoke
was pouring through the building
from the basement guests were be-
ing taken from the upper windows
by ladders. Lieut.. Gov. James d.
Black and Mrs. Black and Miss
Gertrude Black and Representative
Mazyck O'Brien barely were saved
Mrs. Black was seen at the window
of their suite overlooking the front
portico on the second floor, where
they were overcome, and were found
and helped out by soldiers of Com
pany l., Second Regiment, who as
sisted the firemen and formed cor
don about the burning building.
GOebel Died There.
Manager Ed Weitzel said the in
surance is more than $4,000 and
the loss around 100000. During
the sixty-two years of its existence
the hotel has sheltered all Ken
tucky's notables. William Goebel
died in one of its rooms.
Appellate Judge John M. Elliott
was shot and killed by Thomas Blu
ford near the women's entrance
March 26, 1879, and the desk in the
lobby bore reminders of the famous
duel between Col. D. G. Colson, of
Middlesboro, and Lieut. E. d. Scott
during the Goebel-Taylor contest
January IS. 1900. in which Scott.
L. D. Demaree. of Shelbyville. and
Charles H. Julian, of Frankfort.
were killed and Colson, B. B. Col
den, Harry McEwing and o. d. Red
path were wounded.
Mansion Offered As Shelter.
Until the hotel is rebuilt resource
full Frankfort is making shift to
take care of her guests. While the
fire was burning this afternoon cit
liens were mingling among the ho-
tel guests, inviting them to their
homes. Gov. Stanley and Mrs. STAN |
ley announced that they would take
all who would come in the mansion |
and provide cots. The Elks threw |
open their home the Henry Clay
Fire Insurance Company turned |
over the old Y. NJ. C. A. building for
sheltering the people and the Lex
ington Board of Commerce sent |
word that Lexington would accom-
modate the overflow. Meanwhile
other hotels and boarding houses
placed cots in rooms to increase
their capacity.
Senator J. B. Hiles. Of Bracken
county. said tonight that he was in
the room next to Frank c. Dudley.
afterward found dead in room 20,
but supposed everybody had got out
ahead Of him. A negro bellboy said
he was with Dudley fifteen minutes
before the fire was discovered and
Was trying to make his way back to