Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-04-09
F. ]. STANSBERRY
ONLY, VICTIM in s
CROWD OF GUESTS
! Tried to Climb Down Rope
Made by Kntotting Bed
-3 0t H-a-ss ~ +rfsr = ,--Fs-,,g. i :,
Sheets Together.
Flirnsy Cord Breaks and
Tragedy Results: !, No
Others Are Injured,

L. j. Stansberry, a. travelling sales
man, of Minneapolis. Mimi, was
killed shortly after 4 O'Clock this
morning when tes fell to the ground
third floor of the Frederick hotel,
from which he was trying to escape
during a small fire which broke out
in the basement OF the hotel and
filled the upper floors with smoke.
Stansberry had .knotted the sheetsN
4 of his bed together, and tied them to
the window. When he put his weight
on the improvised rope, however. and
attempted to climb down, the fabric
hurtled to the ground. striking head
first on an iron grating over an area
way He died within few mo-
ments. ...........s ~ -.
Coroner Robert Mclean of Gilby
has been notified of the tragedy, but
it is not likely that a formal inquest
will be held. -
Fire in Basement. *
The fire at the. hotel originated in
a store room in the basement. John
Fitzgerald, chief of the fire depart
ncnt, believes that it was caused by
a match or cigar being incautiously
thrown away. but cannot state the
cause with any degree of certainty.
portion of Mes basement.
The hotel management today was
unable to make any definite estimate
of the damage. Chief Fitzgerald is
of the opinion that it will be in the
neighborhood Of $1,000.
The blaze was discovered shortly
after 4 o'clock this morning. The
fire department was Immediately
!. summoned, and the guests notified
hv tho ,otot an, n1nvnrs While fhis
was being done the halls and rooms
of the hotel were rapidly filling with
i. .moks. -, 4, !, !. :. ,,...
Electric. n4eters In the basement
were burned out by the flames short-
~ after the discovery .of. the fire, and
. the hotel was plunged In darknsss
which aided 10 ti,e con fusion & The
guests, hurry1ng from theif beds,
made their way to the fire escapes,
or down the stairg to the lobby ot
Many Of those who wereeevicted from
the upper floors. took refuge on the
roof # wa t55
The firemen arrived quickly on
the scene and took an active part
in assisting tho guests of the hotel
to make their way out. &
The. Tragedy, \, ..,.,i. ,,-
Stansberry's room was on the south
side of. the building at the rear, ov-
erlooking the machine shed at the
rear of the Stephen Collins building.
Ills body was found i'll, the small pas
sagcway between the machine shed
and the hotel building:--~ d
Rev. W. E. Stephenson and VIII
liam Fishman, who live at the Fred
erick hotel were on the roof of the
hotel and talked to Stansberry just
before he fell. They heard him
break open the window and throw
his grips out. 1t was quite dark at
the time, but they could, distinguish
sheets to the window, and they shout
ed to him to go UP to the fourth
floor and get out On the roof. but he
declared that he couldn't make it.
J. He, then, crawled out the window
feet first, and wrapped his legs Abou,
the sheets. The moment he let go
the window and put the full weight
provised rope snapped of and he
plunged below.
Help Arrives.
Fishman ran to the front and
shouted to someone on, the street
policeman was summoned and he ran
to the scene, followed by Lieutenant
Charles Gowen, an army physician
who made hurried examination. He
said there were signs Of life whcr
he reached the body but that STAINS.
berry died before he could be moved
Stansberry represented the Monito,
Stove company OF Cincinnati, Ohio
Lived IN Minneapolis. \,
He lived at ss4s Thirty-tirst ave.
nue. south, Minneapolis. Minn.4 It i.
that he Is married and
has several chaldren. +. h a sl,5S
Local officials Are awaiting wor6
from Minneapolis regarding the dis
position of the body. sy.I 81.
Fred Bartholomew owner Of thu
Frederick hotel, is at present IL
Texas. lss a;s.
ImAIII n nnrI[yfy d. e