Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1920-04-14
FRANK STANSBERRY
INSTANTLY KILLED
Fall. While Trying to Escape
from Burning Hotel at
Grand Forks.

The distressing new that Frank J.
Stansberry, former resident of Will
mar, had been killed in a hotel fire
at Grand Forks shocked our people
last Friday The following is an
Associated Press report Of the &C.
cident:
Dashed upon an iron grating when a
rope Of knotted sheets, by which, he
was trying to escape from a burning
hotel, tore apart, F. J. Stansberry OF
Minneapolis was instantly killed today
at Grand Forks. N. D.
His family was notified Of his death
by telephone. His home is at 3249
Thirty-first Av. S.
The fire. only small blaze, broke
out before dawn in a basement store
room in the Friedrich hotel at Grand
Forks, N. D. The hotels electric meters
were in the storeroom and burned out
within a few minutes, plunging the ho-
tel in darkness.
Alarmed by the smoke and by the cries
of fire. occupants rushed from their
rooms. They swarmed out upon the
fire escapes and ran about barefooted
on the graveled roof, seeking to escape,
although the fire did not spread beyond
the basement.
Firemen quickly mastered the flames,
confining them to the room where they
broke out, and sought to calm the
frightened men and women scrambling
for the fire escape.
Mr.. Stansberry, reused by the COM
notion rushed to the door of his room
on the third floor. and found the cor
ridor filled with smoke two other oc-
cupants of the hotel, seeking to rouse
everyone in the building, entered
Stansberry's room and found him knot
MS bedclothes into rope. They
told him the fire was not serious
according to messages from Grand Fork
today, and assured him there was time
to leave by way Of the fire escapes.
Stansberry, however, fastened his rope
inside the room, flung the loose end out
and lowered himself from the window
ledge. The knotted sheets ripped and
tore apart. Stansberry plunged three
stories, striking upon his head on an
iron grating level with the ground.
His skull was crushed and he died
instantly.
Mr.. stansberry was ~ years of age,
and had been a resident of Minnea-
polls for IS years. He was a salesman
for the Monitor Stove Company. He is
survived by his wife and four children
Minneapolis Journal, April, 9, 1920
Frank ]. Stansberry was born at
Howard Lake, August 20, 1873. He
moved with his folks to farm south
west of Willmar. After coming to
the county he attended the Willmar
Seminary. He was assistant post
master at Willmar for five years. In
1902 he married Miss Pauline Samp-
son. In 1904 they moved to Minnea-
polls, and the deceased has worked
as travelling salesman, being employ
ed by the Monitor Stove Company at
the time of his death.
Deceased leaves to mourn his ira
gic death, wife and four children
Gordon, Lucille, Bernie and Russell,
the youngest II years of age. The
blow also falls heavily on the aged
mother, Mrs. Jane Stansberry who is
ill at Portland, Oregon; a brother
S. E. Stansberry who is very ill at
the Eitel Hospital at Minneapolis; a
brother, J. 2. Stansberry of Portland
Oregon; a sister, Mrs. W. Ditmore OF
Williston, N. Dak.; and many other
relatives.
The funeral was held yesterday
from Johnston's undertaking Parlol
at Minneapolis. Rev. w. Latimore
ofticiated, and quartet from the
Vanderburgh Presbyterian church
sang. The interment took place al
Lakewood. Those in attendance from
Willmar were Mr.. Gilbert Sampson
Mrs. S. E. Stansberry and Mr.. ant
! Mrs. 0. H. Dale.