The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-12-02
FIVE LOSE LIVES
INNEW YORK FIRE
Apartment House DWeIlerS
Die When Flames Sweep
Through Building.
ENGLISH ACTRESS VICTIM

- = sff
New York. Dec. 2.--Four persons. one
Of them an actress. we're reported to
have lost their lives in a FIRE in a
theatrical boarding house in West
| Flfty-seventh street early today.
The building. formerly fashionable
residence. had been converted into q
five STORY apartment house
who lived on the top floor. has not
Mrs. Boswell Reid. an opera singer
been accounted for. F.remen reported
that they could see the leg OF one body
in the wreckage.
The flames spread rapidly and all
persons living above the third floor had
narrow escapes
Among the known dead was Majorie
Lt scomb. motion picture actress who
arrived here tive weeks ago from Eng
Persona missing insa check of the
residents of the apartment house in-
cluded DR. +. NJ Potter. y veterinarian
associated with the New York hippo
dronle Mrs. G. Boswell Reid. "a concert
and opera singer Mrs. Reid's sister.
and girl friend believed TO have, spent
the night with Miss Lescomb.
The fire. which started In the base
ment Of the building at an early hour.
hiliowed up In the dumb Waiter shaft
TO upper floors. The blaze was discov-
third floor who hurled a book through
her wirdow and shouted fire" to the
street below. Then she dashed through
the building giving the alarm. The
touse was occupied by student artists
and professional people
Body Unidentified.
The NTH bodys was that Of a young
woman who vas SO badly burned iden -
t'hca tim could not fe made.
The. ftre started IN suh-cellar and
81 read inward through a dumb waiter
hart trapping the fire victims on the
third. fourth and nth floors. The bod
les were badly charred
The blaze was discovered by Misn
Anette Rracy. %. who lived on the
third floor AS soon as she smeiied
smoke she hurled book Through a
window OF her bedroom and screamed
for help. This aroused a family in an
adjoining apartment house. who sum
noned the fire depa rtment
Firenien said Miss Bracy's action
probably saved { number Of lives Mrs
l.ene Coyle. summoned by Miss .Bracy.
aided In arousins number Of sieeninc
tanants. until both Mrs coiye, and Mics
Bracy were forced from the Building
!, ...ses4 900 rfI0sT 10 stpest.
More than 20u persons were driven
ito the street. many OF than IN their
night attire. and several thrilling res
cues were made. Firemen had diff
Guilty in ighting the blaze. IA
Miss Marjorie Lescornb. English tiim
star and one of the dead is said to he
related to British nobility
TWO sisters perished In the tire. Mrs.
q. Boswell Reid, California opera
singer and Mrs. Jessie Jenkins. the
latter having come to New YORK a
week ago to be near her daughter. who
Is in school here.
Later 1t was learned the unidenti-
fed fire victim was young woman
who had spent the night with Miss
Lesc VNb. II is believed Miss I>escomh
lost her life. either In trying to- save
her companions or some valuables for
she was one OF the persons awakened
by Miss Bracy She was near safety
Ilen she dashed hack into her room
where fremen found the body Of her
.riend. Miss Iescomb was suffcoated
odly few feet, from the exit where
ms my escaDed
d Hung for Hall Hour.
John Grossberg. a broker, hung for
nalf an hour on narrow window ledge
from which he was rescued bv fremen.
Two British army officers, Capt H
Rossmartin. and Cant. William L.
Hayes. escaped by plunging throue the
flames with blankets over their heads