New-York tribune., 1920-12-03
Five Perish in
Apartment Fire;
Inquiry Begun
English Dancer, Unidenti-
fed Woman Guest. Two
Sisters and Hippodrome
Veterinary Are Victims
No Fire. Escapes on House
Blaze in West 57th Street
Started ON Lower Floor Of
Converted Studio Building

Four women and man we're burned
70 death in a fire Of unknown origin
:hat started on the lower floor Of q
i've story studio apartment at 30 West
Fifty seventh Street between and 6
O'Clock yesterday morning. The flames
swept through the structure with such
rapidity that the victims were trapped
in the upper Railways.
John J. Joyce, Assistant District At
torney. who inspected the scene Of the
FIRE, said he found no evidence Of Grim
nal negligence. Engineers for the
Building and Tenement House depart
monts, however, asserted that the
law requires such structures to be
equipped with fire escapes. Each de-
clared the blame lay with the other
department.
John j. Talley. Assistan District Al
torney, said last night that, while moth
ing had so far developed to warrant
holding any one on criminal charges,
a further investigation would be con-
Quoted.
One Victim Unidentified
"Ths is the first loss Of life IN pri-
vatc houses converted into tenements
Under the law passed last year libcr~
alizing the restrictions that formerly
obtained" he said. The house burned
and that adjoining were oldtime pri-
vate homes, converted into apart
ments'
Ore o. the women victims. who has
not been positively identified. is be-
lieved to have been Betty Jones, Of
London. England, guest of one OF the
other wo1nen who lost her life. All the
bodies a,c at the morgue. The other
victims are:
1escolnb. Mrs. Marjorie, English
Reed. Mrs. HaroG Boswell. vocal
student, Who formerly lived N Cali
ognia.
jenkins. Mrs Jennie, a sister Of Mrs.
potter. ~. Martin, veterinary sur
;-eon aaa horse trainer for the Hip
podrome.
Lessee Identifies Four Bodies
Mrs. Ocea /. Coyle, lessee of the
building and Of that next door, identi-
fed all the bodies except that be-
ieved to have been Betty Jones. The
presumptive identification of this body
was made by Mrs. Eric Brocklorf, Of
l0cO Park Avenue.
Mrs. Brockdortf said she, Mrs Les
conn and friend of the latter, whose
maiden name was Betty Jones, were
entertained last night in the rooms
Of "a r.. Lennox in the adjoining house,
- Vest Fifty seventh Street. She
e. 1T snc believed Mrs. Lescomb's friend
vas married ana that her husband is
cerncctc.. with Lloyds. in London, but
hat she could not recall his name.
Tae ycNMs woman, she says, has a
lister who is we'll known in London
vAGdevil.c circles under the name OF
"Bobb!c Jones"
Ms. Reed and her sister were found
N the top floor OF the building, where
they maintained separate apartments.
hirs. Lescomb's body was lying only q
le~ feet from the window of an alcove,
which she had apparently been trying
. reach. The body OF the other woman
,.a- in lhe hallway on the same floor.
No Ere Escapes on House
Al The victims were caught as the
sames surrcd through a dumb,"aitet
toward the roof. igniting the woodwork
OF. the intervening floors. There were
20 irc escapes on the building, and
,he oriss-ne rs Of cores was through
,ne >moke-flled halls.
Mr.. Lescomb had come TO New York
from Englard u enter moving pictures
She arrived on the Aquitania less thar