Las Vegas age. [volume] (Las Vegas, Nev.) 1905-1947, 1929-09-21
Proprietor Held
In Detroit Club
Death Inquiry
Deaths r e a C h Eighteen
Three Others of Fifty
Three Injured Expected to
Die.


death of an unidentified woman
late today brought to 18 the
death toll of the disastrous fire
which early this morning swept
the STUDY Club cafe as its
entertainment was at its height.
Three others of the 53 who were
injured in the mad rush of en-
tcrtainers and customers CT thn
club are expected to die.
Marty Cohen, proprietor CT
the night club, was held III Jail
tonight, but attorneys obtained a
hearing for him for 10 a. m.
tomorrow On writ of habeas
corpus.
DETROIT. Sept. 20. UR)-A mys-
teriouS fire which cracked through
the silken hangings of one Of De-
troit's most exclusive night CLUBS,
took at least IS lives today and in
jured SIS persons.
The luxurious interior of the
Study Club, on Vernon highway in
the center of the downtown district,
was followed out by the flames as
100 panic-stricken patrons diyed for
exits. lc3ped from windows and
risked broken bones 10 escape.
An early check-up at the morgue,
where l6 bodies were taken revealed
the following dead had been identi-
fed
Wallace Kruger, of Grand Rap
ids. an entertainer in the club,
Bertha Kelly, 25 attendant in the
womens cloak room.
Morrison Manning, orchestra
leader.
E. D. Stedford, waiter
j. G kaufman.
Waverly Green.
H. D. Smith.
Lawrence Luther.
Herrick A. Brown.
The bodies of five men and two
women still were unidentified.
Firemen said the blaze might have
started in the basement where rub
bish accumulated after the club was
redecorated. Police, however. are
investigating a report that a bomb
explosion caused the fire.
Firemen who smashed their way
into the seCond-floOr cloakrOom
found 25 persons, the living piled
with the dead
The exterior of the building was
only slightly damaged. All the heat
and smoke were concentrated in the
interior. Damage was estimated at
S35.OOO AS the flames fumed and
sputtered up the silken hanging5,
deadly gases were thrown Off Res
cuers found several of the dead had
been asphiXiated.
PasSerSby volunteered to aid in
the rescue work Among them was
John Duvall Dodge, a member Of
the automobile manufacturer S
family who groped his way through
the smoke and was slightly burned.
Jack Carney. his companion, also
was hurt slightly after carrying in
jured and dead from the building.
The receiving hospital, where mos.
of the injured were taken, was
crowded, and physicians there said
at least five might die from burns
When the first smoke spiralled Up
the stairway, the patrons Of the
club dashed for the doors. The 25
Trapped III JIlt ClDdhIOONl dkJScI CAI'~
ly had tried to retrieve costly gar
mentS before escaping. but we're
unable to make their way out OF the
second floor room.
In the main club room, scores
stormed the windows Two men
and a woman who jumped from a
window. were taken to the hospital
with broken legs. Others followed
most of them escaping serious in
jury.
Martin Cohn, owner Of the club
was questioned by Inspector Henry
j. Garvin of the crime and bomb
squad. Cohn told police he believed
the fire had been caused by bomb,
because he left the building shortly
before the blaze and there was no
indication of a fire then.
Last year there were reports here
that there was friction between
Cohn and Louis Riccardi, owner Of
Luigi'S cabaret, over patronage, but
the differences were said to have
been adjusted.
Patrolman Edward Cannane dis
covered the fire and turned in the
alarm, racing back Immediately TO
scale and wall to the second story
and help five persons to safety.