The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-12-12
HOTEL ruins GIVE
Up MORE BODIES AS
INQUIRY IS Begun
Dead List Stands at q, In
GLIDING Six Michigan
legislators
FATE OF MANY UNKNOWN
Witnesses Being Questioned to
Determine Il Negligence
Was involved
FATE OF MANY UNKNOWN

Lansing, Mich, Dec. l2.-(R)-AS
fire-blackened. ice-shrouded ruins Of
the Hotel Kerns began giving up
their dead Wednesday, state police
announced that q persons had been
listed q victims Of the flames that
trapped the sleeping guests Tuesday
morning.
The roster OF known dead In Michi.
san's most horrible fire tragedy In
cluded those whose bodies were taken
from the icy water Of the Grand river,
INTO which many terrified guests
plunged; those who leaped to the
street. dying OF injuries, and those
definitely reported by relatives to have
spent the night In the hotel and to Be
missing now.
Firemen Dig In Rains
Early wednesday firemen pulled
down all that remained Of the walls
Of the four-story structure which for
years had been Z favorite meeting
place for politicians.
While workers dug into the ruins
for bodies, police with graphing
hooks Unanswered . boat through
the ice foes on the Grand river:
hunting for those who plunged to
their deaths In the water below the
blazing hotel.
The three.way inquiry was started
BY e. I. WEIGH Of the state fire mar
shals office: Prosecutor Dan McCul-
Tough q Ingram county, and the
state police.
The fire marshals office questioned
witnesses In IN effort to determine
the cause Of the fire apd whether
there was any negligence involvd.
Mccullough said he had called .
coroner's jury to meet next week.
One Of the prime questions OF the
investigation will be the report Of
Mrs. william Lesher, . permanent
resident Of the hotel, that she was
awakened by the smell Of smoke at
5 .. m. The alarm was turned in at
$50 Q. m. The inquiry, according to
the fire marshal, will try to deter
mine whether there was any delay
In sounding the alarm.
Mrs. Lesher said her husband re-
ported the fire to the clerk. and
Night Clerk Jones said he sent hotel
employees to investigate the report.
100 Room Hotel FILLED
The complete list Of dead will not
be known until the ruins and the
river have been thoroughly searched.
The hotel register was lost In the
fire and even among the employees
Of the house there is q wide variance
In estimates as to the number Of
guests.
The Kerns was reported to have
been filled to capacity Tuesday night
and 1t has 2l3 rooms. william G..
Kerns, the owner. whose name has
been associated with the hotel since
1905, estimated the guest list at 100
or 200, while Night Clerk Isaac D.
Jones said he believed there were $50
IN the house.
Capt. Lyon and fire department Of
ficials said that ITO persons had been
accounted for Wednesday. The fig
ure included the Il known dead: 80
injured, and those who escaped UNI
hurt.
Several Of those In the three Ian.
sing hospitals are in such serious
condition that they may not live.
Coroner Ray 0orsline has set up .
temporary morgue In . vacant store
room across the street from the
burned hotel.
One Of the miracle escapes was
that Of Walter Jeffrey. 50. vice presi-
dent Of the Michigan Association for
the Blind. He was awakened by the
shouting and commotion Of the
frantic guests. Unable to see what
was happening, he opened his bed
room door and felt hot breath Of
flame hit his face. Pulling on shoes
and trousers he opened window
and jumped into space. He dropped
II feet. landing on the roof Of IN
building.