[4][b] His wife, Rebecca (née Guild), said that when she first moved into the home that as many as 20 stagecoaches a day would pass by the house, many stopping at Gay's Tavern across the street.
[2] Just a few years later, in 1919, Mary Miles Minter and William Desmond Taylor stayed at the inn while filming Anne of Green Gables.
[6] Several of those newspapermen would later submit an affidavit that swore they heard Thayer making prejudicial remarks at the inn.
[4][1] Frank Howard, the guest, had trouble finding a fire alarm box but eventually located one on the corner of Court Street and Village Avenue.
[4] By holding the lever down, instead of simply pulling it down and releasing it, he interfered with the sounding of the whistle that indicated the location of the fire.
[4] Chief Henry J. Harrigan sounded a general alarm upon arriving on scene when he saw the Highland Street side of the building completely engulfed.
[4] The entire Dedham Fire Department battled the flames for five hours, but the snow and ice created additional challenges.
[4] Deputy Chief John Hartnett and firefighter William Henderson entered the building and attempted to rescue the dog, but were unsuccessful and Josephine perished in the flames.