March 7, 1940 'Russell County [KY] News', page one.

Lead Headline: New Smith Hotel Burned At Albany Last Saturday Night

Secondary Headline: Mr. Tilford Petty Perishes in Flame

Fire of unknown origin destroyed the new brick motel owened [sic] by Mr.
James Smith last Saturday night about 7 P.M. According to reports the
building was in flames before anyone seemed to realize it was on fire.
Mr. Tilford Petty of Bowling Green was stopping over for the night and
young Smith were making their way out from the second story.
They reached the top of the stairway leading to the lobby when Mr. Petty
remarked that he was going back into his room to get some important
papers. Before he could do this the flames seemed to sweep through the
building like fire in dry stubble and cut off his avenue of escape and
he was not seen any more until the next day when his charred remains
were recovered from the ruins. A gentleman and his wife from Illnois
were also badly burned and hurt in a leap from a second story window.
They were taken to the Glasgow Hospital and both are in serious
condition.
Mr. Petty was well known in Jamestown where his congenial disposition
has won him many friends. He leaves a wife and one son who live in
Bowling Green, a mother and several brothers and sisters who live in
Adair County. One brother lives near Russell Springs.
Mrs. Petty was the daughter of S.B. Miller of Crocus.
Funeral services were held Monday [March 4th] at Crocus with burial in
the Miller family graveyard.
This is the second fire that has occurred on this same corner in Albany
as only a few months ago the old hotel was destroyed by fire.
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***Transcriber's note: Mr. Pettey [the spelling preferred by the family]
was a native of Adair County, the son of James Pettey and Nannie Morgan
Pettey.