St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-15
WHO is To BLAME?
Mrs. William II. Miilman Is As
phyxiated i'm Her Home.

phyxiated i'm Her Home.
Criminal carelessness on the part of
some one resulted yesterday in the
death of Mrs. Alberta A. Millman, wife
of William Ii. Millman, the commercial
editor of the Minneapolis Tribune. in
her cosy little home at 7l9 Third ave-
nue. south. Mr.. Millman left the house
at the usual hour i'll the morning to at
tend to his editorial work. Then his
wife was enjoying excellent health.
That was the last time he saw
her alive, for when he returned
for lunch few hours later she was
dead. That criminal carelessness on
the part of somebody was the cause of
her sudden demise everybody admits,
and the coroner will no doubt make a
searching investigation and if possible
place the blame where it rightfully be-
longs. The home occupied 10y the Mill
mans is a comfortable fiat at 719 Third
avenue south, which runs the full
depth of the building. A hall
way separates it from the fiat
at III, which is occupied by a
Mr.. Clifford and his family. On We'd
nesday the odOr of escaping illuminat-
ing gas was plainly prrceptible in her
house, but as no gas was used in either
the rooms occupied by herself or in
those occupied by Mr.. Millman she sup
posed it came from the drug store be-
low, and no attention was paid to 1t.
Mr.. Millman left home yesterday NOR
ming shortly before 10 O'Clock, as was
his custom, to go to the chamber of COM
merce. At that time his wife was APP
parentlY enjoying excellent health.
When he returned about 2:30 for lunch
he found the house filled with
poisonous atmosphere and his
wife was sitting In her favorite rocking
chair in the dining room. dead. At first
he thought she had tainted. Her hat
had been thrown on chair close by,
her coat was unbuttOned at the throat
as if she was in the act of throwing it
off when she was overcome. and her
head was Inclined to one side in an ur-
natural position. Her face and hands
gaStly white, but her body was still
warm. Thoroughly alarmed, he picked
up the chair in which she was sitting
and carried it into the hallway
and called Mrs. Clifford. The
two carried her down stairs, where
she could get fresh air, and he
hurriedly summoned physicians. Drs.
Rockford, Moore and Staples responded
promptly, and she was carried into the
Third avenue drug store and laid on
lounge. The physicians at once pro-
nOunced it case of aSphvXiatiOn. and
although they were almost sure the
case was hopeless, they worked hard to
restore respiration, but without avail,
and after more than two hours of in
cessant labor they pronounced her dead.
An investigation of the prem
ises showed that, while no
the pipes were already in place for the
meter and fixtures. In large closet in
the hallway adjoining the bath room
two large supply pipes. to which the
meter was intended to be connected,
led directly to the large gas main in the
street. Connection had already been
made between these supply pipes and
the gas main. but a stop-cOck in front
of the house controlled the flow from
the main into the house. To further
protect the gas from escaping into the
house, the ends of each of the supply
pipes was supposed to be protected with
an air-tight iron cap. One of the pipes
had the cap on. but the other one had
never been put in place. Yesterday
men who were supposed to be plumbers
were noticed working about the block,
and it is supposed that they turned the
stOpcock which allowed the gas to es
cape into the house. Inquiry at the gas
Office revealed the fact that workmen
employed by the gas Company had been
sent there in the morning. The man in
charge of the Office was very reticent
about the affair, and refused to say
who the men were OF what work
they had been doing further than
to volunteer the remark that
everything was all right when
our men left the place this morning."
Everything. however, was not all right.
as the capless pipe allowed the poison
Gus Vapor to escape unchecked into the
house, filling the entire premises with
its deadly fumes, and resulting in tine
death of Mrs. Millman.
The last person to see Mrs. Millman
alive was Mrs. Gregory. The two wO-
men met On the balcony in the rear of
their homes. Mrs. Millman was getting
some kindfing wood with which to start
a fire. She complained to Mrs. Greg
DRY of slight headache, and said she
would lie down for while. This was
about IL o'clock. No one saw
her again until erhusband came home.
Mrs. Millman, while not an invalid, was
afflicted with catarrh, and she was un-
able to detect any odOr. So prevalent
were the deadly fumes that pet kitten
WHICH, WAC III all duJOliiuS lOOm Ntou
from the effects OF it, and although all
the doors and windows were open, the
physicians forbade any one remaining
in the place last night,
Mrs. Millman was the youngest
daughter of Judge e. r. Sprague, of
Broadbent, Green county. Wis, and
niece of the present district attorney of
that county. She was twenty-seven
years of age and had only been married
about two years. The young couple
had no children. She was very popular
and had large circle of friends. Her
body will be taken to Wisconsin for in
terment.