The evening world., 1891-06-20
All ASphyIiated by Gas in a Harlem
BOaTdinS-HOuSe Bedroom.
Windows Closed and Gas Left on at
Full Head.
They Were Dom estics and Had Been
Dead for Hours When Found.

lnrce young women, dOmeStlcS In the
boardlng-house kept by Otto Gobhnrdt at 10
East Eighty-siNth street, were found dead in
their beds this morning.
They had been smOthcrcd by gas, the single
burner In the room having been left fully
turned on during the entire night.
Their names are
JENNIE GRossMAN, twenty-five years old, a
Hungarian girl, who had been employed as
cook In the house for the last four years.
KATIE kEEPE, seventeen years old.
AGNES SEARS. eighteen years old.
The two latter were Irish girls, who were
chambermaidS
Katie had lived with the Gcbhardts for
two years, but Agnes Sears had only re-
Gently arrived In the country.
The girls all Slept In II little ballroom on
the attic floor, scarcely large enough to hold
the two beds which they occupied.
They went to bed last night about IL
o'clock, Jennie and Katie going first.
At 73O o'clock this morning 1t was re-
marked by scme Of the other girls in the
kitchen that 1t was very strange that neither
OF them had yet appeared, for It was their
usual custom to get at their work early In the
morning.
1t was believed that they must have over
slept, and Annie Hurley, a nurse for one OF the
bOarders In the 10 s., went up to wake them.
When she reached the top floor she sIR,llcd
the odor OF the gas, and when she opened the
door Of the little hall room the gas rolled out
in dense volume that nearly stranglod her.
The window was tightly closed, and when
Annie saw the bodies OF her three companions
lying upon the beds, their faces purple from
the effects of nsphyNiation, she gave a scream
that aroused the whole household.
In few minutes there was tremedous
CommotiOn and the women IN the house were
almost panic-strcken when they heard what
had happened.
\ boarder went into the rooms and turned
on the gas and opened the window. All
attempts to rouse the three girls were useless.
They had apparently all been dead for several
hours, for their bodies were cold.
Benjamin Bernstein, boarder, notified
Policeman Nicholas and then brought DR..
McGregor, neighboring physician TO the
house.
He examined the bodies and pronounced
Katie Keefe and Agnes Sears dead beyond a
doubt,
The doctor labored for some time, but was
not able to discover any signs OF life.
There was some uncertainty about Jennie
Grossman, the cook, who was the most robust
OF the three, and she was taken into an ad-
Joining room.
The three bodies lay on the upper floor OF
the boarding-house all the morning awaiting
the appearance OF the Coroner, who had been
summoned by the police.
That OF Jennie GrOssman, the cook, was In
the room adjoining the little hall sleeping
room, and those or Katie and Agnes, pretty
girls with brown hair and eyes, in the room
where they were found.
The latter had sept together In the bed fur
thest from the door, the headboard OF which
was showed up close against the window.
The burner from which the gas was escap-
ing projected from the wall only two feet
above where the body OF Agnes was found
lying.
Jennie Grossman slept alone In the other
bed, near the door.
1t IS believed that In going to bed Agnes,
who was last, being unused TO modern i'm
provements, blew out the gas instead OF turn
ing It down.
Agness roommates were probably asleep al
the time. The position OF the bodies showed
that the unfortunate girls had not died with
out a struggle.
The body of Agnes was lying half across
that OF her bed fellow, apparently indicating
that she was trying to get out OF bed when
the gas overpowered her.
No one occupied the adjoining room, and the
smell OF the gas was not detected until Annie
Hurley went upstairs to wake the girls.
II Is said hat Jennie GrUsSmau and Katie
Keefc have relations living In this city who
viii take charge Of their bodies
so far aS can be learned, Agnes Sears has nc
friends or relatives In town.