Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1891-01-24
DANGERS OF GASOLINE.


ide gas win knock a man down as
quickly as if struck by club. The
Pantagraph gives account of two re-
cent cases at Normal, Texas, which
shonld be a warning to those who
use gasoline or coal stoves.
A short time ago Mr.. John w.
Gee and his wife and six months
old child came to Normal from FL
Paso. He came to attend the univers-
ity, and they rented two upstairs
rooms. In one of the rooms they
had gasoline stove and did their
cooking, and the other was used as
sleeping room.
One morning they arose about s
o'clock, and were heard for the last
time about 6 O'Clock. At I o'clock
the Gee baby was heard crying, and
a neighbor went upstairs to ascertain
the cause. The baby was in the
sleeping. room and she picked the
child up and opened the door to the
other room, which the Gees used as
kitchen. The bodies of Mr.. and
Mrs. Gee, lying in a cramped condi-
ton met her gaze. The sight was
too much for her, and she ran Shrek
down the stairs and tainted.
Mr.. G. II. Warner, who lives next
door came in and detecting the odor
of gas in the room; which the bodies
were, opened the doors and windows
and attempted to resuscitate the
man and woman. The bodies were
cold and his efforts were of no avail.
At the inquest, Mr.. Warner testi-
fled that he turned of the Jets in the
gasoline stove, opened the windows
and the stove was a new two-burner.
Prof B. p. Cotton, professor Of
chemistry in the Normal university,
was called and said that the natural
odor or fumes Of gasoline was not
sutilcatng; that the gasoline stove
In ordinary running can and does
sometimes produce a carbonic acid
gas that would cause an intense head
ache, but would be slow in its effects.
He said also that il produced a car.
bonie oxide when only partially CON-
bustion oeeurredi which would prove
fatal IL full breath was taken II
is the same as that formed in hard
coal stoves. Other roomers in the
house testified to the happy relations
existing between the deceased and
that they had no trouble or differ
ences.
The jury rendered a verdict to the
effect that Mr. and Mrs. Gee came
to their. death by inhaling carbon
monoxide gas, produced by a gaso-
line stove. The faces OF the dead
looked perfectly natural and gave
evidence that the grim reaper's work
was done quickly. The baby was
slightly affected by the gas, but is
now all right.
The room in which the accident oc-
cured is small one and the windows
and doors were closed tight. The
couple we're dressed and had appar-
emily had breakfast. The stove was
used, and from some cause, which
does not clearly appear, gas was gen.
Grated. 1t is believed that this was
heavier than the air, and hence hung
in thick mass near the floor. The
supposition is that Mrs. Gee stopped
down for some purpose, and getting
breath of the poisonous vapor, fell.
Her husband in attempting to pick
her up, met the same fate, and fell
dying beside her. This superstition
is formed from the position of the
bodies. For sometime after the VIM
dows had been opened there was
strong smell OF the gas in the room.
4
Prof. Cotton declared that the gas
was 80 deadly that one breath was
sufficient to destroy life.