The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-05
MISS NEWCOMERS DEATH.
MUCH LEFT TO SURMTSE ABOUT
THE SAD ACCIDENT.
The Young Lady Was Not Locked in ny n
Spring Latch. ns Was said, ana II L. Con-
Jectured that She Tainted In the Room
Where the GINS Had Becn set Leaking.

The Young Lady Was Not Locked In by n
Spring Latch, ns Was said, and II is Con-
Jectured that She Tainted In the Room
Where the GINS Had Been set Leaking.
large number OF people called yesterday
to offer condolences at the house OF Isaac Is.
Newcombe of 241 Central Park West. whose
only daughter. Miss Mary Edith. n young lady
OF 20 years. died from gas asphyxiation on
Saturday morning. as THE Sun OF yesterday
related. 1t was so late on Saturday night when
the news OF the distressing accident was re-
ceived that the story could be told only hastily.
Tho cause of death. as officially stated by
Deputy Coroner Weston. is accidental usphyy-
iation. Exactly how tho accident occurred
no one can know. 1t happened that on
Thursday night the water pipes In the house
got out OF order SO that there was running
water in tho basement alone. Mrs. Newcombo
mentioned this fact to her daughter Just before
they retired. which was at about 1880 p NJ.
What timo it was when Miss Newcombe got
up and left her room.w which is on the third floor
at the front. there is no means of knowing. OK
cept that IL was between L o'clock that night
aud I O'Clock on tho following morning. She
threw n long dressing sacuue over her night
dress, puton pair OF soft slippers. and went
down to the basement. where there Is u lava
tory No one heard her 60.
Tho front OF the basement OF tho house.
which faces tho east. is entirely occupied by
the billiard room OH the south and the ad ioin.
ing lavatory on the north. Tho lavatory does
not run SO far back from the front us the bill
lard room does. and in the Jog back OF it is u
little 0xS storeroom with no windows. tho
western wall OF which is about flush with tho
western wall or back wall Of the billiard room.
Tho only way into the lnvatory is through q
door in the north wall OF the billiard room.
n M IA ppl vi IN hp efpr iuf bro fyh
u door In the W est or back wall of tho lavatory.
The gas let In tho lavatory is ut the northern
end Of tho room.
1t is probable that Miss Newcombe turned
of the gas before leaving tho lavatory. and
then. losing her bearings for u moment. mis-
took the door leading into the, store!oom for
that leading into the billiard room. When
she got into the soreroon the door. which is
II spring door. opening inward. closed after
n% ssa TprnE oe
Newcombe could have reopened it IL she had
had the strength.
gas fixture; II lights by an electrical device. A
rod depends from the fixture, The key at the
base OF the pipe being turned on. the rod is
pushed up and an electric spark lights the
Jet OF gas.
How the gas was turned on and not lighted
Is purely matter OF conjecture. 1t may DO
that Miss Newcombe rushed the rod first. and
aitcrward turned on the gas and then hecom-
She did not understand the apparatus There
was no lock or catch on the door to prevent
her o s1inG q out G 81 she had
northern end of the room may hayo confused
her. Perhaps. she orened one Of the doors
thinking that it was the door into the lavatory.
and finding her way barred tya wall tainted
from rGh yy sounds hdsr that she might haze
Sssi h iSs" s
lay half propped against the back wall Just
under the gas fixture.
When one Of the servants came down stairs
at O'Clock Friday morning she was alarmed
by the strong smell Of gas in the basement.
storeroom and saw Miss SewcomIe e halt lying.
half sitting against the opposite wall. breath
a ns h b. nhS @ %S fyn
minutes he was at the house. followed shortly
avenue the family physician. The two pIy 81
clans treated the girl with Oxygen. hut she did
nor i az any tine rsEan r"nst,ous ana at
after she was found. she died. Illuminating
gas is poisonous nsweli as suiIoeating; 1t is
nsnYy Coroner Weston Nest n. was sent for on
viii take place on Thursday, whether ut
Moodiawn or f9ughhGersie has not yet been
! decided The funeral Will DO private. The
'lhnmas's Church, Of which Miss Newcombe
| was n member. will otiiciate.
| Miss Newcombe was {. bright and Intelligent
| young woman. Her friends are unable to be-
| Love that she would hccome panic stricken
find her way out Of II strange room. Those
who know the circumstances OF her death be-
| licve that she must have been taken suddenly
| i'll. On Wednesday she went dining with
| friends and seemed 10 be in the best oil health.
| ON Thursday also. she went on n shopping
| lady who knows the Newcombes intimately
said yesterday.
II believe that the unfortunate accident
was tho result OF n sudden sickness. Miss
Nowrembc was not n hysterlcal girl or ono
who would lose her head in danger. ! cannot
bellows that she was panic stricken. Tho
most natural explanation to II person who
knew her would seem to be that she was sud
the III most inexp.icable turning on of the gas
she did not recover from her faint in time to
| escaIe s.upcfact!on by the gas"