Evening star., 1895-06-11
DEAD IN HIS BATH ROOM
Suicide This Morning of Grocer on Capitol
Hill.
His Body Found by His CIerk-The
Suicide Formerly n Depart
ment EmplOye.

Excitement was occasioned this morning
in the vicinity of 1st and D streets south
east by the discovery of the suicide of Geo
w. Mabis, the proprietor of grocery store
at 81 u street southeast. The store is To-
Gated at the corner, and the house adjoin-
ing on 1st street was occupied as a resi-
dence by Mr.. Mabis.
The store was closed somewhat earlier
than usual last evening, and nothing was
seen Of the proprietor until this morning,
when the only clerk. a young man of about
eighteen years of age, arrived and opened
the store at $50 o'clock. Not seeing any
thing of Mr.. Mabis, the clerk went upstairs
to awaken him.
Found In the Bath Room.
The bed room was found to be unoccu-
pied. but on opening the door of the bath
room Mabis' dead body was found hanging
over the edge Of the tub. The clothing was
unfastened and the water was running from
one Of the spigots into the tub. The hands
of the dead man were in the water and his
face was hidden from view against the side
OF the tub. The key Of the gas Jet was
open, while the only window to the room
was closed and the cracks between the door
and the door jamb had been carefully
closed with paper.
shocked by the horrible sight, the clerk
managed to turn off the gas raised the
window and stopped the flow of water.
Then. hastily closing the establishment, he
notified the police. An officer was immedi-
ately sent to the house and remained in
charge till the arrival of the coroner. DR..
Hammett reached the scene at 1918 o'clock
and at one glance decided that an inquest
clothing of the deceased disclosed a par
TALLY emptied bottle of whisky and a num-
ber Of unimportant papers. From the ap-
pearance Of the body Coroner Hammett
I'D &I.k g.. L.. i -.
eral hours prior to the discovery of the re-
mains by the clerk
Formerly a Department Clerk.
Mr.. Mabis was a native of Ohio. and was
about forty-two years of age.s He was
handsome in appearance and well liked by
all who knew him. For a number Of years
he held a clerkship in one of the depart
ments, and later was the travelling agent
for a large grocery house. He opened the
store at 81 Dstreet southeast in September
last. OF late, 1t is said he was in the
habit OF indulgtng in frequent sprees, and
as a result had considerable trouble with
his wife. She left him two weeks ago and
returned to her home in Wheeling, w. Va.
The separation from his wife seemed to
prey heavily on the mind of Mabis, and he
drank to greater extent than usual.
Last Saturday he made two attempts to
end his life in manner similar to that
which proved successful this morning but
the timely appearance of his clerk frus-
trated both efforts. According to the clerk
Mr.. Mabis drank a full quart of whisky
yesterday, and 1t Is the opinion that al
coholism had much to do with his untimely
end.
Mrs. Mabis was notified of the occurrence
by telegraph this morning, and an effort
was made to communicate with the mother
of the dead man, who left for Europe last
week. The body and the effects of the de-
ceased We're taken in charge by brother
in-law of Mrs. Mabis Mr.. Allen K Wagner,
who resides at 40 d street southeast Later
in the day the remains were removed to
Lees undertaking establishment and pre-
pared for burial. Interment will probably
Ohio.