The record-union., 1896-12-13
From One Of the Burners Gas Was
Escaping in Full Force.
Both Were Prominent Free Thinkers,
and Were Travelling Together on a
Lecturing Tour of the United
States-Their Deaths Believed to
Have Been an Accident, as Both
Were Fully Dressed, and Were to
Leave for New York To-Day.

bOO1 1OAN, Lee 1-.-HoctlIluCl ~
nam and Miss May l.. Collins were
found dead this morning in a flat which
had been occupied for a week past by
Miss Collins. The deaths We're due to
asphyxiation, and the police think were
caused by accident. Both We're found
lying on the floor of the room, and were
fully dressed. From one of the gas
burners the gas was escaping in full
force.
Mr.. Putnam, who was 56 years old,
and Miss Collins, 20 years old, and free
thinkers, have been travelling together
on lecturing tour. Mr.. Putnam spoke
in Payne Hall last Sunday night. 1t
was the intention of the two to leave
to-day for New York, where a banquet
is to be rendered prominent free think
ers tomorrow evening.
Mr.. Putnam came from Chichester,
n. H, and Miss Collins from Midway,
KY, where her parents reside.
1t appears that about s o'clock last
night both Mr. Putnam and Miss Col
Inns entered the latters room, prepara-
tory to starting for Stoneham. Shortly
afterward the escaping of gas was de-
tected by the janitor but he could not
of gas was much stronger, and was
finally traced to Miss Collins room.
The door was locked but was opened
after the key had been pushed out and
another inserted in it's place. Both per-
sons were dead. On table in the room
was a bottle Of whisky partly filled.
Mr.. Putnam had only appeared at the
house, it is said, as Miss Collins visitor.
1t is probable that Miss Collins body
will be cared for by local free thinkers.
Mr.. Putnam has travelled extensively
throughout the country, and had quite
recently lectured in Chicago and that
vicinity. He had written a number of
books on free thought
In the room adjoining that in which
the bodies We're found was the book en-
titled -Four Hundred Years of Free
Thought" written by Mr. Putnam, and
containing his autobiography. Accord
ing to this he entered Dartmouth Col
lege in 1893. Three years later he went
TO the war as a private, was promoted
to Captain in 1863, and served in the
Department of the Gulf until the end
of the war. He was graduated from
the Theological Seminary in Chicago In
iocC, SIiih III NdIilbd III OIlUOuO8 S.
| In 1871 he joined the Unitarian denom-
ination, and subsequently became a free
thinker. He was elected Secretary of
the American Secular Union in 1887,
and three years later was elected Pres
ident of the Union, and at that time
established in San Francisco a journal
entitled Free Thought" He was after
ward chosen President of the California
State Union. Later he was elected
President of the American Free
Thought Federation, which position he
held at the time of his death.
There is more than one mysterious
point that will have to be cleared up be-
fore 1T can be definitely known whether
the deaths were accidental or not. IT
was stated to-day that Miss Collins
and Mr.. Putnam were preparing to 60
to Stoneham last night, but this has
been found to be Incorrect Miss Col
Inns was in Stoneham, where she took
olnner. returning to Boston in the
afternoon, it is supposed that she took
supper with Mr.. Putnam, and the two
| came to Miss Collins room together
about O'Clock in the evening. The door
was locked and the gas was lighted. and
was seen to be burning as late as mid
night. The bottle of whisky found on
a table in the room had been seen there
previously, and was not disturbed by
them last night. There was found
| however, bottle of benedictine from
| which about a pint of liquid was miss
ing. There was slight wound on the
woman's head, which might have been
caused by fall. The fact that the
gas cock turned hard and that the es-
| Gaping gas made a kissing sound that
could be distinctly heard ten feet away.
while the room was not seven feet wide.
would tend to explode the theory that
the gas had been accidentally turned
| and left to escape.
WELL-KNOWN AT CHICAGO.
CHICAGO, Dec 12.-Samuel Porter
Putnam, who was 80 years old made his
nome IN this city, but spent most of his
time as a lecturer in all parts of the
United States. advocating the cause of
free thinkers. Mr.. Putnam had quar-
ters at the office of the American Secu-
lar Union, 141 South Water street. and
during the last year had lived on the
West Side. when not on lecture tour.
He was not married, and leaves no
close relatives.
There was great surprise and sorrow
at the Office of the American Secular
Union when the news was read. In a
letter received from the dead leader yes
terday by Secretary e. c. Reichwald,
Mr.. Putnam wrote that he was feeling
well and speaking to large audiences.
| He added that he would return to Chi