New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-14
!: THE NEWS OF BROOKLYN !
INHALED GAS AND DIED.
JOHN Fills COMMITTED SUICIDE IN AN
EAST NETWORK HOTEL.


HE HAD HAD AN INTERESTING CAREER AND WAS
NOT KNOWN TO HAVE ANY CAUSE FOR
sEI.F-MURDER.
John Fills one Of the best-known and most pop
ular men in the German club and singing society
circles Of Brooklyn, took his life at an early
hour yesterday morning by inhaling illuminating
gas through a rubber tube. The news OF his I'M
happy ending caused much surprise among his
many friends and acquaintances, as he was OF
particularly cheerful disposition. and was not be-
lieved to have any serious troubles. His family
ascribe the suicide TO mental unbaance, due TO the
recent hot spell.
Mr. Fills left his home at No 113 Court-st.. en-
Thursday morning. asking his wife to be sure and
cook for him for dinner particular dish OF vegeta-
bles which "A favorite with him. The dish was
cooked and waiting for him at dinner time the
dish grew cold but the husband had not come
home Late in the afternoon Mrs. Fills went to the
Fulton-st. store of Smith, Gray Co, where Fills
manager of the custom depart ment Inc store
people said he had not been there all day.
1t was afterward learned that Fills began drinking
heavily, and went out to a hotel at Alaoama-aVe
and Fulton-st There. after two and one-half
DAYS he ended his life He tottered TO his room In
the hotel at midnight Saturday. At late hodr
yesterday morning one Of the servants raped al
his door TO rouse him, thinking he had oversight.
There was no response. Smelling gas. the servant
called for assistance, ana the door
When the gas had been disposed of sufficiently 10
make IL safe TO enter the room, Fills was found
living on the bed dead Beside him was new white
rubber tube end of which was attached 10 the
gas Jet the other end being clutched In his right
hand near his mouth. 1t evident that he had
placed the tube in his mouth. and. having turned
on the gas forced himself to breathe 1t until he lost
consciousness.
The body was taken to his house last night, and
the Coroner will hold an inquest to-day.
Fils's was an interesting one lie was
born of Austrian parents. near Vienna. He learned
the trade OF a tailor. and as Journeyman saw all
of Europe learning TO speak eight languages iiuen'-
w. among them being German, Russian, lallah'
French Norwegian, English and Turkish. Whhe
in England he made the acquaintance Oh hoiu
Dunern who was impressed with Flss lingul5-
tic accomplishments that he employed MIN as
personal Interpreter, taking him to Rome and 81.
Petersburg Finally, when Durerin was sent as
British Ambassador to Constantincpe. he took Fills
as his official Interpreter. Fills made so good an
impression on the Sultan that the latter decorated
him with the medal Of an important IurKsh oruer.
This medal Fills took much pride IN eXhlptihs' anu
his stories of Turkish life were entertaining In the
extreme.
Al the time OF his death Fills was hfty-four years
Old He came to this country twenty-five years
ago and was employed for many years by smith,
Gray & Co. He left this firm for short TINE nm -,
~ a. vas member Of the Saenger bund. the Lesslng
Lodge of Free Masons, the leasing Q9arte, me
Masonic Veterans Association the hn igSd,S St
Honor the Legion of Honor and the Midmght
Quartet He was with the latter organHi5Zhton
Chen IL gave It's New Years serenades 10 mayors
Schieren and Wurster. He was formerly the pass t
in the quartet of the Schermerhorn German AD'"-
Fills was slender and six feet tall and was ca ea
the ma ior- general" by his friends, but no one
tnev where the title came from. lie was an n
yeterate story teller and had an infectious laugh,
His health had been failing for two years. re
u.as troubied with bronchial catarrh. Since the
hot spell his wife says he has been tacturh am,
her
being wrong mentally. ,r, IL MO,
Ua leaves a widow and several children. lie was
.hn Sa}her ~ thirteen children. eight by wife VINO
died in Europe and five by his second wife; Tour
boys and girl The latter Is no" "aNei'"s III