The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-15
DEATH WAS AT HAND
D.. IL. HAS A VERY NAR-
ROW ESCAPE FROM ASPHYX-
IATION
GAS JET PARTIALLY TURNS,
WAS DISCOVERED TO BE UN-
CONSCIOUS.
HE HAD LEFT AN EARLY CALL.
Which, With the Fact That the Win
low Was Slightly Open, Ac-
counts for His Being Alive.

j. e. Krenik, the junior member Of
the firm Of j. H. Kartack & Co, COM
mission merchants doing business at
313 st. Peter street, had a narrow es-
cape from death by asphyxiation,
yesterday morning. When found Mr..
krenik was unconscious and ap-
parently beyond aid, but the joint eff
forts Of several physicians who were
hurriedly summoned. succeeded in re-
suscitating him after two hours hard
work, n yesterday afternoon he
was pronounced out of danger, though
| confined to his bed throughout the
day.
Mr.. Krenik lives at 376 Franklin
street, When he retired Friday night
he left word to be called at 6 o'clock
yesterday morning, and to this fact
he doubtless owes his life. When the
person who went to his room shortly
before 6 o'clock and received no re-
Spouse to the knock, she was not at
first concerned as she failed to detect
the odor Of the escaping gas and
merely thought her border doing a
moment before arising. In about ten
minutes, however, when Mr.. Krenik
did not come down stairs and no
sound was heard. in his room, she
again went to the upper hallway and
was alarmed at smelling gas. Run
ming to Mr.. Krenik's room she pound
ed on the door, out got no answer.
A strong odOr Of gas was noticeable,
apparently coming from the room.
Hastily trying the door and finding it
locked the landlady screamed loudly
for help, %arousing Others of her
boarders and attracting several per-
sons from the street.
Among those who heard her cries on
the outside were eX-Clty Detective
Harry Meyerding and Herman
Schlithing, a cigar dealer at Seventh
and Franklin streets. They ran into
at once broke in Mr.. Krenik's door
The young man lay insensible cross
wise of the bed, while the coverings
were twisted n disheveled, show
ing that he had probably felt himself
being overcome and had tried to
arise. Mr.. Meyerding carried the I'M
conscious m ia to the fresh air and
labored with Inn until the arrival of
a physician, succeeding in arousing
distinct signs of life, though it was
feared the young mans experience
would prove fatal. When Mr.. Krenik
had sufficiently to talk he
told the story of his close call, which
shows the affair to have been purely
accidental.
When he retired. Mr.. Krenik said,
he had turned off the gas n had
thrown his shirt over the improvised
bracket made by the fixture. Either
in this way or as he released the stop
cock after shutting off the gas, the
jet was partially opened, allowing the
room to slowly fill with the poisonous
Vapor. An examination of the stop
cock showed it to be quite loose, per-
hitting it to be turned with a very
s!ISht pressure. Before going to bed
MI. Krenik opened the window in the
room several inches, and thus a 0uan-
THY OF the gas made it's escape dur
ing the night. Had the window been
closed he would undoubtedly have
been overcome earlier in the evening
without the knowledge of those abo1f
the house. When the IandIady
knocked on the door the first time
MI. krenik says he had a faint knovI-
edge that some one was trying TO
rouse him and that he tried to get nm
but he could not shake off the simmer
which had seized upon him. He con
slders his escape from death almost
miraculous, and is deeply grateful to
those who rescued him so onnorl
tunely. 0PpOi-