Evening star., 1897-04-09
DEAD IN ! .,'==5HER BED
Fatal Accident at the House of Mrs.
Beck.
SUFFOCATED BY'.ESCAPING GAS
A Servant Girl Who Did Not Un-
derstand the Fixtures.
THE DEAD GIRLS NE

This morning about o'clock the sixth
precinct patrol wagon was called out in
the drenching rain to the house OF Mrs.
Christian Beck, No. 636 D street north
west, to remove the dead body of colored
servant, who had inhaled too much illumi-
mating gas. All that was known of the
poor girls identity was that her name was
Carrie, and that she had lived at the house
Of her aunt, on Sd street. In what sec
ton OF the city her aunt lives Mrs. Beck
had not ascertained. and so, when the
body was taken to the morgue, 1t was in
tended to hold 1t there for the purpose of
identification, well as to get it out of
Mrs Beck's house. The appearance of the
wagon at the front door of the saloon,
which was owned and conducted by the
late Christian Beck. had the effect of at
tracing quite crowd of curious people,
who were willing to stand in the rain and
get wet in order to satisfy their curiosity.
Finally Policemen Mansfield and Kimmell
and William Schoenberger, superintendent
of the morgue, reached the wagon with
their CHASTITY burden, and the crowd was
satisfied to di3perse when the wagon had
started toward the morgue.
Carrie, she said her name was, called
at Mrs. Beck's yesterday morning because
she had heard that the latter wanted a
servant. Another servant who had been
engaged, failed to come, and Mrs. Beck
took Carrie on trial. Carrie was appar-
emily not more than twenty years old, and
her conduct Indicated that she had prob
ably lived in the country most of her life.
When she called to enter upon her duties
she had her bundle of clothes with her, burt
Mrs. Beck did not care for her to stay at
night. Her work during the day was sat
isfactory, and Mrs. Beck was very much
pleased with her. When night came Carrie
was permitted to stay over night because
of the weather. and Mrs. Beck made her
comfortable In a room on the top floor The
room was nicely furnished, and the servant
was given every comfort that is to be had
in an ordinary hotel.
Blew Out the Gas.
Mrs. Beck was not feeling well last night,
and when she said she would retire early
Carrie said she would do likewise, and so
it was earlier than 8 o'clock when she said
Good night and went to the room indi-
Gated by her employer.
IT'S 80 dark upstairs" said Carrie, that
I want light -
Here's a match" said Mrs. Beck, di-
recting her to the match box in the kitch-
en-. which is on the second floor. But"
she she added you must be very careful with
II will" said Carrie. who repeated Good
night" and minute. later was in her
room, with her door closed.
She was soon in he'd, for the light In her
room was extingmshed before Mrs Beck
retired. but the manner in which the sup
posed country girl had extiaguished 1t
caused her death some time during the
Eight: AS she was not in the kitchen this
morning when Mrs. Beck arose the latter
went to her door and called her. Her call
was repeated a number of times. and final
ly she knocked on the door. When she
failed to receive response to this she be-
came impatient and concluded that II she
had to take a course in physical culture
every morning she would have to get rid Of
the new maid. She then went to the kitchen
and started preparations for breakfast
About 8 O'Clock the colored man, Mack, -
came. came in and he was sent to arouse the
rs she there?" asked Mrs. Beck, and the
colorcd man answered a sorrowfuI yes"
adding. II smell gas"
The lock fell to the floor when the colored
man exerted his strength against the
door. Life had been extinct for several
hours at least. for the body was cold. When
the police learned of what had happened
they went and got the body. Then an ef-
fort was made to have the body of the
unfortunate woman identified, and for this
purpose colored people in the neighborhood
Of the fnorgue were invited to assist the
police.