The times., 1897-03-15
GAS KILLS AN OLD SOLDIER
John C0nden Found Dead i'm the
Thyson House.
The Doors and Windows Of BIS
Room CIoSed-Coroner Thinks
Death Was Accidental.

John Condor, an old soldier from the
Home, was found dead in the Thyson
House, corner OF Seventh and streets
northwest, yesterday. The door and win
dow were tightly closed and the gas turned
on. Condor was a hard drinker and was
recovering from a recent spree.
He had been a frequent visitor to the
Tbyson House and was brought there by
comrade Saturday night in badly inteXi-
Gated state Mr.. w. Z. Cole, the propri tor,
recognized his condition and gave the bar
keeper orders not to sell him any more
liquor. Condor made several attempts
to get drink, but the harkeeper was firm,
and he finally fell asleep in back room.
When the time for closing the bar came, Mr.
Cole hadhim sent up to room on thethird
floor.
Condon was not seen again until about
IL O'Clock yesterday morning. He came
down stairs and tried to get some whisky
He could not get it himself and tried to
have some of the walters procure it for
him. He failed in all these attempts and
went to the kitchen and asked for little
bread and butter A waiter served him
and he again made an effort to get
drink, but with no better success than he
had met in his previous efforts He then
returned to his room.
About 3 clock in the afternoon the
guests noticed slight smell of gas about
the hotel. They thought it came from the
furnace in the cellar, until it grew strong
enough TO alarm them; and about $50
bellboy and several of the guests made an
investigation. 1t waj very hard to locate
the room in which the gas was escaping.
A thorough search convinced them that
il was in room 10, the one occupied by
Condor. After the door was tried and
found locked pass-key was procured but
the key was n the lock on the insideof the
room and could not bc removed. The tran
som, which was closed tightly, was taken
out and a waiter showed over the top OF
the door
Condor was lying upon the bed with
only his shoes and coat removed. The
window and shutters were thrown open,
and Policeman Cochran, who had been
summoned, dragged the bed to the air and
made an effort to revive the man. His
body was warm and death had evidently
occurred quite recently. Physicians Were
called in, hut could render no assistance
Condor was dressed in mixed brown
=.
and vest, and a black felt hat His
pockets contained car ticket, two pocket
knives, pair of spectacles, @ handker
chief, ard an envelope address to him
self, postInarked Brooklyn, n. Y. The
envelope contained a small part of q
letter with a memorandum of money re-
paid out, on the back.
Nothing definite could be learned of
Condor M the Soldiers Home last night
He was known as a good-natured fellow,
but q hard drinker. He was about forty
five years old, five feet, nine inches tall,
weighed about 60 pounds, and had sandy
hair and a mustache. About year ago
he got on a spree and went for several
days with his collarbone broken. This was
discovered at the Home and he was sent
working as nurse. He was paid his
pension money last Thursday. and had
been absent from the Home since Satur-
day, drinking as long as his money lasted.
Coroner Hammett viewed the remains
about $50 O'Clock, and ordered the body
removed to the morgue. He does not think
It case of suicide, but an accident on
the part of drunken man. The boy at
the hotel who saw Condor yesterday states
that he was sober, but badly in want of
whiskey to straighten him up from his
recent spree. The body will probably be
removed TO the Soldiers Home, ndinterred
there today.