The evening times., 1897-02-10
GAS OR DRINK KILLED HIM
Joseph DE Souter Found Dead
i'm His Bed.
A WELL-KN0WN CHARACTER
He Went on Periodical Sprees.
a Little Dog Lay on His Couch
Unharmed, Indicating That Death
Probably Did Not Result From
Asphyx!aticn.

Joseph De Souter a Belgian shoemaker,
was found dead in bed in his room at No.
COZ Sixth street northwest, shortly after
IL O'Clock this morning. Death is sup
posed to have resulted either from inhala-
tiou OF illuminating gas or from alcoholism
Coroner Hanmnett is making an investiga-
ton this afternoon.
DeSouteT has been under the influence OF
Iquorsince SATURDAY. night when wa spaid
his weekly wages, He worked in the shop
o. Charles Reinhardt, No sos Sixth street
northwest, and had been in Mr. Reinhardt' S
employ for twenty one years. He had be-
come known as one Of the picturesque
characters Of the section of tire city where
he lived and worked
He had a room and board at the house
OF Mrs. Charles Munc, at the number men-
toned above, occupying a small ballroom
on the third floor. DE Souter drank heavily
all dag yesterday and retired to his room
about 1880 O'Clock. Nothing more was
heard or seen of him until hate this morning.
When Mr. SOleR, a boardier on the same
floor, started out about IL O'Clock this
morning, he noticed a slight odor OF gas
about the house. In passing De Souters
room he found the door slightly agar, and
discovered that the gas was coming from
within. He pushed the door open and saw
De Souter lying on the bed with his mouth
open and breathing almost inaudibly. 1t
was evident that the man was nearly
dead.
Mr.. Solon gave the alarm, and Inessen-
gers were quickly dispatched for a ply
sician. The Emergency Hospital am
bulance was also called and responded
shortly afterward in charge OF DIR. Hooe.
By the time he reached the mans bed
side life was entirely extinct, and the
body was allowed to remain for the ar
rival of the coroner.
There was nothing about the room to
indicated that DeSouter had committed sui
eide He was never heard to speak OF end
ing his own life, and was noted as a jolly
companion. There is question among the
members OF the household whether death
resulted from the effects of the gas or
the liquor he had been drinking. There
was single jet on the wall, and on this
the stopcock moved easily. IL was turned
only partially on, however, and the flow
had not been strong. In his drunken CON
dition the man had evidently accidentally
left the stop turned.
In addition TO the door being partly
open, there was window pane missing,
and the ventilation was good. A pecul-
lar feature of the case was the fact that
a little black house-dog, that had been in
the habit OF sleeping in the room with
De Souter was found curled up at the foot
Of the bed. Thehttle canine wakened when
the door was opened, and scampered off
downstairs This would also lead TO the
theory that death resulted from alcoholism,
rather than from suffocation. No note
was found about the room, to indicate that
suicide had been intended
DeSouter was known among his fellow
boarders as more or less of wag. Above
his bed in red and white letters was the
following inscription: Il trust I'm God
today Tomorrow YOU DeSouter had been
in the same house for about two years.