The herald., 1898-06-08
he INHALED GAS
MARCUS SMITH FOUND DEAD
IN BED
He Had Become Dependent Over His
Inability to Secure Steady
Employment

Dependency over inability to secure em-
ployment caused Marcus Il. Smith, bar
keeper, to commit suicide some time last
Monday night, in his room in the Piedmont
lodging house on East First street, between
Main and Los Angeles streets. The cham
bermaid of the house was the first to dis
cover the dead man, when she went to clean
the room.
There is narrow passageway leading
to Smiths room, and when the woman
reached it she found the door of his
room bolted and detected strong odor of
gas. She suspected that something was
wrong, SO went around to a little court.
which opened into Smiths room, and, rails
ing a window, saw the man lying on the
bed motionless. The alarm was given
and Police officer George hurried to the
house. He climbed through the window,
but at first the odor of gas was so strong
as to make it impossible to remain in the
room. Smith was found lying at the foot
of the bed, and piece of rubber tube run
ming from the gas jet to his breast told the
exact means of his suicide.
For some days past Smith had been I'M
able to secure employment He had been
discharged from the United States hotel
bar last Friday night, and since then had
been leading a hand-to-mouth existence,
borrowing small sumss He hired the room
in the Piedmont house on Saturday night,
and evidently deliberately planned his
death. He borrowed SO cents from a
friend Monday evening and purchased the
rubber tube. Then after eating his last
meal at a street wagon, he went to his
room, removed all of his clothes, except
his shirt and undershirt. He took off the
glass globe over the gas jet and removed
the tip. Then, attaching one end of the
tube to the gas jet, he turned on the cur
rent, and, placing the other end of the tube
in his mouth. lay down on the bed to calm
ly await his death. Death evidently result
ed in short time, after he had been vlo-
ently sick. The man left the following
letter in explanation of his act:
My name is Marcus Franklin Smith,
l was born in Sweden. Have been in
United States 81 years, in this city one
year, two months. My last employ
ment was five months in U. s. bar-room.
The mistreatment of my employers is
the reason why I take myself out of
trouble as l think l have had enough
of it. and my life has been a failure for
the last few years. Good-by to all.
Regarding the causes for the discharge
of Smith, Mr.. Althouse, the proprietor of
the United States saloon, said that Smith
bad been in his employ on two occasions,
but had been discharged once because of
his disagreeable manner. having insulted
customers. Smith had hung about the
place for six weeks. doing nothing, until
Mr. Althouse's brother had put him at work
again. On Friday night it was noticed that
Smith failed to ring up 40 cents in the cash
register, which had been paid for drinks
and on going around the bar Althouse said
he discovered the money lying on table.
He discharged Smith and ordered him new
err to come into the place again. This was
the last Althouse had seen of him. Only Is
cents was found among the dead mans ef-
fects, and he owned absolutely nothing but
the clothes he wore, so far as could be
learned. The remains were removed to the
undertaking rooms of Bresee Brothers,
where an inquest was held last night.