The Saint Paul globe., 1898-08-16
COAL GAS In AN ICE BOX
PECULIAR PLAN OF SUICIDE
RESORTED TO

A. w. Losvnsbury's Financial Re-
verses and Continued Ill Health
Had Made Him Despondent, and
He Determined to Quit the Earth
Was Missing From Sunday I'm
til Body Was Found Yesterday.
Financial reverses, coupled with i'll
health, lead Albert w. Lownsbury to
end his life sometime Sunday, at the
Model Dairy, which he conducted at
5lS Rice street. His preparation for
death was careful and the method en-
ployed unusual. Attaching a piece Of
small rubber hose to a gas jet, he ran
it into an unused refrigerator several
feet away, and climbing in slowly as
phyXiated himself The body was
found yesterday morning, when a son
OF the dead man went to open the
store
The dead man had lived in ST. Paul
tWenty-SeVsn years For twenty three
yeaIs ne was a. a5conductor on the Ona-
hi road. When he left the service Of
the railroad company seven years ago,
he was in easy financial circums tances,
owning comfortable home al 1872 Nina
avenue, and possessing something OF
ali independent income. During re-
cent years, however, he embarked in
several business ventures, each Of
which was a. failure. He first lost
money in the laundry business, then
failed as a retail grocer. Later he
took charge of the cafe at the Barteau,
and here, too, lost money. Still arot er-
6icr1C CT rnl
when Mr.. Lownsbury found hims> Ii at
the e-d of his. resources. Then the
family home was mortgaged, and from
this time on heAWas much discouraged.
Two years ago he suffered an attack of
nervous prostration, and his wife says
his mind was afterward affected. He
sometimes remained up all night, pac-
ing the floor of his room. Thursday
night he was in an unusual state Of
unrest and did not go to bed at all.
Throughout his troubles Mrs. Lowns-
bury says her husband never threaten
ed suicide, though he frequently spoke
disconSolately.
1t was MIR. Lownsbury's custom to
keep the dairy open during the Sunday
morning hours. He went to his place
Of business as usual the day of his
DEATH apparently in composed fl anne
of mind. About 10 o'clock his son,
father that dinner would be ready at
home at l o'clock. Mr.. LowESbury was
quietly reading a paper and smoking
his pipe. He said he would be home
i'll time for dinner. This was the last
seen of him alive. He failed to go
home Sunday night. but this did not
alarm the family until his prolonged
absence yesterday morning, when his
son went in search of him.
ReaQhipp ttba dairy rvOlInor man
found the front door locked. When
the door was forced open the room was
found to contain an oppressive odor Of
gas. The rubber tube extending from
the gas jet to the refrigerator at once
attracted young Lownsbury's ate ntion.
Raising the lid he discovered the body
of his father lying at the bottom of
the refrigerator. The body was rigid,
showing that Lownsbury had been
dead some time. A search of the dead
mans clothing failed to d sclose COM
! muricaticn Of any kind explaining his
act In prepa ring for death Lowns-
bury had spread an old awning in the
bottom of the refrigerator and had
Lropped open the lid a short distance
/ with a steel staple to keep the tube
| from being squeezed SO that the gas
would be shut off. Coroner Nelson
! viewed the body. Finding the case un-
| nis,takably one of suicide, he will hold
no further inquiry.
| Mr.. Lownsbury was fifty-eight years
| old. He leaves a wife and two sons.
/ John and Frank, the younger being
nineteen years of age. He was born In
New York, but spent his early life in
| Illinois, coming to st. Paul in 1871. He
served four years In the army during
/ the Civil war as sergeant and color
! bearer of the T. irtee tn Wi cons n vol
! unteer regiment.
He was member of the local branch
| OF the Order of Railway Conductors.
The funeral will take place at the
! family residence at o'clock this aft
ernoon, and will be under the direction
OF the Order of Railway Conductors.
The body will be taken to Sharon, Wis,
for burial, this evening.