Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-07-28
Mrs. Margaret A. Pyle Found
Dead on the Floor at Her
Residence, Eighth and
KirkwuOd Streets.
suFFoCATED BY ESCAPING GAS
Had Suffered From Nervous
Disease Ever Since She Be-
gan Using Artificial Teeth,
and Had Declared Her
Misery wasUnbear-
able and Threat
ened to Take
Her Life.

Mrs. Margaret A. Pyle, aged 63 years.
widow of James Pyle, was found dead
at her residence, southeast corner of
Eighth and Kirkwood streets, about
7.30, O'Clock Monday morning. Whether
slie committed suicide or met death
accidentally has not yet been deter
mined, but indications point to the
former. sG
Since her husbands death, which
occurred 10 or l2 years ago, Mrs. Pyle
bad resided alone at the location
stated. she occupying the storeroom
and Milton Keene and family using the
remainder of the building. Mrs. Pyle
had had the storeroom divided by
small partitions into three rooms, and
had used the front one as dry goods
store, the second as cook and sitting
room and the rear one as bed room.
Peopls passing the building ut Z. 80
o'clock Monday detected the odor
of escaping gas and notified Polics
Officers Kelleher and Peterson, who
forced an entrances into Mrs. Pyle's
apartments. They found her in her
night clothes, lying on the floor of the
with one of her arms reAting on a
bands. The corpse was only slightly
dead long. The hose was detached
from the stove, and thsgas burner was
turned Oh. The transom opening into
| ths street, il is said, was open, as was
also window opening into the store,
but board covered crack in the
door. WEI
Dx,lA L.I Iotn - n
nervous disease for five years. ever
sihce she began using artificial teeth.
| Il is said she had obtained several
sets. and had paid $50 for them. She
had been troubled with severe pains in
the head and the roof OF her mouth.
| and to allay the pain in her mouth had
often burned and cut it. Several times,
it ia stated, she had declared the
| misery in her heau was unbearable
| and she would commit suicide. One
of her grandnieces was4gith her on
Saturday, until Mrs. Pyle told the
child she had seen her suffer long
enough and told her to go home. y
Deputy Coroner Chandler was
promptly notified, and had ths corpse
sent to the residence of Mrs. Pyle't
niece, Mrs. James O. Crockett, No.
| lOzO Whlnut bIr6et. WuIib bxhintulnE
the deceased's effects, he found life
insurance policy for $500. will and {
note. Both the will and note apparently
had been written long time. Tht
latter mentioned some bills which ART
outstanding. and requested that tht
money be collected and divided amonf
Mrs. Crockett's four children. Mrs
Crockett also has will, which Mrs
Pyle made some time ago. Mrs. Pyl,
had no children. Her only sister, Mrs
John Crockett. resides at Appleton
Md. Mrs. Pyle had been member o
Old Swedes Church for many years
and, excepting the services of the las
three Sundays. which she did no
attend, was regular attendant. Thre
small envelopes containing the none.
she had intended to oontributs to tn
church on the three Sundays she wa
absent were found in box in th
store. and given to Mrs. Martin B
Dunlap, the wife OF the minister il
charge at Old Swedes.
Deputy Coroner Chandler Tuesda,
gave certificate OF death fron
asphyxiatiun in the case of Mrs
Margaret A. Pyle, whose dead bod
was found Monday at her residence
Eighth and Kirkwood streets. 1t i
the opinion at the ooroner's offics tina
the woman took her own life.