The San Francisco call., 1899-04-20
DEATH SUMMONS
ANOTHER PIONEER
in His Apartments at Hotel
Marguerite.

jeremiah J. Desmond, one of the oldest
and best-known insurance men of San
Francisco, died Wednesday night of apo
pleXy at his apartments in the Hotel
Marguerite, oil Turk street At first it
was thought that his death was due to
accidental asphyXiation, but an investi-
cation of the circumstances proved this
to be untrue. 1t was Mr.. Desmond's Gus
tom to retire every night about IL o'clock
and to rise in the morning at o'clock for
the purpose Of reading his morning paper
in bed. Yesterday the Japanese servant
who is employed at the Marguerite noticed
that the paper was outside of the door
and when he attempted to open the door
for the purpose of taking the paper into
the room he found it locked. His atten-
tion was next attracted by the odor of
gas w. II. Powers, the manager of the
hotel, was notified. He gained an entrance
to the room and found the body of Mr..
Desmond on the floor. Death had evil
IDENTIFY ensued several hours before as
the remains were cold and stiff. Powers
declares that there was not enough gas
in the room to have caused death. The
key to the gas jet was only partially
turned.
Mr.. Desmond was an old man and very
stout. He was inclined to apoplexy, and
in fact, for several days he had been
complaining of dizziness. The supposition
iS that he was suddenly attacked in the
night and that he attempted to rise and
turn on the gas, and that he was over
come before he could do so. None of his
family nor any Of the employees of the
hotel know of any reason why Mr.. Des-
mond should desire to commit suicide.
When he retired Wednesday night he was
apparently in the best of health and spir-
its. DR.. w. P. Chalmers, the State Quar-
antine Officer, who is a nephew Of the de-
ceased, and Coroner Hill, believe that the
death was accidental. DIR. Chalmers noti-
fed Mr. Desmonds family of his death
OF iC try
nut Creek, in Contra Costa County. Mrs
Desmond and her sons, Henry and Paul.
reached the city yesterday afternoon and
took charge of the remains, which were
removed to undertaking parlors, where
the autopsy was held The deceased also
leaves one other son, William Desmond
Desmond is survived by his sisters, Mrs
Mary d. Chalmers and Mrs. Honora Law
Ter, and a brother, G. Desmond, of this
city. There is also another brother resid-
ing in Los Angeles. The funeral will take
place tomorrow and the remains will be
temporarily inferred in Calvary Cemetery,
in the plat of Paul Desmond.
The deceased was II years of age and a
native of Ireland. He came to this coun-
try when young man and located In
Massachusetts, where he married. About
thirty years ago he moved with his fam
lily to San Francisco. He is well remem-
bered as one Of the early pioneer retail
C. Desmond, he conducted for a number
of years a large hat store at the corner
of New Montgomery and Market streets
He next engaged in the fire insurance
business, with which he has been identi-
fed ever since up to the time of his death
During. his life Mr.. Desmond represented
a number Of large Insurance companies.
among them being the Lancashire Fire
Insurance Company. He at one time also
represented several French companies
Mr.. Desmond was at his office on
Wednesday and in consequence his sud
den death was a great shock to the many
people who knew him and enjoyed his
friendship. He was a man of the highest
integrity and held the confidence and es-
TEEN of all with whom he had any bust
ness dealings In private life he endeared
himself to his friends and family bv his
kindly nature and gentle disposition.
In his younger days the deceased was a
pupil of Gilmore, the famous band con-
ductor, and under his tutorship became
an excellent cornet soloist. Later on
with three others he organized Desmond s
brass band, which enjoyed a fine reputa-
ton. Up to the time Of his death Mr..
Desmond always took deep interest in
musical affairs, and he was member of
Professor McKenzie's Choral Society.