The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-01-25
Although There Was Only Very Slight
Flow Of Gas II Caused Death.
1T WAS PURELY A CASE OF ACCIDENT
Mclaughlin Was Intoxicated When Re Reaches
Home, and Probably While Turning or Cock
Struck ihe Other Inadvertently.

Between and o'clock this morning
Patrick Mclaughlin, a middle aged
man, employed as a meat cutter at the
branch OF the Public Market on South
Main street. was found dead In his bed
in the boarding house at 12l Clifford
street, conducted by Mr.. and Mrs. Frank
Ladd The room occupied by Nc
Laughln was filled with gas when the
door was opened and the man met his
death by asphyxiation. but there is no
evidence OF suicide as Mclaughlin was
known to be intoxicated when he went
home, and the gas-cock from which the
deadly fumes issued was found turned
on but a trihe. Medical Examiner Per-
kins reviewed the body this morning
and ordered il turned over to Under
taker Monahan and il now lies in his
rooms awaiting word from the dead
mans wife and family who reside IN
Worcester. Mass.
That McLaughlin's demise was acci-
dental Is beyond doubt. He returned
20 his boarding house about midnight
and as his fellow boarders and others
i'm the house declare was under the IN
1uence of LIQUOR. He entered the house
stairs TO climb 10 his room which Is IN
the attic OF the two story and halt
structure. He managed 20 get up the
first flight but on the top stair reeleu
and fell the entire length To the lower
hall.
Arnold Pickering and other boarders
heard Mclaughlin fall and went 10 ms
aesistance. Pickering aided him up the
two fights OF sta RS and started him Tor
his room at the front end OF the upper
hall. all safely. William Place VINO
works about the house sleeps just out
side McLaughlin's door i'm the outer at
tic and as the latter passed him fIace
asked il he had hurted himself NJ
Iaughlin replied that he guessed ne
,yould feel il some in the morning. NC
>1,aughlin closed his door and that was
The last seen Of him alive by anybody
I'm the house . -, -, .
NcI.aughIins room Is lighted by p
sas let protruding from the wall IN
the rear of the apartment. III IL al,
ordinary one-arm jet, with ssconu
burner projecting downward 20 the
,ight This latter burner was designed
Tor gas stove attachment. but was
not used as such. The COCK that MC
Iaughlin had TO turn 10 supply the
Illuminating burner is about one lnCh
from the cock on the stove suPpLS ,
burner. and the supposition is that the
man being ready for bed turned toward
Tho bedstead and reached up TO shut
off the light with his right hand. BEING
q little unsteady he could nave easily
etruck the second cock just hhru
enough to turn on slight now
IT gas but sufficient i'm i've or SIX hours
,o cause death So all circumstances
point TO accident. ,
Mclaughlin was always called at
o'clock in the morning, ana When ne
did not appear after the third cali TINS
morning bv Patsy Gibbon, who oc,
cupies the room next the one occupied
nv McLaughlin, Mrs. Ladd thouSh
something must be the matte. Abou
that time she detected the odor OF gas
and called her husband Together theA
ascended the stairs and traced the odo'
10 McLaughln's door, which theS
omen. IL was not locked. Then theN
found the victim. partially disrobed' ~
ing upon his side on the bed. lie nae
been dead for probably two hours D
more Mr.. Ladd summoned medlca
service and notified Station ..
Deceased was man liked much %!
his acauaintances. He was honest an'
snuare and Mr.. and Mrs Ladd spok
i'm hiph terms of him. But, IL is said
he would drink a little more than wa
good for him at times. He came her
from Worcester about a year ago. an'
had been employed i'm the Public Mar
iset branch on South Main street 70
soroe time. He was a good meat cut
TOR and gave satisfaction TO his employ
ers He has a wife and three growi
children in Worcester, and they haV
been notified.