Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-02-01
ENDED HIS LIFE WITH GAS

"A stranger, apparently about IS years
OF age, whose identity has not been
established, was found dead about /. Is
o'clock yesterday In room, No. %,
at Mayors Hotel, northwest corner OF
Fourth and French streets, with the
door and windows closed and the gas
turned on full head. AS he had not
undressed before retiring, ii is'supposed
he committed suicide, although this
has not been definitely settled. Nobody
about the place knew the man or any
thing about him, except that he spent
the night In the room. He entered the
hotel between and 10 o'clock Tuesday
night and asked for room. He was
shown to No. ", and left instructions
that he was to be called at Z O'Clock
next morning. For some reason he did
not register Tuesday night and as nobody
had much to say to him, SO far as is
known, nothing was learned about him.
At 2 O'Clock yesterday morning Miss
Minnie Mayer called him, but received
no response and came to the oonclu-
sion that the man had changed his
mind about getting up ut that time and
allowed him to sleep, as she thought.
AT noon, however, when the man did
not make his appearance at dinner,
the suspicious Of the hotel people were
aroused and after dinner they decided
to make an Investigation. Joseph
Mayer went TO the room door and after
knocking and failing to receive any
reply tried to open it, but 1t was
locked and he was unable to do so. He
summoned Policeman Sherry, and
together they were able to force the
door open.
Upon entering the room they saw the
stranger lying across the bed, apparently
dead. and found the room filed with
illuminating gas. The door and win
dows had not only been closed, blu.
also the transon, over the door, which
strengthens The theory Of suicide. The
windows wers Immediately thrown open
and Officer Sherry communicated with
the police station. Capt. Kane, after
notifying Coroner Vandever, hastened
to the scene and he and Sergeant Lucas
and Officer Moran took charge of mat
ters until Coroner Vandever and his
deputy, Ferris Giles, arrived.
A hasty examination Of the effects of
the dead man were made, but nothing
was found by which he could be identi-
lied. His overcoat and underooat were
on chair near the bed and he had the
remainder of his clothing on.
Among the things found on him was
the back of an envelope on which the
following names we're written Maria
Morgan, Sarah Blake, Annie Blake,
Nancy Hill, Warren Jones, Artie
Pierce, Sarah Corse. Several of these
were written in ink. In lead pencil
was name that is hard to deciphel
the first name is Harry, the second
may be MoWhorter or McMastei.
Following this was more writing, also
hard to read, but taken to be Between
Scranton and Bird" with the number
318 below.
This envelope bore the postmark of
Cbestertown, Nd. where it was received
October ath, last.
The stranger is supposed to have been
inquiring in the neighborhood of
Fourth and Fiench streets for lodging
Tuesday, before he finally secured
room in the hotel.
As the name Harry MoWhorter'' or
"MoMaster" occupies o prominent
position on the envelope, and his
thought probable that his first name is
Harry and his last name may be either
MoWhcrter or McMaster, but there
Is nothing that will indicate where he
came from, unless 1t is the postnaIk on
the envelope, Chester town, Nd.
Coroner Vandever will communicate
with Chestertown people. Ht
The unfortunate man was well
dressed, his outfit comprising brown
pinstriEe trousers, black frock coat
and vest, mode Fedora hat, russell
shoes, white shirt with black dots,
green cuffs, with horseshoe buttons,
blue beaver osercoat, and blue and red
pecktie, t