Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-11
AL SWORDS 5 DEATH.
Details of How the Unfortunate Goal
 Tender Died.

Details Of How the tsnforIunate e1oai
 Tender Died.
 Later news about the death of "Al' Sword shows that an officer went to Swords room and attempted to push open the door, but found an obstruc- ton against it. Using q little more force, he succeeded in pushing open the door, and found that the obstruc- tion was the body of Sword, which was wedged in the corner of the room, and sprawled out in such manner that one leg rested against the door.
 Extending from the wall was q bracket gas jet with two burners, one for ordinary use and the other intend cd for tubing for q gas stove. The regular burner was lighted, although the cock was not turned fully on. The other burner. which extended down. ward. was turned. on full blast. and the ignited gas had set fire to the pa per and was rapidly scorching the woodwork on the wall for space reaching from the gas jet to the cell ing. The officer seized blanket from the bed and soon smothered the flames, after which he turned off the gas from both burners.
 E When Medical Examiner Perkins ar rived the body was still warm and the muscles were relaxed, showing that the man had probably been dead less than an hour. In answer to ques. tion by the medical examiner, Officer Collier said that there was no smell of gas at all when he entered the room, but at that time the heat was very intense. The room is about ter feet square and with very low cell ing. There is but one door, whicl was closed and locked, and one win dow, which was also closed.
 It is not known just when Sword came into the house Monday night but it must have been quite late, as none of the lodgers heard him wher | lie went i'll. The bed had evidently been used, as it was i'll a somewha' disordered condition. From the DO l.sition of the body when found it would seem that Sword had been standing il l the middle of the room between th' bed and the gas jet when he collapsed l falling with his left hand under hin and his head and shoulders firml, wedged in the corner a bove the floor The lodger whose room adjOins tha 1 of Sword heard groans between ant 2 o'clock q. m. yesterday, but whil' l he listened they ceased. 1t is believed l that Sword, who had during the da, complained of feeling i'll, was seized with sickness during the, night. M l WaterholIse heard some one enter tn l house about midnight, and thinks I was probably Sword. The air wa stifling in the small room when the of I ficer and the others entered.
 Dr. Perkins made an examination Q 1 the dead mans clothes and found tha I he had no money in his pockets. Ther \ was letter written from Taft's eS \ change, but not mailed, which wa l signed with Swords name and the az dress 199 High street, Pawtucket. Tni \ letter had no date, and was written | l a MT Crandall of Block island regard ing the acceptance of q position by tn l writer in hotel of that place.
 When he went to the boardin house Sword told MT Waterhouse Il wanted a room until June 20, when Il I was to go to Block island to work i l hotel there. This was undoubtedl i| the place he meant. He had stoppe l at the same house at times previous t this and was we'll known by the pro prietor. MT Waterhouse said Swor l was very quiet person. who scene sl to attend to his own business, but ha been drinking of late.
 Dr Perkins had the body removed t \ undertaking rooms. On being asze if there would be an autopsy to detel . mine the cause of death Dr Perkin said there would probably be none. did not seem to be n case of suicid nor one where violence had been liset VI but at the same time he would mak i further inquiries concerning the cas- < The dead polo player was remove to Pawtucket, his native city, aIldath { home of his two brothers, James E q who is on the Pawtueket police fore and George F.. who is manager of
 wall paper store in Providence. Swor
 was married. his wife living in Bostoi { He had no children by the marriage.
 Sword was native of Pawtucke
 and began to play polo when a young ter. He was first in the original pol
 league, which included .pawtuclSe
 Later he was q member of the famor
 Kangaroo team, sold from Pawtuckt
 to Hartford at a time when interest
 polo was at it's greatest height. in til
 late sos. The dea1 attracted wide a
 tention among polo enthusiasts. fe s| the team WAS considered at the tim H the best ever gathered together.
 About the time he began to play pol he learned the trade of an engravt X and became n skillfnl workman.
 < < d HARRY yARDoN BEATEN