Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-09-25
SUICIDE OF N. B. FURRY
Killed Himself Tuesday by In
halng Illuminating Gas.
PROPRIETOR OF PULLMAN HOTEL
He Had Brooded Over Busl-
ness Troubles,


Merritt B. Furry, proprietor of the
Pullman Hotel, at Eleventh street and
railroad avenue, committed suicide
/ Tuesday by inhaling illuminating gas.
Mrs. Fannie S. Furry, wife of the de-
ceased, attributes her husbands rash
act to business troubles.
Furry was under indictment in the
Court of General Sessions, several tru.
bills having bean found against him by
the grand Jury last week, and 1t was
expected that one of the cases, at least,
would be called early this week, proba-
bly, today. He Was charged with SELL
ing liquor on Sunday and he and
another man were charged with at
tempting to obstruct public justice,
the allegation being that they had en-
deavored to induce Elmer johnson, a
witness against Furry, to abandon the
prosecution.
Furry was at the Court House th,
greater part Of Monday and when b,
went home ut evening was very much
depressed and complained that he was
sick. He retired early in the evening
and at his request JOHN +. McAvaney,
his brother-in law, summoned Dr4
James III. Morgan. When the latter nrl
rived Furry was suffering with chilli
The doctor prescribed for him and left
note stating that the patient was
suffering with chills and fever, which
would probably have been presented
to the court had Furry lived and had
one Of the cases been called yesterday, al
the patient was in serious PHYSICAL
condition during the night and i'll
looked at that time as if he would bel
in bod for day or SO. When he retired
he went to the front room on the third
floor and slept alone. Several times dur-I
ing the night Mrs. Furry visited theI
room and gave him medicine, the last
time about o'clock Tuesday morn
ing, At that time he appeared to bel
improving, but was restless.
He was not about at the usual timel
Tuesday and about O'Clock Jamea
O'Conner, the bartender, won't to his1
room to call him. When Mr.. O'ConnerA
reached the hall on the third floor he'll
detected the odor of gas and becameI
suspicious. He returned to the bari
room, where he impaired his suspicionsl
to Mr.. McAvoney. O'Conner had tried
Mr.. Furry's door and found that IL wasl
locked on the inside and he was un \
able to get any response from his calls
Acting upon the advice Of Mr.. MOI
Ayaney. he broke the door in and
found Mr.. Furry lying ACROSS the bed,
in his night clothes, with tube froml
the gas jet in one nostril, with The gasl
turned on. The tube was held by oneI
hand, which also covered tho mouth.
and there was SO much gas in tho rooml
that it was sitting. An examination
Of the body indicated that life had
been extinct for several hours. Thel
body was cold and the flesh pink.
Policeman Barr, who was in the
neighborhood telephoned to Capt
Kane at police headquarters and the
captain began an investigation at once.
A message was also sent to the Office of
Coroner Frick and two of his men werel
soon on the scene, also making an in-I
vestigation. 1t was the opinion of
everybody that it was u plain case Of
suicide, the result Of brooding over
| trouble.
Deceased leaves widow and one
child. He was 80 years of age. He
had kept the Pullman House for about
| IS months.