The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-09-30
Great French Novelist Sufo- cated by Fumes from a
 Defective Stove
HIS WIFE OVERCOME BUT
 WILL PROBABLY RECOVER
zola Was Found With His Feet On the Bed, But Head and Shoulders On the FIoor-Sensa-
 tion In Paris.

Paris, September 29-Emile Zola, the novelist. who gained additional promi- hence in recent years because of his de fense of the Jews and of former Captain Dreyfus. was found dead in his Paris house this morning. Asphyxication result Ing from the fumes from stove in his bedroom is given as the cause of death.
 M Zola and his wife retired at 10 o'clock last night. Madame zola was seriously III when the room was broken into this morning. At about noon she was removed to a private hospital, where sne recov- cred consciousness for a short time and was able briefly to explain to a magistrate what had happened. M. and Mms zola returned to Paris from their country house at Medan yesterday. Owing to a sudden spell of cold weather the heating stove in their bedroom was ordered to be lighted. The stove burned badly and the pipes of the stove are said to have been out of order
 To the magistrate Mme. Zola explained that she woke early this morning with splitting headache. She awakened her husbard and asked him to open a win dow. She saw him rise and attempt to move towards a window, but he stag gered and feil to the floor unconscious Mime. Zola fainted at the same moment and was, therefore, unable to give the siarpa.
 Mime. zols does not yet know of her husbands death and it Is feared she may suffer relapse when informed of 1t. It Is thought tonight however. that she will recover.
 Caused Great Sensation.
 The death of M Zola, which became generally known only late this after noon, has caused a great sensation in Paris, and this evening there was con stant stream of callers at the Zola resi- ience. M Zolas body lies upon divan In the center of the spacious drawing room of his house under a canopy of rare and ancient har gings. The body is cov- cred with a sheet and electric lamps throw their vivid light upon the wax like features of the dead
 The servants of the Zola household not hearing any movement in their masters apartment this morning, entered the bed room at 9:30 o'clock and found M. Zola lying with his head and shoulders - the
 
 were sumomned but they failed te re- suscitate him.
 Mime. Zola was unconscious, but after prolonged efforts on the part of physi- clans she showed signs of life, but it was some time before she became conscious. A slight odor of carbonic gas was noticed when the servants broke into the bedroom. From the position of M zola's body 1t was evident that he had tried to rise but had been overcome by the fumes from the defective stove. The servants immediately opened the bed room windows and sent for physicians. A commissary of police was also sum- moned.
 No Evidence of Suicide.
 It was reported here during the day that there were evidences of suicide in the death of M. Zola Nothing has so far developed to substantiate this theory, and the statement made by Mime. Zola to the magistrate seems to disprove it. M. Zola dined with a good appetite yester day evening and the servants of the household ate of the same dishes. No unusual sound was heard from the bed room during the night Two little dogs belonging to the Zola's passed the night in their masters bed room. They were alive this morning. It is. believed they owe their lives to the fact that one slept the bed and the other on a chair, thus escaping the heavy carbonic gas which settled near the floor.
 A druggist who was the first to arrive at the house to attend M. Zola and his wife said:
 When I entered the bedroom M Zola was lying partly on the floor No especial odor likely to cause asphyxiation was distinguishable. M. and Madame Zola did not present exclusive symptoms of as- phyxiation. Their faces were contorted and their lips were bloodless but not vio- let colored. I think the accident was probably caused by the Zolas inhalng heavy carbonic gas which lay mainly be- low the level of the high bed. This would account for Madame Zola's es- cape. They were not suffocated on the bed. M. Zola was awakened by the ef- fleets of the gas and tried to rise, but he was seized with vomiting tainted and fell to the floor where he was suffocated. Madame Zola also was overcome by the gas. but to a less degree than her hus- band"
 No odor of Gas.
 The commissary of police who was summoned to the Zola residence said in his report to the prefect of Paris:
 "The heating stove was not lighted and there was no odor of gas. It is believed M Zola's death was due to accidental poisoning by drugs. Two little dogs found in the bedroom are alive"
 In a second report the commissary of police indorsed the meulcdi oplnlon that M Zolas death was accidental and due to asphyxiation.
 i. Dr. Leyrmand who attended M. and 1 Madame Zola Is quoted as saying in an Interview published this afternoon that the heating stove was still warm when 4 he entered the room.
 The prefect of Paris has ordered the Acity architect to examine the bedroom in LAv which Zola died and has issued instruc- Hons that an analysis be made of his slood and of the atmosphere in his loom.
 I'M Zola had been resting from literary --~i< aimee he finished his book called