The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-11-13
Former HonoIuIan, Late OF Manila,
Turns on Gas in San Fran
cisco Lodgings.
IlIHeaIth and Dependency Over the Death
of Father McKinnon the As
signed Cause.

SAN FRANCISCO, November -
Charles o. Ziegenfuss, one of the most
widely known newspaper men on the
Pacific Coast, was found dead in a
room at the Burlington lodginghouse,
6051a Market street, yesterday after
noon under circumstances which point
to the fact that he had committed sui
eide.
Although his effects were at the Oe-
cidental Hotel, where he had been liv-
ing continuously since September y
last, he took room on the fourth floor
Of the Burlington at IL o'clock on
Wednesday night, leaving a call for 8
O'Clock the next morning. At that
hour he responded when called, but
when Pom 10y, the Chinese house boy,
went to the room at 2:30 O'Clock in the
afternoon to make up the bed he found
the door locked from the inside. Be
ing unable to arouse the occupant, he
notified d. S. Burkett, the manager of
the place, who promptly effected an
entrance through rear window. He
discovered the room full of gas, which
was still pouring from an open jet
over the bed. Upon ascertaining that
Ziegenfuss, who lay in bed in his un
derclothing, was dead, Burkett sum-
moned policeman w M. Ross, who in
al - E1o hn1
was thereupon removed to the morgue.
An investigation of the room showed
conclusively that Ziegenfuss must have
turned on the gas deliberately after
having been called in the morning. as
both jets of the gas fixture were in good
order, and, in fact, difficult to manipu-
late Nothing of value, except the sum
of 35 cents, was found upon his cloth
ing, and the only papers he carried
were in the form of credentials from
his partner and associate, r. Crozier
of the Manila American, and other
Americans resident in the Philippines.
From these it would appear that he
came here partly for his health and,
partly on business connected with his
ventures in the colonies.
Zig" as he was familiarly known
to thousands of people, has been con-
nected with newspapers in almost ev-
ery state in the Union. While he was
very reticent as to his antecedents, it
is believed that his father was veal
thy iron founder at Bethlehem, Pa,
where his aged mother still resides.
When a mere boy, being big and pow
erful for his age, he enlisted in the
army during the Civil War, and at its
close he drifted into newspaper work.
After a somewhat checkered career,
during which he held responsible po-
sitions on the Boston Traveller and
other well known journals, he came
West. Among the positions which he
held in this city was that of assistant
CITY editor ON the Chronicle. Prior to
that time he had founded paper at
Phoenix, A. T., and worked in various
capacities on almost every paper along
the Coast from San Diego north. Dur
ing the first Bryan campaign he was
editor of the Stockton Mail. Thence he
went to Fresno, where he became
managing editor of the Democrat. He
had already worked there both as city
editor of the Republican and editor OF
the Expositor Later he secured con-
troll of the Calaveras Citizen. After
the war with Spain he drifted to Ho-
nolulu. where he became associated
with E. S. Gill, with whom he had
worked many years before in Arizona,
on the Republican, the organ of Judge
Humphreys Thence he went to Ma
Mia on a transport, and at once secur-
ed control of the American. During
his residence in the Philippines he
contracted dysentery, which became
chronic. Upon the advice of his ply
sicians he came back to the United
States in August last, but the disease
had obtained such headway that he
was practically doomed. In despair he
sought various changes of climate, but
without effect, and on September 27
last he returned to this city
Ziegenfuss was about so years Of
age, and is said to have been twice
married. His second wife. a Miss
Crowley. died here some six years ago,
leaving one child, boy, now 13 years
old
Ziegenfuss has been respondent for
some time past. but the funeral Of the
Uza+ho- r-h no