Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-30
AsPHYxlATloN THE ACCEPTED THEORY
Probably sufoCatsd from Gas Escaping
from Bedroom Steve,
SOME FEARED He WAS POISONED
Conditions at First Thought to Indioat
Case Of Suicide.
MADAME zoLA HAS A MARROW ESCAPE
She is StiII GrhveIy Ill, but
There Are Hopes that She
VIII survive Eject
of the Gas.

OF the Gass
PARIS. Sept 2e-Emile Zola, the novel
ist, who gained additional prominence in
recent years because OF his defense OF the
Jews and OF former Captain Dreyfus, was
found dead in his Paris house this after
noon Asph ..iation, resulting from the
fumes in his bedroom, Is given as the cause
of death.
NJ zola and his wife retired at 10 o'clock
last night. Madame Zola was seriously i'll
when the room was broken into this morn
ing. At about noon she was removed to a
private hospital, where she recovered con-
sciousness for a short time and able
briefly to explain TO a magistrate what had
happened NJ and Nine. 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 Nine. Zola explained
that she awoke early this morning with a
splitting headache She wakened her hus-
band and asked him to open a window. She
saw him rise and attempt to move toward
n window. but he staggered and fell to the
floor unconscious. Nine. zola tainted at
the same moment and was therefore, unable
to give the alarm.
Nine. ZOlR Kept in Ignorance.
Nine. Zola does not vet know NJ her hus-
bands death, and II is feared she may
suffer a relapse whom informed OF it. It
Is thought tonight, however, that she will
recover 80.
The death OF NJ. Zola, which only be-
came generally known late this afternoon,
has caused a great sensation in Paris, and
toll NIAwz
ers at the Zola residence. NJ. Zola's body
lies upon divan In the center of the spa
cious drawing room Of his house under a
canopy Of rare ancient hangings The body
is covered with a sheet and electric lamps
throw their vivid light upon the wax-lke
features Of the dead.
The servants OF the ZoIa household, not
hearing any movement in their masters
apartment this morning entered the bed
room at $3.50 o'clock and found NJ. zoia
lying with his head and shoulders on the
floor and his legs on the bed. Doctors were
pummoned. but they failed to resuscia him
Nine zola was unconscious. but after pro-
longed efforts on the part Of the physicians
she showed signs OF life and It was some
time before she became conscious.
Gas Is Scented.
A slight odor Of carbonic gas was noticed
when the servants broke into the bedroom.
From the position OF NJ. Zola's body II
was evident that he had tried to rise but
had been overcome by the fumes from the
defective stove. The servants Immediately
opened the bedroom windows, and sent for
physicians. commlssary Of police was
also summoned.
1t was reported here during the day
that there were evidences of suicide in the
death OF NJ. Zola. Nothing has so far de-
welcomed In Ia 70
statements made by Nine. Zola to the mag
tstrate seems to disprove It. M. Zola dined
with good appetite yesterday evening,
and the servants OF the household ate OF
the same dishes. No unusual sound was
heard from the bedroom during the night
Two little dogs belonging to the Zolas
passed the night in their masters bedroom
They were alive this morning. 1t is be-
lieved they owe their lives to the fact that
one slept on the bed and the other on q
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 NJ. Zola and his wife, said:
When ! entered the bedroom NJ. Zols
was lying partly on the floor. No especial
odor likely to cause asphyxlation was dis.
tinguishable. NJ. and Nine. Zola did moi
present exclusive symptoms OF asphyxIa.
tion. Their faces were eontorted and theii
lips were bloodless but not violet colored
] think the accident was probably caused
by the zolas inhallng heavy carbonic gas
which lay mainly below the level OF tn,
high bed. This would account for Nine
zola's escape. They were not suffocatet
on the bed. NJ, zola was awakened by tn,
effects OF the gas and tried TO rise but wa
seized with vomiting tainted and fell to tn,
floor where he was suffocated. Nine zolt
also was overcome by the gas, but to a Ies
degree than her husband"
Onicer Suspects Poisoning.
The commissary Of police. who was sum
moned to the zola residence. said in his re
port to the prefect OF Paris:
The heating stove was not lighted an,
there YVES no odor OF gas. II Is believes
that M. ZOla's death was due to Academia
poisoning by drugs. Two little dogs foun
IN the bedroom are alive" In a secon
report the commissary OF police endorse
the medical opinion that NJ. Zolas deaf
was accidental and due to asphyxiation.
DIR. Leyrmand, who attended NJ. and Nine
zola. is quoted as saying in an interview
published this afternoon that the heatin
stove was still warm when he entered tn
room. The prefect OF Paris has ordered tn
city architect to examine the bedroom /
which NJ Zola died and has issued instruc
tions that analysis be made Of his bloc
and the atmosphere in his room.
The obituary notices pay tribute TO \
Zola's literary talent. The Temps says th
French letters have suffered a loss whic
win be keeniy felt. The newspapers jude
NJ. zolAs role in the Dreyfus affair aceor,
ing TO political bias NJ. zOla was born
Paris April 2. 1S4O
Nine. zOla Finally Informed.
PARIS. Sept. sO.-Mme. zOla was hnAl
informed that her husband was dead
she left her house for the hospital. 81
at hrst refused 10 believe the news al
- was terribly affected. she did not wish
leave the house, but the physicians hnal
persuaded her TO allow herself TO be r