The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-09-30
EMILE ZOLA'S SUDDEN DEATH
NOTED NOVELIST ASPHYYI4TED
 BY FUMES FROM STOVE.

BY FUMES FROM STOVE. Madame z la In R Critical Condition The Two Had Just Returned to Paris, and Slept in a Room fin Which a Fire Had Been Lighted Reports of Suicide. Paris, Sept. 29.-M. Emile Zola, the novelist, this morning was found dead in his house, having been asphyxiated by fumes from stove, the pipes of which are said to have been out of or der. His death is asserted to have been accidental, and all the circumstances support this view, although early re- ports were circulated that these were indications of suicide.
 Madame Zola is in critical condition but it is hoped that she will survive.
 M. Zola and his wife returned to their Paris home from their country house at Medan yesterday, and owing to sud- den spell of cold weather here, he or dered the heating stove in his bedroom to be lighted. The stove burned badly, but M. Zola and his wife retired at 10 o'clock last night, and the servants, not hearing any movement in the apart ment this morning entered the bedroom at 9:30 and found Madame Zola lying on the bed inanimate. M. Zola was ly- ing half out of bed. With his head and shoulders on the floor, and his legs on kl.n o,1 but they failed to restore him to life. After prolonged efforts they resuscitat- ed Madame Zola
 Nothing was found to support the ru- nor at first circulated that it was case of suicide. or poisoning. M. Zola dined with a good appetite last even- ing and the servants of the household at of the same dishes. Nothing unusual was heard in the bedroom during the night.
 Another account, giving further de- tails, says that some workmen arrived at the Zola residence at 9:S0 o'clock this morning to make certain repairs in M. Zola's /bedroom, but the servants, hav- ing already become alarmed at hearing no sounds from the room, decided to enter it and bursted the door open. The presence Of coal gas was at once mo- ticed and the bodies of the novelist and his wife were found in the positions already described. Zola had apparently be awakened by checking sensation, and had tried to rise, but was overcome by the fumes, which escaped from the defective stove. The windows were im- mediately oaened. doctors and com- icco pf the utmost efforts were made to revive the novelist and his wife. but the for mer had already succumbed. Madame Zola regained consciousness at about noon. She now lies in state of com plete prostration. An improvement in her condition is anxiously awaited in order to obtain further light on the oc- currence.
 A druggist who was the first to arrive at the house in order to attend M. Zola and his wife, said: When I entered the bedroom M Zola was lying partly on the floor, amid matters thrown up from his stomach. No special odor likely 10 cause asDhyXiation was then distin- guishable. The two victims, moreover, did not present exclusive symptoms of asphyxiation. Their faces were con- torted and their lips were bloodless, but not of violet color. think it probable that the accident was caused by inhal' ing heavy carbonic-acid gas, which lay mainly below the level of the high bed NJ Zola and his wife were thus not suf- focated on the bed. M. Zola was awak- ened by the effect of the gas, and tried to rise. but he was seized with vomit. ing, faintd, and thus fell to the floor where he was suffocated by the gas. Hi wife was also overcome, but less SC than her husband"
 The commissary of police, in his re port to the prefect of Paris said: "Th' heating stove was not lighted, ant there was no odor of gas. It is believed that his death was due to accidenta poisoning by drugs. Two little dog found in the bedroom are alive"
 The commissary of police, in a secont report, endorsed the medical opinion that Emil Zola's death was accidental and was due to asphyxfation.
 Dr. Leyrmand. who attend the vic tims, is quoted as saying in an inter view published this afternoon that tn plate of the stove was still warm an that the elections came from dog.
 The prefect has ordered the city arch itect to examine the bedroom in whicl Zola did, and has issued instruction that an analysis be made of his bloc and of the atmosphere of his room.
 Zola had been resting from literar work since he finished his book calle ''The Truth" which is being publishe in serial form in the Aurore.