Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-30
EMILE lola DEAD,
THE FAMOUS FRENCH novELIy1
THE VICTIM OF AS
PHYxLAT1oS.
THERE. is TALK OF SUICIDE.
The Doctors, however, DIscredts
This Suggestion.
GREAT srss.r'os II rAnl..
Constant stream OF Callers Mt tha
Dead Nove1istss House-Madame
zo1a Made Seriously nj by the
Fumes THAT Result In Her Hus-
bands Death, But It Is Thought
She VIII Recover.
The Doctors, However, DIscredts
This Suggestion.
GREAT SENSATION .n PARIS.


PARIS, September e9.-Emile zola, ths
novelist, who gained prominence in re~
cent years because of his defence OF the
Jews and of former Captain E-eyfus. was
found dead in his Paris home this morn
ing. Asphyxiation, resulting from this
fumes from stove In his bedroom, IN
given as the cause OF death
NJ, Zola and his wife retired at IL
O'clock last night Madame zola was se-
riousIy i'll when the room was broken
into this morning. AT about noon she
was removed to a private hospital. whers
she recovered consciousness for short
time, and was able. briefly to explain to
a magistrate what had happened. NJ
and Nine. Zola returned to Paris from
MADAM. their county place. yesterday.
Owing to sudden spell OF cold weather,
the heating apparatus 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
a splitting headache She wakened her
husband and asked him to open win
floor unconscious. Nine. Zola tainted at
the same moment. and was, therefore,
unable to give the alarm.
Mme zola does not know Of her htfs-
bands death, and it Is feared she may
suffer relapse when informed OF 1t. 1t
is thought tonight. however. that she
will recover.
Sensation I'm Paris.
The death of NJ. Zola, which only be-
came generally known this evening, has
caused a great sensation in Paris, and
there was constant stream OF callers
at the Iola residence. NJ. Xo1a.s body
lies upon divan In the center OF the
spacious drawing-roem Of HIS house, un-
der a canopy Of rare and ancient hang
i7gs. The body Is covered with sheet.
and cleo ssric lamps throw their vivid light
upon the wax-lil1e feature Of the dead.
The servants of the Zo1a household,
not hearing any movement In their mas
ter's apartment this morning. entered tho
bedroom at $50 o'clock and found M.
zola lying with his head and shoulders
on the floor and his legs on the bed
Doctors were summoned. but thay failed
to resuscitate him. Nine. Zo1a was un-
conscious, but after prolonged efforts on
the part OF the physicians. she showed
signs OF life, but 1t was some time be-
fore she became conscious.
A slight odor OF caraonic gas was mo-
ticed when the servants broke into tha
bedroom. From the position Of III. 70
las body, it was evident that he had
tried to rise. but had been overcome
by the fumes from the detective stove.
The servants immediately opened the
bedroom windows, and sent for physi-
clans. A commissary of police was alsd
summoned.
It was reported here during the day
that there were evidences OF suicide In
the death of NJ. Zola. Nothing has so
far Developed to substantate this theory.
and the statement made by Nine. Xala
to the magistrate seems to disprove 1t.
M. Zola dined with good appetite
yesterday evening. and the servants of
the household ate from the same dishes.
No unusual sound was heard from the
bedroom during the night. Two little
dogs belonging to NJ. Zola passed the
night In their masters bedroom. They
were alive this morning. They probably
owe their lives to the fact that one slept
In the bed and the other on chair,
thus escaping the heavy gas. which set.
tied near the floor.
A Druggists Theory.
A druggist, who was the first to ar.
rive at the house to attend NJ. Zola and
his wife. said:
when entered the bedroom M. Zola
| was lying partially on the floor. No
odor likely to cause asphyxiation was
perceptible. NJ Zola did not show symp-
toms OF asphyxiation. nor did Nine. Zola,
Their faces were contorted, and theiR
lips were bloodless. but not violet coi-
| ored. think the accident was probably
caused by the Zolas inhaling heavy carr
bonic gas. which lay mainly below thu
level OF the high bed. This would a
count for Nine. Zola's escape. They
| were suffocated on the bed NJ. Z4a was
awakened by the effects OF the gas, and
tried to rise, but he was seized with vonn-
iting. tainted, and fell to the floor, whera
| he was suffocated Mime. lola also wa3
overcome by the gas. but to a lesse1
| degree than her husband
The commissary of police. who were
| 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 be<
| lieved that NJ Zola's death was due to
accidental poisoning by drugs. Two lit.
| tie dogs. found in the bedroom. arc
| alive"
Medical Opinion Endorsed.
In second report, the commissary OF
police endorsed the medical opinion, that
| NJ. Zola's death was accidental. and due
/ to- ;avS