The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-05
SHE MAY NOT RECOVER
No Gas Connections in House;
Presence of:F!uid a Mystery.
ROOMS FILLED WITH THeoDok
Thorough Investigation Has Failed to
Reveal How Gas Gets Into Some
of the Rooms While the Others
Are Free from i,-L-wyer
Retained to Bring Suit
Against the City.

Retained 10 BRING So!l
Against the City.
IN a mammoth one-hundred room Aoeae
the Franklin House, corner of Governor
and Franklin Streets. building devoid
OF gas connections and In which gas has
not been. used for years, Mrs. F. .. Gay.
mother of Mrs. E. j. Bethel. proprietress.
was discovered at an early hour yester-
DAY morning in her room on the second
hooi OF the house in an unconscious
condition and at the point Of death from
the enects OF inhaled illuminating gas.
While the atmosphere In the room waa
permeated with the foul smelling oGor
OF the gas. The condition OF the aged
lady is said to be quite serious. and at
late hour last night DR.. NJ y. Hoge.
who was called Immediately after the
discovery q the 'llncUn 4lous woman.
stated that he entertained little hopes OF
her recovery. 1t is not expected thai
she will survive the night
YELLED IN MYSTERY.
Being the second time within as many
weeks that inmates Of the hotel have
been overcome by illuminating gas. tha
case is surrounded in the deepest nnys-
terry. no one beng able to account for
the presence OF the huid In the hotel
The room in which Mrs. Gray was 20
nearly asuh.tsiared was not the only
cue in the hotel where the unpleasant
smell was noticeable. and late yesterday
afternoon when q Times reg srter visited
the place. and in company with w. F.
Newton. the manager. started on tour
Of inspection both were nearly stitted
by the strong odor when the door to
tie parlor. three rooms above tue ona
in Which Mrs. Gay na.1 been overcome.
was opened. The gas was so thick that
it seemed almost possible to feel it. yet.
no conceivable place from which it
might be escaping INTO the room could be-
located. In numbers of the rooms the
slceII was not at all noticeable, while
i'll the Railways it was Impossible 10 dis.
cern any sign Of the deadly odor.
USE NJ Cas-
Both Mrs Bstnel and Manager News
ton are at a .oss to understand tne freak.
:
gas in the v.c.nity OF the Franklin Houss
has been playing for the past two or
three weeks. They say that not for over
year has the hotel been connected with
the gas main in the street. and that
during all of this time coal oil has been
the sole means used for lighting the
big b use. This was evfden: last night.
for as one walked along through the
long hail and corridors with the small
ref1ect.ng lamps stuck here and there
ato1t the place 1t was impossible to
shake off sort of haunted house feelss
ing. nd then this. coupled with an oc-
casionaf Whit of the bad smelling gas.
made the situation anything but pleas /
ant.
Upon the former occasion when two
young men were nearly asphyxiated. (
every effort was made to find from
where the gas was coming. but no sue
cess met with the efforts, and 1t was
finally concluded that the gas had es-
caped from a sewer In the vicinity.
But the tragedy which was unveiled
yesterday routs this idea entirely. and
there can be no doubt but that the gas
which has manifested itself comes from
a gas r1ain. but Just from what maIn ia
not known. Neither Is 1T known how the
gas manages to get into the hotel
Mrs Bethel SAYS that the presence OF
the gas. about the hotel has practically:
r1i-ed her business. nearly all OF her
regular boarders giving up their rooms ,
and leaving. while her transient bust.i
ness has fallen off considerably as a re.
suit OF the reputation the hotel has ac-
qlired. She has retained the services OF |
Attorney R. L. Montague. and he VIII
p-ebahly proceed against the city Il
ETp'oyes OF the city gas departueut .
have been d'ggirg in the vicinity in an
attempt to locate the leak II the-e ba
one.
There IS some. talk OF e!eetrolysts ba4 |
ing responsible in some way for the {
mystery. but as t!sra is no longer any 1
trolley line near the Franklin House.
the damage from this source must have
heen dorA some wears ago II done It was.
The mystery has attracted great dear
OF interest. and an explanation Is eagers
ly awaited.