The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-02
DEATH FROM GAS
ON BIRTHDAYS EVE
MISS ELISE WESTENDoRFF
VICTIM OF AFFIRMATION IN HER
ROOM LAST NIGHT.

Was Feeling Ill in Afternoon
and Went to Her Room to SIeeT
Until Supper-NIOther Sent Maid Ia
Tell Her to Dress mt O'clock
and Discovery Was Made That Gas
Had Escaped While She slept.
Physician Worked on Her for an
Hour.
On the eve of her 18th birthday Miss
Elise Westendorff, the pretty daughter
of Mrs. Clara Westendorff of No. 4
Oglethorpe avenue, west, was asphyx-
lated at the home of her mother early
last night.
Miss Westendorff was found in her
room in a dying condition at o'clock,
when a servant went to call her for
supper. The room, a small one on the
third floor, was filled with gas. DIR.
Marion Thomas was hurriedly sum-
moned, but despite heroic efforts was
unable to keep aglow the spark of
life that remained in her for an hour
after her condition was discovered.
Miss Westendorff was feeling unwell
and went to her room to take a nap
shortly before 4 o'clock She told her
mother that she thought if she slept
for a couple of hours she would feel
better, and she was not disturbed dur
ing the afternoon. So that none of the
servants would disturb her Miss West
endorff was told by her mother to lock
the door.
EnRI 10 CaTU
At the supper hour, o'clock, Mrs.
Westendorff sent a maid to call her
daughter and notify her that it was
time for her to dress for supper. The
servant returned in a few minutes
with the information that she smelled
escaping gas on the third floor, that
the gas jets she had examined were
all right, and that she was unable to
arouse Miss Westendorff.
Accompanied by two young men who
board in the house Mrs. Westendorff
of Miss Westendorff's room was forced
open. The young lady was laying
across the bed in a natural position,
fully dressed, except that her shoes
We're off. There was still life in her
body, and she was quickly moved to
an adjoining room. DR.. Thomas was
summoned at once.
The physician worked hard for an
hour without avail. At o'clock there
was congestion of the lungs and the
end came. DR.. Thomas gave it as
his opinion that the young lady was
overcome by the gas while asleep and
that death was painless. Al
Second Blow to Family.
The tragic death of Miss Westendorff
is the second shock to the family with
in the last few months. She was a
sister of Miss Leah Wentendorff whose
fiance, Mr. r. M. Pearson, stepped from
a trolley car on West Broad street in
September and sustained injuries that
caused his death a few hours later
MIR. Pearson was injured while with
his fiancee and her mother on their
way to the Union Station to meet a
younger sister of Miss Westendorff,
who was coming to Savannah to at
tend the wedding. which was to have
taken place within a few days. Fol-
lowing close upon MIR. Pearson's death
Miss Westendorff's passing away came
as a great shock to the family.
Besides her mother. Miss Westendorff
leaves two sisters, Misses Leah and
Kate. She would have been is years
of age to-day and had anticipated a
great deal of pleasure in the celebra-
tion of that event. She was born in
Charleston and came to Savannah sew
eral months ago. Miss Westendorff
was particularly bright and attrac-
tive young lady and had quite a num-
Der of friends
The funeral will take place at
o'clock this afternoon from the home
of Mr.. and Mrs. A. NJ. Lucas at No.
619 Waldburg street, east. The services
will be conducted by Rev. A. r. Miller,
pastor of the Christian Church. The
interment will be in Laurel Grove
Cemetery.