Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-15
CAUSE Of DEATH
NOT Determined.
R. n. Officer, Well Known Assay
er, Expires Suddenly at
His Office.
SEVERAL. THEORIES ADVANCED
Demise May Have Been Due 10 In
lialing Poisonous Gascs---iNprcs-
sions of sympathy.

From causes as yet undetermined. r.
IL Officer the well known salt Lake
mining and club man, died al his assay
Office, No. 1863 south West Temple
street, between and $3.50 o'clock this
morning.
Mr.. officer left his home this morn
ing apparently in good health. and re-
ported at his office shortly before
o'clock After some work al the as
say furnace, he stepped down the cell
lar. where the supplies are stored aud
failing to return clerk went down
about $3.50 O'Clock TO find what was the
trouble lie discovered the PROSTATE
body Of Mr. officer lying on the floor
with life almost extinct 4 few feeble
gasps We're all the evidence OF life still
remaining, and he died before he could
be carried up stairs
THEORIES or DEATH
f. H. Officer his brother, and a num-
Der of other relatives were hastily sum-
moned, and after an examination had
revealed the fact that II was hopeless
to attempt his resuscitatlon. the body
was taken TO Evans undertaking par
lors. 1t was impossible to ascertain the
exact cause Of death Mir. Officer had
not enjoyed the best Of health for q
number of years and some Of those
who knew him well were inclined to be-
lieve that heart failure was the cause
Of death. The fact. however, that he
was working at furnace where pols-
onous gases We're being generated
causes the belief that he possibly filed
his lungs with the gas. and died from
sutocation Another theory advanced
Is that yesterday the assay Office was
working on gold reductions and in this
work the cyanide process" was used
extensively. COnsequetly there was an
abundance OF .lnide Of pota ssium lib-
Grated. This gas Is one Of the heaviest
known to chemists and It is possible
that II settled through the floor and
doors into the cellar forming layer
into which Mr.. officer penetrated on
gong down stairs which resulted IN
his suffocation.
Or. I. b, Beatty Of the state board
or heaIln was summoned TO attend the
case lie Is lifelong friend OF Mr..
Olilcer and with many others was much
affected by his sudden demise.
EXPRESSIONS OF SYMPATHY.
r. H. officer was prominent MEM
Der of the Country club and of the Uni
versty club, and fellow members of
these organizations have done all in
their power today to extend their
sympathy 10 the bereaved family They
VIII have charge of the funeral, ar
ransements for which are not yet
made
HAS LIVED HERE Is YEARS.
Mr.. officer has lived IN Salt Lake
since 1890 and has always been prom
inent In social circles His home has
been at 80 Third East street, adjoining
that Of his brother. +. H. Officer. at g
Third East street, the two brothers
having come here at nearly the same
time
Mr.. officer was born a years ago I'm
chicago, He came west as a young
man, and took a mining course at tho
Golden School Of Mines Ia Colorado.
Leaving there in the early eighties he
engaged in mining until 1890, when he
made his home IN Salt Lake and OPEN
ed his assay offices on Yves. Temple
street.
RELATIVES NOTIFIED.
In 1888 he was married TO Miss Mar
ion simmons. daughter OF Daniel p.
Simmons, Well known travelling man.
and he Is survived by his wife and
three young children. whose names are
Rollln. NELL ana Baby" the young
est being about two years OF age, and
as yet unnamed. Besides the relatives
living in salt Lake \. V. Officer. a
brother, and Miss Helen Officer, sis
ter Of Mr.. officer reside at Loveland.
colo. They We're notified of the death
by wire this morning